Moving to Arizona from Rhode Island
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Rhode Island to Arizona — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Rhode Island to Arizona, you would find that Arizona is 10.1% cheaper than Rhode Island. A $75,000 salary in Rhode Island would need to be roughly $62,635 in Arizona to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Phoenix averages 87°F vs 61°F in Providence, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Rhode Island to Arizona.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $62,635
To maintain the same standard of living in Arizona
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 5.2% less
Groceries
pay 22.1% less
Transportation
pay 16.2% less
Housing
pay 5.5% less
Childcare
pay 35.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 12.4% 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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Rhode Island to Arizona.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Rhode Island performs better than Arizona 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
Rhode Island generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Arizona leads in adult smoking rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Arizona generally does better on what about housing?, though Rhode Island leads in median rent.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Rhode Island performs better than Arizona across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Rhode Island generally does better on employment & economy, though Arizona leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Rhode Island performs better than Arizona across all family life metrics.
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 | Providence | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C) | 73°/49°F (23°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 68°/49°F (20°/9°C) | 95°/69°F (35°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/61°F (26°/16°C) | 103°/80°F (40°/27°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/35°F (12°/2°C) | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Providence | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°/21°F (3.0°/-6.1°C) | 69°/46°F (20.3°/7.6°C) |
| Feb | 40°/24°F (4.6°/-4.7°C) | 72°/49°F (22.1°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 48°/30°F (8.8°/-1.1°C) | 78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C) |
| Apr | 59°/40°F (14.8°/4.2°C) | 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.7°C) |
| May | 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.2°C) | 95°/69°F (34.8°/20.6°C) |
| Jun | 78°/58°F (25.3°/14.7°C) | 104°/77°F (39.9°/25.1°C) |
| Jul | 83°/64°F (28.2°/17.9°C) | 106°/83°F (41.0°/28.1°C) |
| Aug | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.3°C) | 104°/82°F (40.1°/27.8°C) |
| Sep | 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.9°C) | 100°/75°F (37.8°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 63°/44°F (17.4°/6.6°C) | 89°/64°F (31.8°/18.0°C) |
| Nov | 53°/36°F (11.8°/2.1°C) | 76°/52°F (24.7°/11.1°C) |
| Dec | 42°/26°F (5.7°/-3.2°C) | 67°/45°F (19.6°/7.1°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Arizona than Rhode Island?
Yes — Arizona is on average about 16% cheaper than Rhode Island. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Arizona?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $15,659 in Arizona on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Arizona safe?
Rhode Island performs better than Arizona across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Arizona compared to Rhode Island?
Rhode Island generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Arizona leads in adult smoking rate.
What's the weather like in Arizona compared to Rhode Island?
The average high temperature in Phoenix is 87°F, compared to 61°F in Providence. Phoenix receives around 8.2 in of rainfall per year, while Providence gets 47.2 in.
