Manchester, NH vs New Haven, CT: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

New Haven, CT has a modeled overall cost index 5.5% lower than Manchester, NH.

Manchester, NH · modeled 2BR rent: $2,020 / month
New Haven, CT · modeled 2BR rent: $2,040 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Manchester, NH and New Haven, CT using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Manchester, NH

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $72.52/month in New Haven, CT

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $150,870 in New Haven, CT

Regional cost estimates: Manchester, NH uses Boston, MA. New Haven, CT uses New York, NY. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 5.5%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$72.52

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$870

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Manchester, NH

Population:115K

Cost Index:

133.2

100 = national average

Typical Home:$436K

New Haven, CT

Population:135K

Cost Index:

126.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$353K

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Manchester, NH

The Live Free or Die State

115K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in New Hampshire, this city has a population of 115K residents.

💡 Advantage: New Hampshire has no state income tax!

New Haven, CT

The Constitution State

135K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Connecticut, this city has a population of 135K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Manchester, NH vs New Haven, CT

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Manchester, NH	New Haven, CT	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,212/mo	$3,904/mo	↑ $692more	21.5%
Transportation	$1,238/mo	$909/mo	↓ $329less	26.6%
All Utilities	$512/mo	$393/mo	↓ $119less	23.3%
Healthcare	$532/mo	$450/mo	↓ $81.39less	15.3%
Other	$1,234/mo	$1,154/mo	↓ $80.78less	6.5%
Groceries	$772/mo	$763/mo	↓ $8.83less	1.1%

Housing

↑ 21.5%

Manchester, NH

$3,212

New Haven, CT

$3,904

Difference

$692

Transportation

↓ 26.6%

Manchester, NH

$1,238

New Haven, CT

$909

Difference

$329

less

All Utilities

↓ 23.3%

Manchester, NH

$512

New Haven, CT

$393

Difference

$119

less

Healthcare

↓ 15.3%

Manchester, NH

$532

New Haven, CT

$450

Difference

$81.39

less

Other

↓ 6.5%

Manchester, NH

$1,234

New Haven, CT

$1,154

Difference

$80.78

less

Groceries

↓ 1.1%

Manchester, NH

$772

New Haven, CT

$763

Difference

$8.83

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,390

To$1,420

↑ $30.00

1 Bed

From$1,540

To$1,650

↑ $110

2 Bed

From$2,020

To$2,040

↑ $20.00

3 Bed

From$2,550

To$2,520

↓ $30.00

Manchester, NHZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,390–$2,090/mo

New Haven, CTZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,520–$2,100/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Manchester, NH

$7,573

Monthly in New Haven, CT

$72.52

Difference

Home Values

Manchester

New Haven

$436K

Median Value

$353K

↑ +1.2%

YoY Change

↑ +3.5%

↑ +48.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +43.5%

$406K - $464K

Price Range

$286K - $385K

Homes in New Haven are 19% less expensive than Manchester

Calculate payment - Manchester Calculate payment - New Haven

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $8.1K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$671

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

5.4%

Rate difference

Manchester, NH

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

New Hampshire State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

New Haven, CT

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Connecticut State Tax

Effective: 5.4%

$8.1K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.0%

$45.1K

Take-Home Pay

$8,745/month

$104.9K

Additional Tax Information

Manchester, NH Tax Rates

Sales Tax:0.0%

Property Tax:1.9%

New Haven, CT Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.3%

Property Tax:2.1%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Manchester

New Haven

36 Good

Air Quality

43 Good

79.5%

Good Air Days

65.8%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

99 High

🌊🌅🌀

Top Hazards

🌊🌀🌡

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

6 days

Heat Days >95°F

11 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

6 days

Heat Days >95°F

11 days

Before moving from Manchester, NH to New Haven, CT

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in New Haven, CT for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Manchester, NH. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Manchester to New Haven moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to New Haven, CT by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Manchester, NH vs New Haven, CT

How do the cost estimates for Manchester, NH and New Haven, CT compare?

New Haven, CT has a modeled overall cost index 5.5% lower than Manchester, NH. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Manchester, NH, the model estimates $150,870 in New Haven, CT. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Manchester, NH and New Haven, CT?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,020/month in Manchester, NH and $2,040/month in New Haven, CT. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between New Hampshire and Connecticut on TaxTakeHome.com