Living Cost Compare
Manchester

New Hampshire

$1,430/mo est.

vs
Nashville

Tennessee

$1,490/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,430 in Manchester, NH versus $1,490 in Nashville, TN. Overall, Manchester, NH is roughly 4% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Nashville, TN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,415 in Manchester, NH and $75,197 in Nashville, TN — about 3% higher in Manchester, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax.

Manchester, NH
Nashville, TN

Rent

Studio
$880
$1,341
+52% in Nashville, TN
1 Bedroom
$1,150
$1,336
+16% in Nashville, TN
2 Bedroom
$1,593
$1,478
+7% in Manchester, NH
3 Bedroom
$1,661
$1,832
+10% in Nashville, TN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$336,300
$383,100
+14% in Nashville, TN

Income

Median Household Income
$77,415
$75,197
+3% in Manchester, NH
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,530
$50,390
+11% in Manchester, NH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.9 yr
34.4 yr
+3.5 yr in Manchester, NH
Homeownership
49.3%
53.0%
+3.7 pp in Nashville, TN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.5%
46.9%
+13.4 pp in Nashville, TN
Avg Commute
23.8 min
24.9 min
+1.1 min in Nashville, TN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
339.5
1,178.7
+247% in Nashville, TN
Property Crime
1,691.4
4,558.5
+170% in Nashville, TN

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
49.2°F
59.4°F
+10.2°F in Nashville, TN
Annual Precipitation
44.6 in
47.3 in
+2.7 in in Nashville, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.94/gal
+2% in Nashville, TN

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.00

Adult base one-way fare — — vs WeGo Public Transit (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
27.3
14.5
+47% in Manchester, NH
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.53
$16.83
+31% in Manchester, NH

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.00
+7% in Manchester, NH
Bread (lb)
$1.92
$1.75
+9% in Manchester, NH
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in Nashville, TN
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.90
$6.45
+6% in Manchester, NH
Chicken (lb)
$2.19
$1.90
+13% in Manchester, NH
Bananas (lb)
$0.69
$0.62
+11% in Manchester, NH

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / TN)
None
7%
+7.0 pp in TN
Income Tax (top rate)
None
None
about equal

Manchester vs Nashville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Manchester or Nashville?
Manchester, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 4% below Nashville, TN's $1,490, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Manchester than in Nashville?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Manchester versus $53,000 in Nashville.
Which has lower taxes, Manchester or Nashville?
Manchester is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Nashville under Tennessee's (no state income tax and a 7% 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).