Moving to Maine from Rhode Island

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Rhode Island to Maine — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Rhode Island to Maine, you would find that Maine is 0.2% more expensive than Rhode Island. A $75,000 salary in Rhode Island would need to be roughly $63,847 in Maine to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Augusta averages 77°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 Maine.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $63,847

To maintain the same standard of living in Maine

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 1.4% less

Groceries

pay 13.6% less

Transportation

pay 19.4% less

Housing

pay 16.4% less

Childcare

pay 20.6% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 8.8% less

See full cost of living breakdown

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 Maine.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

RI
165
ME
101
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

RI
1102
ME
1105

Rhode Island generally does better on safety, though Maine leads in violent crime rate.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

RI
4.2%
ME
6.4%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

RI
31.6%
ME
33.2%

Rhode Island generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Maine leads in diabetes rate.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

RI
$368,800
ME
$266,400
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

RI
$1,273
ME
$1,084

Maine performs significantly better than Rhode Island across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

RI
90.8%
ME
89.2%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

RI
26 min
ME
24 min

Rhode Island generally does better on infrastructure, though Maine leads in average commute.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

RI
4.4%
ME
3.2%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

RI
$56,938
ME
$54,958

Rhode Island generally does better on employment & economy, though Maine leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

RI
78.2 yrs
ME
77.8 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

RI
26%
ME
25%

Rhode Island performs better than Maine 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.

Providence Rain: 47.2 in/yr (1198 mm)
61° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Augusta Rain: 43.6 in/yr (1107 mm)
77° / 51°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Providence Augusta
Jan–Mar 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C) 63°/37°F (17°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/49°F (20°/9°C) 84°/57°F (29°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/61°F (26°/16°C) 91°/67°F (33°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/35°F (12°/2°C) 69°/42°F (21°/6°C)
View all months
Month Providence Augusta
Jan 37°/21°F (3.0°/-6.1°C) 58°/33°F (14.4°/0.4°C)
Feb 40°/24°F (4.6°/-4.7°C) 62°/36°F (16.8°/2.2°C)
Mar 48°/30°F (8.8°/-1.1°C) 70°/42°F (21.1°/5.6°C)
Apr 59°/40°F (14.8°/4.2°C) 77°/48°F (25.2°/8.9°C)
May 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.2°C) 85°/57°F (29.4°/14.1°C)
Jun 78°/58°F (25.3°/14.7°C) 91°/66°F (32.8°/19.0°C)
Jul 83°/64°F (28.2°/17.9°C) 93°/70°F (34.1°/21.0°C)
Aug 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.3°C) 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C)
Sep 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.9°C) 87°/63°F (30.4°/17.0°C)
Oct 63°/44°F (17.4°/6.6°C) 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.6°C)
Nov 53°/36°F (11.8°/2.1°C) 69°/41°F (20.6°/5.2°C)
Dec 42°/26°F (5.7°/-3.2°C) 60°/35°F (15.6°/1.4°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Maine than Rhode Island?

Yes — Maine is on average about 15% cheaper than Rhode Island. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Maine?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $15,962 in Maine on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Maine safe?

Rhode Island generally does better on safety, though Maine leads in violent crime rate.

How is healthcare in Maine compared to Rhode Island?

Rhode Island generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Maine leads in diabetes rate.

What's the weather like in Maine compared to Rhode Island?

The average high temperature in Augusta is 77°F, compared to 61°F in Providence. Augusta receives around 43.6 in of rainfall per year, while Providence gets 47.2 in.

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