Living Cost Compare
Manchester

New Hampshire

$1,430/mo est.

vs
Raleigh

North Carolina

$1,510/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 $1,510 in Raleigh, NC. Overall, Manchester, NH is roughly 5% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Raleigh, NC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,415 in Manchester, NH and $82,424 in Raleigh, NC — about 6% higher in Raleigh, NC. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax.

Manchester, NH
Raleigh, NC

Rent

Studio
$880
$1,301
+48% in Raleigh, NC
1 Bedroom
$1,150
$1,323
+15% in Raleigh, NC
2 Bedroom
$1,593
$1,462
+8% in Manchester, NH
3 Bedroom
$1,661
$1,715
+3% in Raleigh, NC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$336,300
$377,800
+12% in Raleigh, NC

Income

Median Household Income
$77,415
$82,424
+6% in Raleigh, NC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,530
$51,990
+8% in Manchester, NH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.9 yr
34.7 yr
+3.2 yr in Manchester, NH
Homeownership
49.3%
51.2%
+1.9 pp in Raleigh, NC
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.5%
52.9%
+19.4 pp in Raleigh, NC
Avg Commute
23.8 min
23.4 min
+0.4 min in Manchester, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
339.5
491.5
+45% in Raleigh, NC
Property Crime
1,691.4
2,838.4
+68% in Raleigh, NC

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
60.6°F
+11.4°F in Raleigh, NC
Annual Precipitation
44.6 in
46.0 in
+1.4 in in Raleigh, NC

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)
—
$1.25

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
27.3
15.1
+45% in Manchester, NH
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.53
$27.56
+12% in Raleigh, NC

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 Raleigh, NC
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 / NC)
None
4.75%
+4.8 pp in NC
Income Tax (top rate)
None
3.99%
+4.0 pp in NC

Manchester vs Raleigh — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Manchester or Raleigh?
Manchester, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Raleigh, NC's $1,510, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Manchester than in Raleigh?
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 Raleigh.
Which has lower taxes, Manchester or Raleigh?
Manchester is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Raleigh under North Carolina's (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% 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).