Living Cost Compare
Colorado Springs

Colorado

$1,470/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 $1,470 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $1,430 in Manchester, NH. Overall, Manchester, NH is roughly 3% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Colorado Springs, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,198 in Colorado Springs, CO and $77,415 in Manchester, NH — about 7% higher in Colorado Springs, CO. Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax; New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax.

Colorado Springs, CO
Manchester, NH

Rent

Studio
$998
$880
+12% in Colorado Springs, CO
1 Bedroom
$1,305
$1,150
+12% in Colorado Springs, CO
2 Bedroom
$1,504
$1,593
+6% in Manchester, NH
3 Bedroom
$1,881
$1,661
+12% in Colorado Springs, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$420,700
$336,300
+20% in Colorado Springs, CO

Income

Median Household Income
$83,198
$77,415
+7% in Colorado Springs, CO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$52,710
$56,530
+7% in Manchester, NH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.6 yr
37.9 yr
+2.3 yr in Manchester, NH
Homeownership
61.3%
49.3%
+12.0 pp in Colorado Springs, CO
Bachelor's+ (25+)
41.9%
33.5%
+8.4 pp in Colorado Springs, CO
Avg Commute
22.8 min
23.8 min
+1.0 min in Manchester, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
722.1
339.5
+53% in Colorado Springs, CO
Property Crime
3,488.7
1,691.4
+52% in Colorado Springs, CO

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
49.0°F
49.2°F
+0.2°F in Manchester, NH
Annual Precipitation
16.5 in
44.6 in
+28.0 in in Manchester, NH

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.25/gal
$3.86/gal
+9% in Colorado Springs, CO

Area: Colorado vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.75
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.2
27.3
+69% in Manchester, NH
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$11.92
$24.53
+106% in Manchester, NH

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.31
+10% in Colorado Springs, CO
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.92
+6% in Colorado Springs, CO
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.90
+6% in Colorado Springs, CO
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.19
+9% in Manchester, NH
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.69
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CO / NH)
2.9%
None
+2.9 pp in CO
Income Tax (top rate)
4.40%
None
+4.4 pp in CO

Colorado Springs vs Manchester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Colorado Springs or Manchester?
Manchester, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Colorado Springs, CO's $1,470, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Colorado Springs than in Manchester?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $52,000 a year in Colorado Springs versus $46,000 in Manchester.
Which has lower taxes, Colorado Springs or Manchester?
Colorado Springs is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% 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).