City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 7.9% higher than in Virginia Beach, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Virginia Beach, VA would need about $107,900 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,552 a month in Manchester, NH and $1,512 in Virginia Beach, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Virginia Beach, VA than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.4% moving from Manchester, NH to Virginia Beach, VA ($120,548 → $108,019), while prices change by −7.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.3% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
- Virginia Beach, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Manchester, NH | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,697 in Virginia Beach | $107,878 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
93 Strong offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Manchester, NH is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Manchester → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $62,640 | −3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $75,788 | −3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $90,838 | −3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $108,019 | −3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $127,646 | −3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $63,380 | $68,373 (−6.8%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $129,090 | $139,260 (−14.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $79,450 | $85,709 (+2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $89,450 | $96,497 (−2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.