Route comparison
Boston, MA vs Manchester, NH: Cost of Living
Compare the cost of living between Boston, MA and Manchester, NH. See the equivalent salary and median rent powered by BLS Regional Price Parities.
Boston, MA
MA
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 112
- Housing RPP
- 150.3
- Goods RPP
- 110.1
- 2-BR median rent
- $2,827/mo
Massachusetts flat income tax 5.0%. No city income tax.
Manchester, NH
NH
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 108
- Housing RPP
- 132.5
- Goods RPP
- 101.6
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,771/mo
New Hampshire has no income tax on wages.
Equivalent salary
Manchester, NH is cheaper than Boston, MA by about 3.6% (RPP 112 to 108).
$60,000 in Boston, MA
-> $57,857
in Manchester, NH
$100,000 in Boston, MA
-> $96,429
in Manchester, NH
$150,000 in Boston, MA
-> $144,643
in Manchester, NH
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
Migration signal: Boston, MA vs Manchester, NH
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Boston, MA
- Net people
- −39,965
- Net rank
- #60 of 65
- Top origin share
- 4%
- Top destination share
- 5%
Largest source: Worcester County, MA. Largest destination: Worcester County, MA.
Manchester, NH
- Net people
- +58
- Net rank
- #31 of 65
- Top origin share
- 19%
- Top destination share
- 14%
Largest source: Middlesex County, MA. Largest destination: Rockingham County, NH.
Rent delta: Manchester, NH is $1,056/mo lower for HUD FY2024 2-BR FMR than Boston, MA. Housing RPP moves from 150.3 to 132.5.
Migration figures are derived from IRS SOI county-to-county migration data for 2021-2022, mapped to metros via Census CBSA delineation. Small county-to-county flows are IRS-suppressed, so per-metro totals are lower bounds. Source: IRS SOI migration data.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Manchester, NH cheaper or more expensive than Boston, MA?
- Manchester, NH (RPP 108) is cheaper than Boston, MA (RPP 112) by about 3.6%.
- What salary do I need in Manchester, NH if I earn $100,000 in Boston, MA?
- You would need approximately $96,429 in Manchester, NH to maintain the same purchasing power as $100,000 in Boston, MA. Formula: $100,000 x (108 / 112).
- Which metro had stronger net migration, Boston, MA or Manchester, NH?
- For 2021-2022, Boston, MA had a net loss of 39,965 people, while Manchester, NH had a net gain of 58 people. IRS small-flow suppression means these are lower-bound research signals, not complete population-change totals.