Swarthmore, PA vs Manchester, MD: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Manchester, MD has a modeled overall cost index 6.7% higher than Swarthmore, PA.

Swarthmore, PA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,760 / month
Manchester, MD · modeled 2BR rent: $1,770 / 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 Swarthmore, PA and Manchester, MD 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 Swarthmore, PA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $693/month in Manchester, MD

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $158,320 in Manchester, MD

Regional cost estimates: Swarthmore, PA uses Philadelphia, PA. Manchester, MD uses Baltimore, MD. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 6.7%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$693

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$8.3K

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.

Swarthmore, PA

Population:7K

Cost Index:

89.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$458K

Manchester, MD

Population:6K

Cost Index:

95.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$458K

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Swarthmore, PA

The Keystone State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Pennsylvania, this city has a population of 7K residents.

Manchester, MD

The Old Line State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Maryland, this city has a population of 6K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Swarthmore, PA vs Manchester, MD

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	Swarthmore, PA	Manchester, MD	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,015/mo	$2,769/mo	↑ $754more	37.4%
Other	$1,718/mo	$1,685/mo	↓ $33.46less	1.9%
Transportation	$1,375/mo	$1,361/mo	↓ $14.33less	1.0%
Healthcare	$626/mo	$613/mo	↓ $13.44less	2.1%
All Utilities	$626/mo	$632/mo	↑ $5.91more	0.9%
Groceries	$1,139/mo	$1,134/mo	↓ $4.85less	0.4%

Housing

↑ 37.4%

Swarthmore, PA

$2,015

Manchester, MD

$2,769

Difference

$754

Other

↓ 1.9%

Swarthmore, PA

$1,718

Manchester, MD

$1,685

Difference

$33.46

less

Transportation

↓ 1.0%

Swarthmore, PA

$1,375

Manchester, MD

$1,361

Difference

$14.33

less

Healthcare

↓ 2.1%

Swarthmore, PA

$626

Manchester, MD

$613

Difference

$13.44

less

All Utilities

↑ 0.9%

Swarthmore, PA

$626

Manchester, MD

$632

Difference

$5.91

Groceries

↓ 0.4%

Swarthmore, PA

$1,139

Manchester, MD

$1,134

Difference

$4.85

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,360

To$1,270

↓ $90.00

1 Bed

From$1,480

To$1,450

↓ $30.00

2 Bed

From$1,760

To$1,770

↑ $10.00

3 Bed

From$2,110

To$2,280

↑ $170

Swarthmore, PAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,480–$1,480/mo

Manchester, MDZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,450–$1,450/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 Swarthmore, PA

$8,193

Monthly in Manchester, MD

$693

Difference

Home Values

Swarthmore

Manchester

$458K

Median Value

$458K

↑ +3.4%

YoY Change

↑ +1.9%

↑ +39.7%

5-Year Change

↑ +26.9%

Calculate payment - Swarthmore Calculate payment - Manchester

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $2.7K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$221

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.8%

Rate difference

Swarthmore, PA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Pennsylvania State Tax

Effective: 3.1%

$4.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 27.7%

$41.6K

Take-Home Pay

$9,032/month

$108.4K

Manchester, MD

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Maryland State Tax

Effective: 4.8%

$7.3K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.5%

$44.3K

Take-Home Pay

$8,811/month

$105.7K

Additional Tax Information

Swarthmore, PA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.5%

Property Tax:1.4%

Manchester, MD Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.0%

Property Tax:1.1%

💡 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

Swarthmore

Manchester

52 Moderate

Air Quality

45 Good

47.3%

Good Air Days

65.6%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

95 High

🌊🌅🌀

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

22 days

Heat Days >95°F

30 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

22 days

Heat Days >95°F

30 days

Before moving from Swarthmore, PA to Manchester, MD

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Manchester, MD for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Swarthmore, PA. 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 Swarthmore to Manchester moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Manchester, MD by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Swarthmore, PA vs Manchester, MD

How do the cost estimates for Swarthmore, PA and Manchester, MD compare?

Manchester, MD has a modeled overall cost index 6.7% higher than Swarthmore, PA. 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 Swarthmore, PA, the model estimates $158,320 in Manchester, MD. 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 Swarthmore, PA and Manchester, MD?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,760/month in Swarthmore, PA and $1,770/month in Manchester, MD. 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 Pennsylvania and Maryland on TaxTakeHome.com

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