Living Cost Compare
Manchester

New Hampshire

$1,430/mo est.

vs
Rochester

New York

$1,160/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 $1,160 in Rochester, NY. Overall, Rochester, NY is roughly 19% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Manchester, NH, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,415 in Manchester, NH and $46,628 in Rochester, NY — about 40% higher in Manchester, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; New York has a top state income tax rate of 10.90% and a 4% state sales tax.

Manchester, NH
Rochester, NY

Rent

Studio
$880
$750
+15% in Manchester, NH
1 Bedroom
$1,150
$857
+25% in Manchester, NH
2 Bedroom
$1,593
$1,114
+30% in Manchester, NH
3 Bedroom
$1,661
$1,240
+25% in Manchester, NH

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$336,300
$120,600
+64% in Manchester, NH

Income

Median Household Income
$77,415
$46,628
+40% in Manchester, NH
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,530
$51,210
+9% in Manchester, NH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.9 yr
33.5 yr
+4.4 yr in Manchester, NH
Homeownership
49.3%
37.2%
+12.1 pp in Manchester, NH
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.5%
29.9%
+3.6 pp in Manchester, NH
Avg Commute
23.8 min
18.9 min
+4.9 min in Manchester, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
339.5
690
+103% in Rochester, NY
Property Crime
1,691.4
3,533.4
+109% in Rochester, NY

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
48.2°F
+1.0°F in Manchester, NH
Annual Precipitation
44.6 in
34.3 in
+10.3 in in Manchester, NH

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$4.04/gal
+5% in Rochester, NY

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
27.3
29.9
+10% in Rochester, NY
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.53
$22.74
+7% 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 / NY)
None
4%
+4.0 pp in NY
Income Tax (top rate)
None
10.90%
+10.9 pp in NY

Manchester vs Rochester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Manchester or Rochester?
Rochester, NY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,160 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 19% below Manchester, NH's $1,430, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Manchester than in Rochester?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Manchester versus $34,000 in Rochester.
Which has lower taxes, Manchester or Rochester?
Manchester is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Rochester under New York's (a top state income tax rate of 10.90% and a 4% 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).