Living Cost Compare
Manchester

New Hampshire

$1,430/mo est.

vs
Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

$1,410/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 $1,410 in Philadelphia, PA. Overall, Philadelphia, PA is roughly 1% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Manchester, NH, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $77,415 in Manchester, NH and $60,698 in Philadelphia, PA — about 22% higher in Manchester, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Pennsylvania has a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax.

Manchester, NH
Philadelphia, PA

Rent

Studio
$880
$1,126
+28% in Philadelphia, PA
1 Bedroom
$1,150
$1,189
+3% in Philadelphia, PA
2 Bedroom
$1,593
$1,394
+12% in Manchester, NH
3 Bedroom
$1,661
$1,406
+15% in Manchester, NH

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$336,300
$232,400
+31% in Manchester, NH

Income

Median Household Income
$77,415
$60,698
+22% in Manchester, NH
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,530
$54,310
+4% in Manchester, NH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.9 yr
35.1 yr
+2.8 yr in Manchester, NH
Homeownership
49.3%
52.3%
+3.0 pp in Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.5%
34.6%
+1.1 pp in Philadelphia, PA
Avg Commute
23.8 min
32.0 min
+8.2 min in Philadelphia, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
339.5
917.1
+170% in Philadelphia, PA
Property Crime
1,691.4
4,615.3
+173% in Philadelphia, PA

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
57.1°F
+7.9°F in Philadelphia, PA
Annual Precipitation
44.6 in
48.5 in
+3.9 in in Philadelphia, PA

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)
—
$2.50

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
27.3
21.6
+21% in Manchester, NH
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.53
$19.17
+22% 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 (NH / PA)
None
6%
+6.0 pp in PA
Income Tax (top rate)
None
3.07%
+3.1 pp in PA

Manchester vs Philadelphia — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Manchester or Philadelphia?
Philadelphia, PA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,410 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Manchester, NH's $1,430, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Manchester than in Philadelphia?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Manchester versus $48,000 in Philadelphia.
Which has lower taxes, Manchester or Philadelphia?
Manchester is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Philadelphia under Pennsylvania's (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% 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).