City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 2.3% higher than in Phoenix, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Phoenix, AZ would need about $102,300 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,552 a month in Manchester, NH and $1,583 in Phoenix, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Phoenix, AZ than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.6% moving from Manchester, NH to Phoenix, AZ ($120,548 → $111,338), while prices change by −2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.5% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,784 in Phoenix | $102,266 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
76 Strong offer
Phoenix, AZ → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Manchester, NH is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Manchester → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $64,564 | −5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $78,117 | −5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $93,629 | −5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $111,338 | −5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $131,568 | −5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $59,180 | $60,521 (−17.5%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $131,750 | $134,735 (−16.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $80,820 | $82,651 (−1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $100,830 | $103,115 (+4.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.