Rhode Island vs Connecticut: cost of living compared
Statewide price levels and incomes from BEA (2024); gas prices from EIA (weekly).
Is it cheaper to live in Rhode Island or Connecticut?
- Overall, Connecticut is 1.3% more expensive than Rhode Island (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Rhode Island works out to about $76,000 in Connecticut, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is housing, which costs 10.8% more in Connecticut. Goods are 0.2% higher and other services 0.2% lower.
- After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $74,254 in Connecticut and $55,878 in Rhode Island (32.9% higher in Connecticut; BEA, 2024, in 2017 dollars).
- Inside each state, metro price levels run from 99.8 in Waterbury, CT to 106.9 in Bridgeport, CT (Connecticut) and 101.8 in Providence, RI, its only metro area (Rhode Island), US = 100.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (1.5%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities and real personal income by state. Statewide averages mix cities and rural areas; taxes are not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both states against the US average (100).
Housing drives the gap: 10.8% higher in Connecticut than in Rhode Island
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Rhode Island | Connecticut | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 102.3 | 103.6 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 97.3 |
| Housing (rents) | 105.6 | 117.0 |
| Utilities | 146.7 | 146.5 |
| Other services | 102.8 | 102.7 |
| Category | Rhode Island | Connecticut | Connecticut vs Rhode Island |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 102.3 | 103.6 | +1.3% |
| Goods | 97.2 | 97.3 | +0.2% |
| Housing (rents) | 105.6 | 117.0 | +10.8% |
| Utilities | 146.7 | 146.5 | −0.1% |
| Other services | 102.8 | 102.7 | −0.2% |
| Income per person, adjusted for prices | $55,878 | $74,254 | +32.9% |
| Regular gas, week of October 19, 2026* | $4.25 | $4.25 | 0.0% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Rhode Island | $75,000 | $76,000 | +1.3% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Income: BEA real personal income per person, 2017 dollars. Gas: EIA weekly retail prices. *New England region average (EIA has no separate Rhode Island figure). *New England region average (EIA has no separate Connecticut figure).
Cheapest and most expensive places in each state
Rhode Island
- Providence, RI 101.8
Connecticut
- Waterbury, CT 99.8
- Norwich, CT 100.4
- Hartford, CT 102.7
- New Haven, CT 104.6
- Bridgeport, CT 106.9
Metro areas ordered from cheapest to most expensive. BEA, 2024, US = 100.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Rhode Island and Connecticut has narrowed since 2008: 6.8 points then, 1.3 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Rhode Island | Connecticut | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 103.6 | 110.5 |
| 2009 | 103.9 | 110.7 |
| 2010 | 101.8 | 107.0 |
| 2011 | 101.1 | 107.8 |
| 2012 | 99.8 | 107.6 |
| 2013 | 101.4 | 107.7 |
| 2014 | 100.3 | 107.0 |
| 2015 | 102.0 | 107.5 |
| 2016 | 101.6 | 107.5 |
| 2017 | 102.4 | 107.2 |
| 2018 | 102.0 | 104.0 |
| 2019 | 102.4 | 103.9 |
| 2020 | 101.8 | 105.1 |
| 2021 | 102.2 | 102.9 |
| 2022 | 104.5 | 106.4 |
| 2023 | 102.1 | 104.2 |
| 2024 | 102.3 | 103.6 |
Goods
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Rhode Island | Connecticut | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 100.3 | 109.6 |
| 2009 | 100.9 | 108.7 |
| 2010 | 97.6 | 103.6 |
| 2011 | 97.9 | 103.8 |
| 2012 | 97.5 | 104.6 |
| 2013 | 97.3 | 104.3 |
| 2014 | 97.2 | 103.4 |
