Living Cost Compare
Manchester

New Hampshire

$1,430/mo est.

vs
Virginia Beach

Virginia

$1,550/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 $1,550 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, Manchester, NH is roughly 8% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Virginia Beach, VA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,415 in Manchester, NH and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 15% higher in Virginia Beach, VA. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax.

Manchester, NH
Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio
$880
$1,496
+70% in Virginia Beach, VA
1 Bedroom
$1,150
$1,357
+18% in Virginia Beach, VA
2 Bedroom
$1,593
$1,559
+2% in Manchester, NH
3 Bedroom
$1,661
$1,857
+12% in Virginia Beach, VA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$336,300
$366,300
+9% in Virginia Beach, VA

Income

Median Household Income
$77,415
$90,685
+17% in Virginia Beach, VA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,530
$49,430
+13% in Manchester, NH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.9 yr
37.4 yr
+0.5 yr in Manchester, NH
Homeownership
49.3%
64.9%
+15.6 pp in Virginia Beach, VA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.5%
40.4%
+6.9 pp in Virginia Beach, VA
Avg Commute
23.8 min
23.2 min
+0.6 min in Manchester, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
339.5
96.9
+71% in Manchester, NH
Property Crime
1,691.4
1,664.9
+2% in Manchester, NH

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
59.9°F
+10.7°F in Virginia Beach, VA
Annual Precipitation
44.6 in
44.3 in
+0.3 in in Manchester, NH

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)
—
$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
27.3
17.6
+36% in Manchester, NH
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.53
$23.66
+4% in Manchester, NH

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 Virginia Beach, VA
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 / VA)
None
5.3%
+5.3 pp in VA
Income Tax (top rate)
None
5.75%
+5.8 pp in VA

Manchester vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Manchester or Virginia Beach?
Manchester, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 8% below Virginia Beach, VA's $1,550, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Manchester than in Virginia Beach?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Manchester versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Manchester or Virginia Beach?
Manchester is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Virginia Beach under Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% 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).