

Ames vs Manchester
$372/mo more in Manchester
AmesManchesterAbout 1,118 miles apart, a flight.
- Manchester leaves you more
- No state income tax
- Property tax 1.76%
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,773/mo in Manchester. $2,401/mo in Ames. +$4,464 a year.
Ames
$2,401
left each month
Manchester
$2,773
+$372 vs Ames
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
+$372 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Ames | Manchester | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $6,208 | $8,421 | +$2,212 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,332 | $1,798 | +$466 |
| Take-home pay | $4,877 | $6,623 | +$1,746 |
| Rent | $760 | $1,796 | +$1,036 |
| Getting around | $457 | $551 | +$94 |
| Groceries | $347 | $415 | +$68 |
| Healthcare | $391 | $467 | +$76 |
| Utilities | $217 | $259 | +$42 |
| Everything else | $304 | $363 | +$59 |
| Left over | $2,401 | $2,773 | +$372 |
Salary to match Ames
$94,500
Gross pay in Manchester that leaves the same amount as $74,500 in Ames.
Tax difference
+$2,276
A year, in state and local income tax. New Hampshire has no wage income tax.
More about Manchester
Ames, IA in full
A flat 3.8% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $905 and 207 sunny days; commutes average 19 minutes.
Manchester, NH in full
No state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $2,138 and 187 sunny days; commutes average 27 minutes.
The other way
Start in Manchester.
Manchester → Ames →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Manchester than Ames?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Manchester leaves about $372 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $760 in Ames and $1,796 in Manchester.
Does Manchester have state income tax?
Manchester is in New Hampshire, which has no state income tax.
What changes if you move from Ames to Manchester?
The paycheck is taxed in New Hampshire. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Ames and Manchester changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.