Cost Of Living Examples in NH (Manchester, Derry: car registration, insurance, house)

[Alphapha]

Hi I have read some previous posts on the cost of living in NH, but I would like to know some specifics please. I realize that NH only has property taxes and they are somewhat high. The county I live in I believe has higher property taxes. My home is valued at $214,000 and I pay about $5800 a year in property taxes. That being said I am curious what makes up for the high cost of living in NH.

May I ask what you pay for these items to compare? Let's use Walmart as a place to shop except for the last question.

1. A loaf of bread?

2. A gallon of milk?

3. A large pizza?

4. A rotissery chicken?

5. A dozen eggs?

6. Dinner out at a normal place for 2 people?

OK now for utilities on a 2000 sqaure foot home. Think about the average price for the highest 6 months of the year.

1. I pay about $100 for water and trash pickup a month.

2. Electricity is about $150 a month.

3. Natural gas is about $50 a month.

If utilities are high in NH are their any people out there that have ideas on how to lower them? i.e., wood burning stove, geothermal, natural gas.....? Are these cost effective?

Lastly, if I am missing something that causes NH residents to have a high cost of living outside of gasoline please tell me.

[OCCASparky]

1--.99 to $2.49, depending upon type of bread.
2--Typically about $2.50-$2.75.
3--At local pizza joints, as little as $10 for a one-topping large.
4--$4-5 at Hannaford's.
5--$1.25 or so, but lots of farms/farmer's markets sell them for $1/dozen.
6--Define "normal". Granite Grill prime rib for 2 runs about $40-45 with meal, beverages, tax, and tip. More if you have booze.
7--Don't pay for water, sewer, or trash. Well, septic, and town tax pays for trash pickup.
8--Electricity runs me an average of $75-80/month, maybe up to $90 in the winter when I run the furnace a lot.
9--Oil (no natural gas) runs me about $1000-1200/year, so say $100/month.
You can lower use of oil by going to pellet stoves or wood, but a cord of seasoned wood is going for about $250-300/cord right now. Same for a ton of pellets.

[AngelaK]

It might depend on where in NH you live, but I shop at Hannaford in Manchester.

Hannaford brand skim milk is 3.19 a gallon.

A rottisery chicken is 6.99-7.99

A dozen eggs, white large is 1.25

Loaf of bread, usually buy pepperidge farm whole wheat soft is like 3.19

I almost fell over the other day as I was looking to buy Uncle Ben's long grain and wild rice and it was 3.19 for one box..........that was a huge jump for some reason.

Typically spend about 40-50 bucks for 2 adults and a 7 year old at dinner at places like Applebee's , 99, etc...

I pay a lot for my cable, internet, phone through Comcast per month. About $129.

Electric and oil is about the same as the person above. I also pay for city water/sewar, but I don't recall what that is. But city trash and recycling is included in your taxes in Manchester.

Good luck.

[BF66389]

I don't shop at Walmart, but here are my answers for Hannaford & Harvest Market near Hollis:

1. A loaf of bread?
$1+ depending on type

2. A gallon of milk?
$2-4.50 depending on brand

3. A large pizza?
$17 for an 18" large "gourmet" pizza (lots of good topings) at the awesome place in town

4. A rotissery chicken?
$6 for regular, $8 for organic

5. A dozen eggs?
$1-$4 depending on generics or free-range organic

6. Dinner out at a normal place for 2 people?
$30-$40 including a good tip at a non-chain but average priced restaurant.


1. I pay about $100 for water and trash pickup a month.
Water is well (electric driven) so free except electricity, trash pickup is $23/month for every 2 week pickup of 5 x 32 gallon bags.

2. Electricity
$125 on average...

3. Oil (no Natural Gas at our house).
$420 was the highest month at this winter's prices...I would estimate $1400 for the entire year that we spent. We also have forced hot air/cathedral ceilings/lots of older windows/so-so insulation/1975 era furnace.

If utilities are high in NH are their any people out there that have ideas on how to lower them? i.e., wood burning stove, geothermal, natural gas.....? Are these cost effective?

This really varies and is home dependant. The cheapest way to reduce heating costs is to close air leaks, add insulation where you can, and get a programmable thermostat. Geothermal is VERY cost effective but is VERY expensive to install. Likewise NG isn't available in all/most places. A wood stove is a good way to save but both the stove and proper installation is not cheap- neither is wood (unless you do a lot of the work yourself).

We can also get GREAT deals on fresh veggies in-season at local farm stands on certain items. Also if you have your own garden you can save a lot...etc.

Lastly, if I am missing something that causes NH residents to have a high cost of living outside of gasoline please tell me.

Gasoline prices are fairly low compared to many other states. Additionally car insurance is signficantly lower than neighboring MA (almost half).

[OCCASparky]

And to add to what you wrote earlier--$214K house and you're paying 6K in taxes? Ouch--even by our standards. Mine appraises for well over that and I pay about $1000 less. Insurance is something to consider. I'm paying just under $750/year for coverage which includes flood. That was about 1/3 what I paid in CA (although $500/yr was earthquake).

[buck naked]

I don't shop at Walmart or Hannafords because the prices are much, much higher than Market Basket..


a cooked rotisserie chicken, for example, is $4.99 compared to over $7. at Hannafords.

. I have a well, septic system and I go to the dump once a month and pay $1. per bag. Usually 4 bags a month.

I recycle bottles and cans and turn them in Maine for cash.

[buck naked]

Originally Posted by OCCASparky

And to add to what you wrote earlier--$214K house and you're paying 6K in taxes? Ouch--even by our standards. Mine appraises for well over that and I pay about $1000 less. Insurance is something to consider. I'm paying just under $750/year for coverage which includes flood. That was about 1/3 what I paid in CA (although $500/yr was earthquake).

former property in Derry was assessed at $218K. - sold it for $309K in 2004, and taxes were well on their way to $10K....they are currently over that amount, but the house has not increased in assessed value.

almost a duplicate property up north is $3500 in annual property taxes.

home insurance is $600 per year but does not include floods.

new car registrations are very expensive but decrease every year.

oil heat is expensive, but I have passive solar and a wood pellet stove to help take the sting away.