Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Manchester?

Manchester, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 14% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Manchester?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $46,000 in Manchester.

Which has lower taxes, Austin or Manchester?

Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Manchester under New Hampshire's (no state income tax and no state sales tax).

Austin vs Manchester Cost of Living 2026

Austin

Texas

$1,660/mo est.

Manchester

New Hampshire

$1,430/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,660 in Austin, TX versus $1,430 in Manchester, NH. Overall, Manchester, NH is roughly 14% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $77,415 in Manchester, NH — about 15% higher in Austin, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax.

Austin, TX

Manchester, NH

Rent

Studio

$1,348

$880

+35% in Austin, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,457

$1,150

+21% in Austin, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,776

$1,593

+10% in Austin, TX

3 Bedroom

$2,127

$1,661

+22% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$512,700

$336,300

+34% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income

$91,461

$77,415

+15% in Austin, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,950

$56,530

+1% in Austin, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.5 yr

37.9 yr

+3.4 yr in Manchester, NH

Homeownership

44.4%

49.3%

+4.9 pp in Manchester, NH

Bachelor's+ (25+)

58.2%

33.5%

+24.7 pp in Austin, TX

Avg Commute

24.0 min

23.8 min

+0.2 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

476.1

339.5

+29% in Austin, TX

Property Crime

3,290.7

1,691.4

+49% in Austin, TX

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

67.2°F

49.2°F

+18.0°F in Austin, TX

Annual Precipitation

34.9 in

44.6 in

+9.7 in in Manchester, NH

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

$3.86/gal

+7% in Manchester, NH

Area: Texas vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.25

—

Adult base one-way fare — CapMetro vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.4

27.3

+66% in Manchester, NH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$30.48

$24.53

+20% in Austin, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.31

+8% in Manchester, NH

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$1.92

+10% in Manchester, NH

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Austin, TX

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$6.90

+7% in Manchester, NH

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.19

+15% in Manchester, NH

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.69

+12% in Manchester, NH

Average prices — South vs Northeast (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / NH)

6.25%

None

+6.3 pp in TX

Income Tax (top rate)

None

about equal

Austin vs Manchester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Manchester?: Manchester, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 14% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Manchester?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $46,000 in Manchester.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Manchester?: Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Manchester under New Hampshire's (no state income tax and no state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).