| 2015 | 98.6 | 103.2 |
| 2016 | 98.4 | 103.6 |
| 2017 | 99.3 | 104.4 |
| 2018 | 100.8 | 101.4 |
| 2019 | 98.9 | 98.7 |
| 2020 | 98.0 | 99.0 |
| 2021 | 98.2 | 97.0 |
| 2022 | 101.0 | 101.1 |
| 2023 | 98.3 | 98.6 |
| 2024 | 97.2 | 97.3 |
Housing (rents)
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Rhode Island | Connecticut | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 117.6 | 131.4 |
| 2009 | 117.7 | 137.0 |
| 2010 | 115.8 | 129.0 |
| 2011 | 115.3 | 129.7 |
| 2012 | 107.9 | 131.5 |
| 2013 | 108.8 | 129.6 |
| 2014 | 113.8 | 127.7 |
| 2015 | 113.1 | 132.5 |
| 2016 | 108.1 | 127.4 |
| 2017 | 106.7 | 121.4 |
| 2018 | 110.2 | 122.2 |
| 2019 | 108.7 | 118.0 |
| 2020 | 102.9 | 123.2 |
| 2021 | 109.1 | 120.9 |
| 2022 | 104.2 | 119.8 |
| 2023 | 102.7 | 116.6 |
| 2024 | 105.6 | 117.0 |
Utilities
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Rhode Island | Connecticut | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 137.2 | 154.5 |
| 2009 | 138.8 | 157.1 |
| 2010 | 129.9 | 146.7 |
| 2011 | 123.0 | 138.3 |
| 2012 | 117.6 | 135.1 |
| 2013 | 121.6 | 134.2 |
| 2014 | 125.4 | 135.6 |
| 2015 | 129.6 | 139.1 |
| 2016 | 131.4 | 142.8 |
| 2017 | 130.9 | 144.6 |
| 2018 | 138.8 | 140.7 |
| 2019 | 141.2 | 143.4 |
| 2020 | 156.9 | 159.9 |
| 2021 | 146.2 | 146.5 |
| 2022 | 133.6 | 140.0 |
| 2023 | 145.1 | 153.2 |
| 2024 | 146.7 | 146.5 |
Other services
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Rhode Island | Connecticut | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 100.6 | 104.6 |
| 2009 | 100.6 | 104.1 |
| 2010 | 99.3 | 102.3 |
| 2011 | 98.4 | 103.9 |
| 2012 | 98.3 | 102.7 |
| 2013 | 100.9 | 103.6 |
| 2014 | 97.5 | 103.2 |
| 2015 | 100.1 | 103.3 |
| 2016 | 100.7 | 104.0 |
| 2017 | 102.0 | 104.4 |
| 2018 | 99.4 | 100.2 |
| 2019 | 101.4 | 102.3 |
| 2020 | 102.0 | 102.4 |
| 2021 | 101.2 | 100.8 |
| 2022 | 105.5 | 104.9 |
| 2023 | 102.7 | 103.0 |
| 2024 | 102.8 | 102.7 |
What incomes buy in each state
Income per person after adjusting for prices: $74,254 in Connecticut, $55,878 in Rhode Island
Real personal income per person, constant 2017 dollars (adjusted for each state's price level and for inflation).
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut
- United States
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2008–2024.
Show the numbers
| Rhode Island | Connecticut | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $44,945 | $61,522 | $45,816 |
| 2009 | $43,972 | $60,598 | $44,204 |
| 2010 | $46,328 | $63,477 | $44,808 |
| 2011 | $47,058 | $63,006 | $45,957 |
| 2012 | $48,058 | $62,569 | $46,796 |
| 2013 | $46,478 | $60,162 | $46,358 |
| 2014 | $47,949 | $62,123 | $47,661 |
| 2015 | $48,489 | $63,396 | $49,396 |
| 2016 | $48,694 | $64,086 | $49,828 |
| 2017 | $49,346 | $64,637 | $51,006 |
| 2018 | $50,171 | $68,121 | $52,242 |
| 2019 | $52,109 | $69,091 | $53,683 |
| 2020 | $55,800 | $70,018 | $56,514 |
| 2021 | $56,786 | $73,422 | $59,365 |
| 2022 | $53,223 | $69,250 | $57,104 |
| 2023 | $55,140 | $71,915 | $58,088 |
| 2024 | $55,878 | $74,254 | $59,195 |
More
- Cost of living in Rhode Island
- Cost of living in Connecticut
- Reverse: moving from Connecticut to Rhode Island
- All states ranked
Related state comparisons
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State income, sales and property taxes differ a lot between states and are not included.
- Where you live inside the state. Statewide figures average cities and rural areas; the metro lists above show the spread.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider if housing is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels and incomes are for 2024; gas prices are weekly.