Living Cost Compare
Manchester

New Hampshire

$1,430/mo est.

vs
Washington

District of Columbia

$2,150/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 $2,150 in Washington, DC. Overall, Manchester, NH is roughly 33% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Washington, DC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,415 in Manchester, NH and $106,287 in Washington, DC — about 27% higher in Washington, DC. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; District of Columbia has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6% state sales tax.

Manchester, NH
Washington, DC

Rent

Studio
$880
$1,763
+100% in Washington, DC
1 Bedroom
$1,150
$1,885
+64% in Washington, DC
2 Bedroom
$1,593
$1,949
+22% in Washington, DC
3 Bedroom
$1,661
$2,249
+35% in Washington, DC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$336,300
$724,600
+115% in Washington, DC

Income

Median Household Income
$77,415
$106,287
+37% in Washington, DC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,530
$71,060
+26% in Washington, DC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.9 yr
34.9 yr
+3.0 yr in Manchester, NH
Homeownership
49.3%
41.1%
+8.2 pp in Manchester, NH
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.5%
63.6%
+30.1 pp in Washington, DC
Avg Commute
23.8 min
30.3 min
+6.5 min in Washington, DC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
339.5
936.3
+176% in Washington, DC
Property Crime
1,691.4
3,627.9
+114% in Washington, DC

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
58.2°F
+9.0°F in Washington, DC
Annual Precipitation
44.6 in
39.7 in
+4.8 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 WMATA (Metrobus) (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
27.3
25.4
+7% in Manchester, NH
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.53
$22.01
+10% 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 Washington, DC
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 / DC)
None
6%
+6.0 pp in DC
Income Tax (top rate)
None
10.75%
+10.8 pp in DC

Manchester vs Washington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Manchester or Washington?
Manchester, NH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 33% below Washington, DC's $2,150, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Manchester than in Washington?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Manchester versus $75,000 in Washington.
Which has lower taxes, Manchester or Washington?
Manchester is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Washington under District of Columbia's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6% 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).