Living Cost Compare
Manchester

New Hampshire

$1,430/mo est.

vs
Salt Lake City

Utah

$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 Salt Lake City, UT. Overall, Salt Lake City, UT 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 $74,925 in Salt Lake City, UT — about 3% higher in Manchester, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax.

Manchester, NH
Salt Lake City, UT

Rent

Studio
$880
$997
+13% in Salt Lake City, UT
1 Bedroom
$1,150
$1,166
+1% in Salt Lake City, UT
2 Bedroom
$1,593
$1,461
+8% in Manchester, NH
3 Bedroom
$1,661
$1,993
+20% in Salt Lake City, UT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$336,300
$495,700
+47% in Salt Lake City, UT

Income

Median Household Income
$77,415
$74,925
+3% in Manchester, NH
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,530
$55,240
+2% in Manchester, NH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.9 yr
33.0 yr
+4.9 yr in Manchester, NH
Homeownership
49.3%
46.8%
+2.5 pp in Manchester, NH
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.5%
50.9%
+17.4 pp in Salt Lake City, UT
Avg Commute
23.8 min
19.6 min
+4.2 min in Manchester, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
339.5
878.8
+159% in Salt Lake City, UT
Property Crime
1,691.4
5,257.3
+211% in Salt Lake City, UT

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
52.8°F
+3.6°F in Salt Lake City, UT
Annual Precipitation
44.6 in
16.1 in
+28.5 in in Manchester, NH

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$4.29/gal
+11% in Salt Lake City, UT

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Rocky Mountain (PADD 4).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
27.3
13.0
+53% in Manchester, NH
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.53
$10.26
+58% in Manchester, NH

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.82
+12% in Salt Lake City, UT
Bread (lb)
$1.92
$2.04
+6% in Salt Lake City, UT
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.90
$7.36
+7% in Salt Lake City, UT
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 / UT)
None
6.1%
+6.1 pp in UT
Income Tax (top rate)
None
4.50%
+4.5 pp in UT

Manchester vs Salt Lake City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Manchester or Salt Lake City?
Salt Lake City, UT 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 Salt Lake City?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Manchester versus $47,000 in Salt Lake City.
Which has lower taxes, Manchester or Salt Lake City?
Manchester is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Salt Lake City under Utah's (a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% 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).