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State cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

Cost of Living in Rhode Island

Statewide Regional Price Parities for Rhode Island from the Bureau of Economic Analysis — overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100, across 1 metro areas.

102.3
Statewide RPP
#15
of 51 states by cost
105.6
Rents RPP
1
Metro areas

The verdict

Rhode Island is more expensive than 71% of U.S. states — a statewide cost index of 102.3, 2.3% above the national average.

102.3
statewide cost index (US average = 100)
#15
of 51 states by overall cost
top 29%
nationally, among all states
105.6
rents RPP — the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $97,771 when earned in Rhode Island.

Reading the Rhode Island Cost of Living Picture

The Bureau of Economic Analysis places Rhode Island's statewide Regional Price Parity at 102.3 for the 2024 data year, 2.3% more expensive the U.S. baseline of 100. Inside the headline figure, the state's services line runs hottest at 146.7, while goods offer the biggest relief at 97.2. That internal spread — rather than the single state number — is what determines whether a household actually feels priced in or priced out.

Rhode Island captures 1 metro area in the BEA dataset, and the range across them is meaningful. With a single metro reporting in the BEA series, the statewide figure reflects that urban anchor directly. For goods the state indexes at 97.2, for services 146.7, and for rents 105.6 — the rent figure tends to be the most volatile input and deserves its own line-item review before any relocation decision.

Over time, Rhode Island's statewide index has held steady within 1.3 points, suggesting a stable competitive position against other states. Practically, this means a $100,000 national salary delivers the purchasing power of about $97,771 of national buying power when earned inside Rhode Island, and a household relocating here would need roughly $102,280 to reproduce a $100K lifestyle. Pair these numbers with metro-specific wage data and rent tables before treating the statewide figure as your planning assumption.

102.3
Overall
97.2
Goods
146.7
Services
105.6
Rents

Rhode Island vs every U.S. state

Where this state sits in the national cost distribution

102 Top 29% higher than 71% of 51 US states

84–87: 2 US states (4%). Below this entry. 87–90: 7 US states (14%). Below this entry. 90–93: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 93–96: 6 US states (12%). Below this entry. 96–99: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 99–102: 5 US states (10%). Below this entry. 102–105: 8 US states (16%). This entry sits in this band. 105–108: 3 US states (6%). Above this entry. 108–111: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 111–114: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. 114–117: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. This state 84 117 every US state (incl. DC), bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities · 2024

Metro areas in Rhode Island, ranked by cost

Metro area OverallGoodsServicesRents
Providence-Warwick 101.8 97.1 148.8 103.9

The Rents RPP index measures housing costs relative to the national average (100). For the federal 40th-percentile Fair Market Rent by bedroom size and county, see the HUD Fair Market Rents dataset.

RPP History

Year Overall
2008 103.6
2009 103.9
2010 101.8
2011 101.1
2012 99.8
2013 101.4
2014 100.3
2015 102.0
2016 101.6
2017 102.4
2018 102.0
2019 102.4
2020 101.8
2021 102.2
2022 104.5
2023 102.1
2024 102.3

Cost of Living Guides

Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Cost of Living vs Wages
Where your dollar goes furthest
Understanding Regional Price Parities
How BEA constructs RPP data

View all guides →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Rhode Island? ▼
Rhode Island has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 102.3, meaning it is 2.3% more expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 97.2, services at 146.7, and rents at 105.6.
What salary in Rhode Island equals $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $102,280 in Rhode Island. Conversely, $100K earned in Rhode Island has the purchasing power of $97,771 at the national average.
Is housing expensive in Rhode Island? ▼
Rents in Rhode Island are indexed at 105.6, which is 5.6% above the national average. Housing costs are close to the national average.
Is Rhode Island getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Rhode Island's overall cost index changed by -1.3 points (from 103.6 to 102.3). The cost of living has remained relatively stable.
What is most expensive in Rhode Island compared to the U.S. average? ▼
The most expensive category in Rhode Island is services at 146.7, which is 46.7% above the national average. The most affordable category is goods at 97.2, 2.8% below average.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Index where national average = 100

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.