Living Cost Compare
Burlington

Vermont

$1,530/mo est.

vs
Manchester

New Hampshire

$1,430/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,530 in Burlington, VT versus $1,430 in Manchester, NH. Overall, Manchester, NH is roughly 7% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Burlington, VT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $68,854 in Burlington, VT and $77,415 in Manchester, NH — about 11% higher in Manchester, NH. Vermont has a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax; New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax.

Burlington, VT
Manchester, NH

Rent

Studio
$1,284
$880
+31% in Burlington, VT
1 Bedroom
$1,275
$1,150
+10% in Burlington, VT
2 Bedroom
$1,731
$1,593
+8% in Burlington, VT
3 Bedroom
$2,002
$1,661
+17% in Burlington, VT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$400,200
$336,300
+16% in Burlington, VT

Income

Median Household Income
$68,854
$77,415
+12% in Manchester, NH
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$60,020
$56,530
+6% in Burlington, VT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
26.7 yr
37.9 yr
+11.2 yr in Manchester, NH
Homeownership
39.8%
49.3%
+9.5 pp in Manchester, NH
Bachelor's+ (25+)
60.5%
33.5%
+27.0 pp in Burlington, VT
Avg Commute
19.2 min
23.8 min
+4.6 min in Manchester, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
497.1
339.5
+32% in Burlington, VT
Property Crime
4,408.9
1,691.4
+62% in Burlington, VT

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
46.0°F
49.2°F
+3.2°F in Manchester, NH
Annual Precipitation
36.8 in
44.6 in
+7.8 in in Manchester, NH

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.86/gal
about equal

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
24.9
27.3
+10% in Manchester, NH
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.31
$24.53
+21% in Manchester, NH

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.31
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.92
$1.92
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.90
$6.90
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.69
$0.69
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (VT / NH)
6%
None
+6.0 pp in VT
Income Tax (top rate)
8.75%
None
+8.8 pp in VT

Burlington vs Manchester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Burlington or Manchester?
Manchester, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Burlington, VT's $1,530, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Burlington than in Manchester?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Burlington versus $46,000 in Manchester.
Which has lower taxes, Burlington or Manchester?
Burlington is taxed under Vermont's rules (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% 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).