Living Cost Compare
Manchester

New Hampshire

$1,430/mo est.

vs
St. Paul

Minnesota

$1,300/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 $1,300 in St. Paul, MN. Overall, St. Paul, MN is roughly 9% 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 $73,055 in St. Paul, MN — about 6% higher in Manchester, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Manchester, NH
St. Paul, MN

Rent

Studio
$880
$995
+13% in St. Paul, MN
1 Bedroom
$1,150
$1,126
+2% in Manchester, NH
2 Bedroom
$1,593
$1,384
+13% in Manchester, NH
3 Bedroom
$1,661
$1,662
+0% in St. Paul, MN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$336,300
$280,300
+17% in Manchester, NH

Income

Median Household Income
$77,415
$73,055
+6% in Manchester, NH
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,530
$59,320
+5% in St. Paul, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.9 yr
33.5 yr
+4.4 yr in Manchester, NH
Homeownership
49.3%
53.2%
+3.9 pp in St. Paul, MN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.5%
43.5%
+10.0 pp in St. Paul, MN
Avg Commute
23.8 min
22.3 min
+1.5 min in Manchester, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
339.5
619
+82% in St. Paul, MN
Property Crime
1,691.4
2,897.2
+71% in St. Paul, MN

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
47.1°F
+2.1°F in Manchester, NH
Annual Precipitation
44.6 in
28.5 in
+16.1 in in Manchester, NH

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.95/gal
+2% in St. Paul, MN

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Minnesota.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
27.3
16.9
+38% in Manchester, NH
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.53
$14.95
+39% 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
$1.66
+14% in Manchester, NH
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$3.63
+66% in St. Paul, MN
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.90
$6.77
+2% in Manchester, NH
Chicken (lb)
$2.19
$2.10
+4% in Manchester, NH
Bananas (lb)
$0.69
$0.62
+11% in Manchester, NH

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / MN)
None
6.875%
+6.9 pp in MN
Income Tax (top rate)
None
9.85%
+9.8 pp in MN

Manchester vs St. Paul — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Manchester or St. Paul?
St. Paul, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 9% 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 St. Paul?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Manchester versus $45,000 in St. Paul.
Which has lower taxes, Manchester or St. Paul?
Manchester is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); St. Paul under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% 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).