Moving from Manchester to Boston
Your paycheck buys 8.9% less in Boston than in Manchester; you'd need about $116,600 to break even. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Boston: $116,600
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $116,600 in Boston, MA to match $105,000 in Manchester, NH ($11,600 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. New Hampshire has no state income tax on wages; Massachusetts does; neither city levies a resident income tax.
Manchester vs Boston: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,714 → $2,093/mo
- Median home value
- $476,000 → $681,100
- Median household income
- $106,013 → $117,825
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 105.7 → 108.3
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (89.8 → 93.2 of 100)
Manchester vs Boston cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Manchester, NH | Boston, MA |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 105.7 | 108.3 |
| Median rent | $1,714 | $2,093 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $68,560 | $83,720 |
| Median home value | $476,000 | $681,100 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $3,217 | $4,321 |
| Income needed to buy | $137,883 | $185,178 |
| Median property tax | $7,162 | $6,913 |
| State income tax on $105,000 | $0 | $5,030 |
| Metro population | 430,462 | 5,025,517 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: Manchester vs Boston
On a $105,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $52,509 a year in Manchester and $64,304 in Boston if you rent: $11,795 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $70,548 and $91,038 ($20,490 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | ManchesterBefore | BostonAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $105,000, single filer | $22,303 | $27,816 | +$5,513 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,738 | $2,006 | +$268 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $987 | $1,326 | +$339 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,101 | $2,112 | +$11 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $4,812 | $5,928 | +$1,116 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $20,568 | $25,116 | +$4,548 |
| Total if you rent | $52,509 | $64,304 | +$11,795 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $30,248 | $43,282 | +$13,034 |
| Property tax median home | $7,162 | $6,913 | -$249 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,197 | $1,655 | +$458 |
| Total if you buy | $70,548 | $91,038 | +$20,490 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $16,040 a year in Manchester and $26,343 in Boston (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Manchester to Boston
About 4,002 households (5,876 people) moved from the Manchester metro area to the Boston metro area in 2022–2023, making Boston the #1 destination for people leaving Manchester among the 149 metro areas we cover. 5,234 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $84,688.
Cost to move from Manchester to Boston
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
At about 60 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
Natural hazard risk: Manchester vs Boston
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Manchester area among the highest (score 89.8) and the Boston area among the highest (score 93.2), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $284 vs $206 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Boston cheaper than Manchester?
Overall prices in the Boston area are 2.5% higher than in Manchester (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $2,093 vs $1,714 a month, and the median home is $681,100 vs $476,000.
What salary do I need in Boston to match $100,000 in Manchester?
About $111,100, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. New Hampshire has no state income tax on wages; Massachusetts does.
How much does it cost to move from Manchester to Boston?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 60 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
How many people move from Manchester to Boston?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 4,002 households (5,876 people) moved from the Manchester metro area to the Boston metro area, and 5,234 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Manchester move
- Worcester 240 households
- Portland, ME 233 households
- New York 166 households
- Providence 137 households
- Tampa 135 households
- Dallas 111 households
- Miami 91 households
- Orlando 82 households