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Living in Rhode Island · 2026

Is $48,000 enough to live in Rhode Island?

Single adult · RI · 2026 tax brackets · Real cost-of-living data

Statewide verdict:Comfortable

Monthly take-home

$3,240

Avg monthly expenses

$2,443

Avg monthly surplus

$797

Savings potential

~25%

After-tax take-home in Rhode Island

Gross salary$48,000
Federal income tax− $3,654
State income tax− $1,800
Social Security− $2,976
Medicare− $696
Annual take-home$38,874
Effective tax rate19.01%

How $48,000 feels in Rhode Island cities

Rent: HUD FMR 2026 · Food: USDA Low-Cost Plan × COL · Transport/Utilities/Healthcare: BLS CES × COL

Providence

COL index: 1.18× national avg

Comfortable
Rent (1BR)
$1,600
Food
$493
Transport
$207
Utilities
$195
Healthcare
$236
Total: $2,731/mo
Surplus: $509/mo
Rent burden: 49.4% — High (35–50%)
Full Providence analysis →

Cranston

COL index: 1.10× national avg

Comfortable
Rent (1BR)
$1,450
Food
$462
Transport
$193
Utilities
$182
Healthcare
$220
Total: $2,507/mo
Surplus: $733/mo
Rent burden: 44.8% — High (35–50%)
Full Cranston analysis →

Warwick

COL index: 1.08× national avg

Comfortable
Rent (1BR)
$1,400
Food
$462
Transport
$189
Utilities
$178
Healthcare
$216
Total: $2,445/mo
Surplus: $795/mo
Rent burden: 43.2% — High (35–50%)
Full Warwick analysis →

Pawtucket

COL index: 1.05× national avg

Comfortable
Rent (1BR)
$1,350
Food
$449
Transport
$184
Utilities
$173
Healthcare
$210
Total: $2,366/mo
Surplus: $874/mo
Rent burden: 41.7% — High (35–50%)
Full Pawtucket analysis →

East Providence

COL index: 1.08× national avg

Comfortable
Rent (1BR)
$1,400
Food
$462
Transport
$189
Utilities
$178
Healthcare
$216
Total: $2,445/mo
Surplus: $795/mo
Rent burden: 43.2% — High (35–50%)
Full East Providence analysis →

Woonsocket

COL index: 0.98× national avg

Comfortable
Rent (1BR)
$1,200
Food
$431
Transport
$172
Utilities
$162
Healthcare
$196
Total: $2,161/mo
Surplus: $1,079/mo
Rent burden: 37.0% — High (35–50%)
Full Woonsocket analysis →

50 / 30 / 20 Budget Planner

Based on your monthly take-home of $3,240 ($38,880/yr)

Needs 50%Wants 30%Savings 20%
Needs50%

$1,620

per month

  • ›Rent / mortgage
  • ›Groceries
  • ›Utilities
  • ›Insurance
  • ›Minimum debt payments
  • ›Transportation
Wants30%

$972

per month

  • ›Dining out
  • ›Streaming services
  • ›Gym
  • ›Hobbies
  • ›Travel
  • ›Shopping
Savings20%

$648

per month

  • ›Emergency fund
  • ›401(k) / IRA
  • ›Investments
  • ›Down payment fund
  • ›Debt payoff (extra)

Needs / year

$19,440

Wants / year

$11,664

Savings / year

$7,776

Salary Intelligence

Below comfortable level in Providence

Rent would consume 49% of take-home income — above the 35% stress threshold. A higher salary or lower-cost housing is needed for financial stability in this city.

Lifestyle score: 3.9/10 (Challenging)

Lifestyle Assessment

A $48,000 salary supports a challenging single lifestyle in Providence, Rhode Island. After essential expenses, approximately $509/month (~16% of take-home) is available for savings or discretionary spending.

Purchasing Power

Providence's above-average cost of living (index: 1.18) means $48,000 provides the purchasing power of roughly $40,678 in an average-cost US city, or $48,000 in Austin. Moving to a lower-cost state could effectively increase your take-home by thousands.

State & National Benchmark

$48,000 is 2% below the Rhode Island individual median of $49,100. Consider negotiating a higher salary or exploring higher-paying roles in this state.

State individual median

$49,100

-2%

State household median

$82,834

-42%

Tax reduction strategies

Maximize 401(k) Contributions — Up to $5,170 in federal tax (22% bracket)
Contribute to a Traditional IRA — Up to $1,540 in federal tax (22% bracket)

$48,000 vs. Rhode Island income benchmarks

Individual median (Rhode Island)

$49,100

-2% vs. this salary

Household median (Rhode Island)

$82,834

-42% vs. this salary

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2023

Related salary insights

Explore other salary levels in Rhode Island

$40,000$60,000$100,000$150,000$200,000$300,000
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Reviewed by

Finance Editor

CPA, 10+ years in personal finance

Data Sources

Data updated monthly using government datasets.