Moving to Rhode Island from California
What to Expect
Considering a move from California to Rhode Island? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from California to Rhode Island, you would find that Rhode Island is 4.6% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly $73,532 in Rhode Island to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Providence averages 61°F vs 74°F in Sacramento, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between California and Rhode Island.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $73,532
To maintain the same standard of living in Rhode Island
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 0.7% less
Groceries
pay 7.0% more
Transportation
pay 6.6% more
Housing
pay 5.0% less
Childcare
pay 9.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 5.8% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Rhode Island compared to California.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Rhode Island performs significantly better than California across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
California generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Rhode Island leads in uninsured rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Rhode Island performs significantly better than California across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
California generally does better on infrastructure, though Rhode Island leads in average commute.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
California generally does better on employment & economy, though Rhode Island leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
California generally does better on family life, though Rhode Island leads in bachelor's degree or higher.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sacramento | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) | 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) | 68°/49°F (20°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) | 79°/61°F (26°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) | 53°/35°F (12°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sacramento | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) | 37°/21°F (3.0°/-6.1°C) |
| Feb | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) | 40°/24°F (4.6°/-4.7°C) |
| Mar | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) | 48°/30°F (8.8°/-1.1°C) |
| Apr | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) | 59°/40°F (14.8°/4.2°C) |
| May | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) | 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.2°C) |
| Jun | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) | 78°/58°F (25.3°/14.7°C) |
| Jul | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) | 83°/64°F (28.2°/17.9°C) |
| Aug | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.3°C) |
| Sep | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) | 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.9°C) |
| Oct | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) | 63°/44°F (17.4°/6.6°C) |
| Nov | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) | 53°/36°F (11.8°/2.1°C) |
| Dec | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) | 42°/26°F (5.7°/-3.2°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Rhode Island than California?
Rhode Island and California are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Rhode Island?
Budget about $18,383 for 3 months in Rhode Island (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Rhode Island safe?
Rhode Island performs significantly better than California across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Rhode Island compared to California?
California generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Rhode Island leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in Rhode Island compared to California?
The average high temperature in Providence is 61°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Providence receives around 47.2 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in.
