Moving to Rhode Island from Washington
What to Expect
Considering a move from Washington to Rhode Island? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Washington to Rhode Island, you would find that Rhode Island is 3.6% more expensive than Washington. A $75,000 salary in Washington would need to be roughly $82,499 in Rhode Island to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Washington and Rhode Island.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $82,499
To maintain the same standard of living in Rhode Island
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 4.9% more
Groceries
pay 15.4% more
Transportation
pay 10.0% more
Housing
pay 15.5% more
Childcare
pay 0.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 1.3% more
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 Washington.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Rhode Island performs significantly better than Washington 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
Washington 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 generally does better on what about housing?, though Washington leads in homeownership rate.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Washington 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
Washington 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
Washington performs better than Rhode Island 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 | Olympia | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) | 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 65°/43°F (18°/6°C) | 68°/49°F (20°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/49°F (24°/10°C) | 79°/61°F (26°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/36°F (11°/2°C) | 53°/35°F (12°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Olympia | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C) | 37°/21°F (3.0°/-6.1°C) |
| Feb | 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C) | 40°/24°F (4.6°/-4.7°C) |
| Mar | 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C) | 48°/30°F (8.8°/-1.1°C) |
| Apr | 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C) | 59°/40°F (14.8°/4.2°C) |
| May | 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C) | 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.2°C) |
| Jun | 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C) | 78°/58°F (25.3°/14.7°C) |
| Jul | 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C) | 83°/64°F (28.2°/17.9°C) |
| Aug | 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C) | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.3°C) |
| Sep | 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C) | 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.9°C) |
| Oct | 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C) | 63°/44°F (17.4°/6.6°C) |
| Nov | 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C) | 53°/36°F (11.8°/2.1°C) |
| Dec | 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°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 Washington?
On average Rhode Island is around 10% pricier than Washington, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Rhode Island?
Budget about $20,625 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 Washington across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Rhode Island compared to Washington?
Washington generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Rhode Island leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in Rhode Island compared to Washington?
The average high temperature in Providence is 61°F, compared to 60°F in Olympia. Providence receives around 47.2 in of rainfall per year, while Olympia gets 50.0 in.
