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, OR'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 $58,000 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 Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax).

Manchester vs Portland Cost of Living 2026

Manchester

New Hampshire

$1,430/mo est.

Portland

Oregon

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

Median household income is $77,415 in Manchester, NH and $88,792 in Portland, OR — about 13% higher in Portland, OR. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Manchester, NH

Portland, OR

Rent

Studio

$880

$1,294

+47% in Portland, OR

1 Bedroom

$1,150

$1,440

+25% in Portland, OR

2 Bedroom

$1,593

$1,741

+9% in Portland, OR

3 Bedroom

$1,661

$2,053

+24% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$336,300

$557,600

+66% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$77,415

$88,792

+15% in Portland, OR

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,530

$60,690

+7% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.9 yr

38.6 yr

+0.7 yr in Portland, OR

Homeownership

49.3%

52.8%

+3.5 pp in Portland, OR

Bachelor's+ (25+)

33.5%

53.5%

+20.0 pp in Portland, OR

Avg Commute

23.8 min

24.6 min

+0.8 min in Portland, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

339.5

732.3

+116% in Portland, OR

Property Crime

1,691.4

5,609.4

+232% in Portland, OR

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

54.5°F

+5.3°F in Portland, OR

Annual Precipitation

44.6 in

42.9 in

+1.7 in in Manchester, NH

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.86/gal

$5.09/gal

+32% in Portland, OR

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.80

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

27.3

16.3

+40% in Manchester, NH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.53

$20.59

+16% in Manchester, NH

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Portland, OR

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$2.04

+6% in Portland, OR

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$7.36

+7% in Portland, OR

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$2.01

+8% in Manchester, NH

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.70

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / OR)

None

about equal

Income Tax (top rate)

None

9.90%

+9.9 pp in OR

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, OR'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 $58,000 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 Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% 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).