Living Cost Compare
Manchester

New Hampshire

$1,430/mo est.

vs
San Antonio

Texas

$1,290/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 $1,290 in San Antonio, TX. Overall, San Antonio, TX is roughly 10% 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 $62,917 in San Antonio, TX — about 19% higher in Manchester, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Manchester, NH
San Antonio, TX

Rent

Studio
$880
$1,052
+20% in San Antonio, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,150
$1,084
+6% in Manchester, NH
2 Bedroom
$1,593
$1,327
+17% in Manchester, NH
3 Bedroom
$1,661
$1,545
+7% in Manchester, NH

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$336,300
$219,700
+35% in Manchester, NH

Income

Median Household Income
$77,415
$62,917
+19% in Manchester, NH
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,530
$47,010
+17% in Manchester, NH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.9 yr
34.6 yr
+3.3 yr in Manchester, NH
Homeownership
49.3%
52.4%
+3.1 pp in San Antonio, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.5%
28.7%
+4.8 pp in Manchester, NH
Avg Commute
23.8 min
24.6 min
+0.8 min in San Antonio, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
339.5
605.7
+78% in San Antonio, TX
Property Crime
1,691.4
4,665.7
+176% in San Antonio, TX

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
68.5°F
+19.3°F in San Antonio, TX
Annual Precipitation
44.6 in
34.9 in
+9.7 in in Manchester, NH

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.62/gal
+6% in Manchester, NH

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Texas.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.30

Adult base one-way fare — — vs VIA Metropolitan Transit (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
27.3
16.4
+40% in Manchester, NH
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.53
$30.48
+24% in San Antonio, TX

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 San Antonio, TX
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 / TX)
None
6.25%
+6.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
None
about equal

Manchester vs San Antonio — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Manchester or San Antonio?
San Antonio, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,290 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% 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 San Antonio?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Manchester versus $43,000 in San Antonio.
Which has lower taxes, Manchester or San Antonio?
Manchester is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); San Antonio under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).