Providence, Rhode Island
Living in Providence, Rhode Island is about 18% more expensive than the national average, with a cost of living index of 118 (US = 100). Typical rent is $2,166 a month, 12% above the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $3.98 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 52% of the area's $78,204 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$3.98
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$2,166
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$17.17
Combo meal
Electricity
28.18¢
per kWh · ~$254/mo
Car Insurance
$198/mo
$2,380/yr
Median Household Income
$78,204
52.4% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $2,380 in Providence. Compare rates:
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Some prices above are regional estimates. Submit a receipt from a local store to help us show what Providence residents actually pay.
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Find Apartments
Avg rent $2,166/mo in Providence. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.77 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
Apples (3 lb)
$5.22 estimate
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$8.60 estimate
Yogurt (32 oz)
$5.36 estimate
Cereal (family size)
$6.58 estimate
Frozen Pizza
$9.40 estimate
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.24 | $5.77 | +36.1% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.73 | $5.22 | +10.4% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $6.01 | $8.60 | +43.1% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.32 | $5.36 | +24.1% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $5.20 | $6.58 | +26.5% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $6.65 | $9.40 | +41.4% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$17.17
Casual Dining
$36.46
Monthly Spend
$550.48
+4.86% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $10.65
$17.17
+61.2%Wendy's
2022: $12.02
$18.54
+54.2%Chipotle
2022: $12.88
$19.23
+49.3%Starbucks
2022: $6.24
$8.67
+38.9%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Providence?
Average 1BR: $1,776/mo · 2BR: $2,556/mo
Local Workforce
2024 · BLS QCEWTotal Jobs
288k
Median Weekly Pay
$1,324
$69k/yr
Top Sector
Education & Health Services
Household vs Worker Pay
$78k
household median
Employment by Sector — Providence
% of local workforce · avg weekly wage · 5-year growth trend
~$64k/yr
~$90k/yr
~$54k/yr
~$30k/yr
~$109k/yr
Source: BLS QCEW 2024 Annual · County FIPS 44007
Highest Paying Sector
Financial Activities
$2,088/wk · $109k/yr
Most Workers (lowest wage)
Leisure & Hospitality
$580/wk · $30k/yr
Providence Cost of Living FAQ
Is Providence, RI expensive to live in?
Providence has a cost of living index of 118, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 18% more expensive than average. It is the most expensive of the 2 Rhode Island cities we track.
What is the average rent in Providence, RI?
Typical rent in Providence is $2,166 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 12% above the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,776 and two bedrooms about $2,556. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Providence?
Rent in Providence rose 4.2% over the past year, faster than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Providence?
Regular unleaded costs about $3.98 a gallon in Providence as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for Rhode Island. That is about the same as the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Providence?
Homes in Rhode Island pay an average of 28.2 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Providence is about $254.
How much is car insurance in Providence?
Full coverage car insurance averages $2,380 a year in Rhode Island, or about $198 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Providence?
Median household income in the Providence area is $78,204 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $40,967 a year, or 52% of that income. Groceries are counted at $7,165 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Providence compare with the rest of Rhode Island?
Rent in Providence is about the same as the $2,166 average across the 2 Rhode Island cities we track, and its cost of living index of 118 compares with a state average of 115.
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