Living Cost Compare
Manchester

New Hampshire

$1,430/mo est.

vs
Portland

Maine

$1,620/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 $1,620 in Portland, ME. Overall, Manchester, NH is roughly 12% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, ME, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,415 in Manchester, NH and $76,174 in Portland, ME — about 2% higher in Manchester, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Maine has a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% state sales tax.

Manchester, NH
Portland, ME

Rent

Studio
$880
$1,038
+18% in Portland, ME
1 Bedroom
$1,150
$1,331
+16% in Portland, ME
2 Bedroom
$1,593
$1,664
+4% in Portland, ME
3 Bedroom
$1,661
$1,919
+16% in Portland, ME

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$336,300
$452,600
+35% in Portland, ME

Income

Median Household Income
$77,415
$76,174
+2% in Manchester, NH
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,530
$56,960
+1% in Portland, ME

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.9 yr
37.5 yr
+0.4 yr in Manchester, NH
Homeownership
49.3%
46.7%
+2.6 pp in Manchester, NH
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.5%
59.2%
+25.7 pp in Portland, ME
Avg Commute
23.8 min
19.9 min
+3.9 min in Manchester, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
339.5
272.7
+20% in Manchester, NH
Property Crime
1,691.4
2,513.3
+49% in Portland, ME

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
46.5°F
+2.7°F in Manchester, NH
Annual Precipitation
44.6 in
47.3 in
+2.7 in in Portland, ME

Gas

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

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
27.3
28.6
+5% in Portland, ME
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.53
$21.00
+14% 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 / ME)
None
5.5%
+5.5 pp in ME
Income Tax (top rate)
None
7.15%
+7.2 pp in ME

Manchester vs Portland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Manchester or Portland?
Manchester, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 12% below Portland, ME's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Manchester than in Portland?
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 Portland.
Which has lower taxes, Manchester or Portland?
Manchester is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Portland under Maine's (a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% 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).