Living Cost Compare
Charlotte

North Carolina

$1,560/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 $1,560 in Charlotte, NC versus $1,430 in Manchester, NH. Overall, Manchester, NH is roughly 8% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charlotte, NC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $78,438 in Charlotte, NC and $77,415 in Manchester, NH — about 1% higher in Charlotte, NC. North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax; New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax.

Charlotte, NC
Manchester, NH

Rent

Studio
$1,424
$880
+38% in Charlotte, NC
1 Bedroom
$1,374
$1,150
+16% in Charlotte, NC
2 Bedroom
$1,491
$1,593
+7% in Manchester, NH
3 Bedroom
$1,663
$1,661
+0% in Charlotte, NC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$351,500
$336,300
+4% in Charlotte, NC

Income

Median Household Income
$78,438
$77,415
+1% in Charlotte, NC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,990
$56,530
+13% in Manchester, NH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.4 yr
37.9 yr
+3.5 yr in Manchester, NH
Homeownership
51.5%
49.3%
+2.2 pp in Charlotte, NC
Bachelor's+ (25+)
47.4%
33.5%
+13.9 pp in Charlotte, NC
Avg Commute
25.0 min
23.8 min
+1.2 min in Charlotte, NC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
733.1
339.5
+54% in Charlotte, NC
Property Crime
3,718.9
1,691.4
+55% in Charlotte, NC

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
59.9°F
49.2°F
+10.7°F in Charlotte, NC
Annual Precipitation
41.6 in
44.6 in
+2.9 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).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.20
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.1
27.3
+81% in Manchester, NH
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.56
$24.53
+11% in Charlotte, NC

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 Charlotte, NC
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 (NC / NH)
4.75%
None
+4.8 pp in NC
Income Tax (top rate)
3.99%
None
+4.0 pp in NC

Charlotte vs Manchester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charlotte or Manchester?
Manchester, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 8% below Charlotte, NC's $1,560, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charlotte than in Manchester?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $55,000 a year in Charlotte versus $46,000 in Manchester.
Which has lower taxes, Charlotte or Manchester?
Charlotte is taxed under North Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% 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).