Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manchester, NH and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Manchester, NH: $2,963 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

144

Cost of Living Index in Manchester, NH
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Manchester, NH Living Index
184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index

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Manchester, NH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,963

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manchester, NH and in Seattle, WA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Manchester, NH and in Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,963 in Manchester, NH versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

Manchester, NH $2,963
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,232 in Manchester, NH versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

Manchester, NH $4,232
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,501 in Manchester, NH versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

Manchester, NH $5,501
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Manchester, NH costs roughly 22% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Manchester, NH 118% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.64 $26.64

$25.30 $25.30

5.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.0 $79.0

$101 $101

-21.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.06 $11.06

$14.76 $14.76

-25.07%

Cappuccino

$5.51 $5.51

$6.50 $6.50

-15.23%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$3.21 $3.21

-25.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.14 $3.14

-35.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 $5.96

$7.97 $7.97

-25.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.10 $7.10

$8.13 $8.13

-12.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.17 $1.17

-12.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 $2.90

$5.30 $5.30

-45.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$6.40 $6.40

-25.94%

Eggs

$4.54 $4.54

$5.06 $5.06

-10.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.89 $9.89

$18.71 $18.71

-47.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.71 $10.71

$18.72 $18.72

-42.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.53 $19.53

$22.88 $22.88

-14.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.82 $5.82

$6.06 $6.06

-3.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.95 $1.95

18.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$5.51 $5.51

-18.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$6.52 $6.52

-6.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$3.49 $3.49

-29.80%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.29 $3.29

-2.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.80 $2.80

-23.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.58 $2.58

-8.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.66 $9.66

$12.49 $12.49

-22.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.75 $14.75

$14.87 $14.87

-0.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$4.19 $4.19

-53.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 $5.07

$5.80 $5.80

-12.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.05 $3.05

-35.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.0 $61.0

$106 $106

-42.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.58 $2.58

20.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.64 $1.64

2.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.19 $30.19

$30.12 $30.12

0.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.41 $1.41

-34.04%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$33.5K $33.5K

$36.8K $36.8K

-8.84%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.4K $25.4K

$26.6K $26.6K

-4.36%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$230 $230

$308 $308

-25.23%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$62.3 $62.3

$69.2 $69.2

-9.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.8 $69.8

$86.1 $86.1

-18.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.74 $39.74

$76.5 $76.5

-48.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.23 $39.23

$35.50 $35.50

10.51%

Cinema Ticket

$11.35 $11.35

$18.02 $18.02

-37.01%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,194 $1,194

$2,746 $2,746

-56.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$30.6K $30.6K

-24.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.75 $44.75

$79.2 $79.2

-43.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.66 $45.66

$54.3 $54.3

-15.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 $90.4

$127 $127

-28.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$159 $159

-30.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,803 $1,803

$2,508 $2,508

-28.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 $1,543

$1,938 $1,938

-20.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,878 $2,878

$5,117 $5,117

-43.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,348 $2,348

$3,542 $3,542

-33.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,181 $3,181

$7,374 $7,374

-56.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,940 $2,940

$5,002 $5,002

-41.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,254 $4,254

$6,470 $6,470

-34.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

6.89

-9.87%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Manchester, NH: October 26, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Manchester, NH

$1.5K 52.1%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 25.6% $395

Groceries & Markets

Manchester, NH

$410 13.8%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 33.6% $137

Eating Out

Manchester, NH

$374 12.6%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 8.6% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manchester, NH

$362 12.2%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 27.8% $101

Clothing & Footwear

Manchester, NH

$131 4.4%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 44.2% $58

Getting Around

Manchester, NH

$80 2.7%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 60.5% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Manchester, NH

$62 2.1%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 80.2% $50

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,803 in Manchester, NH and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 52% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $79 in Manchester, NH vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 vs $547 per month, with Manchester, NH cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Manchester, NH

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

19:14 7:14 PM

16:14 4:14 PM

3 h behind Manchester, NH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

109,497

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Manchester, NH Seattle, WA 3,940 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Manchester, NH
Seattle, WA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Manchester, NH vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manchester, NH is about 22% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 34% lower in Manchester, NH. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,803 in Manchester, NH versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,194 in Manchester, NH versus $2,746 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Manchester, NH is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Manchester, NH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.