Massachusetts to New Hampshire: Cost of Living Comparison
Moving from Massachusetts to New Hampshire, the cost of living is about 1.5% cheaper. To keep the same standard of living you have on $100,000 in Massachusetts, you'd need roughly $98,488 in New Hampshire — a cut of about $1,512.
| Massachusetts | New Hampshire | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (US avg = 100) | 105.8 | 104.2 |
| Salary to match $100,000 | $100,000 | $98,488 |
| Purchasing power of $100,000 | $100,000 | $101,536 |
Based on BEA 2024 Regional Price Parities (all-items). New Hampshire is at 104.2 vs Massachusetts at 105.8 on the national-average scale of 100.
Want to try your own salary or a different pair of states? Use the interactive cost-of-living calculator →
How the Massachusetts → New Hampshire comparison works
Cost of living differs from place to place because the same basket of goods, services and — above all — housing costs different amounts. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis measures this with Regional Price Parities (RPP): an index where the national average is 100. Massachusetts sits at 105.8 and New Hampshire at 104.2, which means everyday spending in New Hampshire costs about 1.5% less than in Massachusetts.
To keep the same standard of living you enjoy on $100,000 in Massachusetts, you would need about $98,488 in New Hampshire. Looked at the other way, if you moved with the same $100,000 paycheck, its real purchasing power once you're paying New Hampshire prices would feel like $101,536.
Remember this is a statewide, all-items average. Your actual experience depends heavily on where exactly you live, whether you rent or own, and your lifestyle — and it doesn't account for the difference in income tax between the two states, which you can model separately in the take-home-pay tools below.
Equivalent salary at other income levels
| Your salary in Massachusetts | Equivalent in New Hampshire | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $49,244 | −$756 |
| $75,000 | $73,866 | −$1,134 |
| $100,000 | $98,488 | −$1,512 |
| $150,000 | $147,732 | −$2,268 |
| $200,000 | $196,975 | −$3,025 |
See your take-home pay in each state
Cost of living is only half the picture — income tax changes what you actually keep. Compare paychecks:
Move from Massachusetts to another state
⚠️ Cost-of-living estimate based on BEA 2024 Regional Price Parities (all-items, statewide average). Real costs vary by city, housing and lifestyle, and this does not include the difference in state income tax. For general guidance only — not financial advice.