Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington, VT and Chicago, IL

For one person, living costs are similar in Burlington, VT and in Chicago, IL: $3,098 and $3,072 a month, rent and utilities included.

147

Cost of Living Index in Burlington, VT
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Burlington, VT Living Index
146

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Burlington, VT

🇺🇸 United States

$3,098

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,072

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Burlington, VT and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Burlington, VT and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,098 in Burlington, VT versus $3,072 in Chicago, IL.

Burlington, VT $3,098
Chicago, IL $3,072

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,642 in Burlington, VT versus $4,545 in Chicago, IL.

Burlington, VT $4,642
Chicago, IL $4,545

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,187 in Burlington, VT versus $6,019 in Chicago, IL.

Burlington, VT $6,187
Chicago, IL $6,019

Monthly costs are close between Burlington, VT and Chicago, IL; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Burlington, VT 129% above, Chicago, IL 127% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.36 $22.36

$20.39 $20.39

9.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.7 $79.7

$88.6 $88.6

-9.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.21 $12.21

$12.85 $12.85

-4.98%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$5.78 $5.78

-12.98%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.74 $2.74

5.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.26 $2.26

4.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.15 $8.15

$6.88 $6.88

18.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 $8.22

$9.24 $9.24

-11.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

White Bread (500g)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.55 $3.55

29.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.91 $5.91

$5.38 $5.38

9.85%

Eggs

$4.48 $4.48

$4.55 $4.55

-1.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.38 $15.38

$13.65 $13.65

12.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.25 $12.25

$14.07 $14.07

-12.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.07 $19.07

$18.06 $18.06

5.59%

Apples (1kg)

$7.25 $7.25

$5.16 $5.16

40.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.98 $1.98

2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$3.88 $3.88

41.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.37 $7.37

$4.83 $4.83

52.59%

Potato (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$2.81 $2.81

56.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.67 $2.67

47.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.07 $2.07

45.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$3.03 $3.03

-5.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.26 $12.26

$13.90 $13.90

-11.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$15.05 $15.05

1.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.63 $2.63

-32.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 $4.46

$3.45 $3.45

29.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.43 $2.43

-18.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.8 $50.8

$75.3 $75.3

-32.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.17 $3.17

-19.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.70 $1.70

5.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.73 $27.73

$24.90 $24.90

11.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.28 $1.28

-10.94%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.8K $35.8K

-23.68%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.74%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$151 $151

$192 $192

-21.40%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$55.6 $55.6

$69.6 $69.6

-20.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 $62.1

$62.2 $62.2

-0.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.0 $64.0

$47.79 $47.79

33.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.22 $28.22

$27.10 $27.10

4.13%

Cinema Ticket

$12.15 $12.15

$17.83 $17.83

-31.86%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,267 $1,267

$1,815 $1,815

-30.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K $21.1K

$40.6K $40.6K

-48.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 $59.7

$66.2 $66.2

-9.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 $51.3

$51.4 $51.4

-0.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 $70.2

$103 $103

-32.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 $155

$143 $143

8.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,426 $2,426

$2,531 $2,531

-4.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,621 $1,621

3.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,601 $3,601

$4,828 $4,828

-25.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,943 $2,943

$2,734 $2,734

7.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,831 $3,831

$4,163 $4,163

-7.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,217 $3,217

$2,723 $2,723

18.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,442 $4,442

$4,924 $4,924

-9.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.7

6.78

-1.18%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Burlington, VT: November 1, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Burlington, VT

$1.7K 54.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52.8% 3.4% $57

Groceries & Markets

Burlington, VT

$487 15.7%

Chicago, IL

$439 14.3% 9.9% $48

Eating Out

Burlington, VT

$354 11.4%

Chicago, IL

$344 11.2% 2.9% $10

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Burlington, VT

$269 8.7%

Chicago, IL

$324 10.5% 20.5% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Burlington, VT

$151 4.9%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.3% 8.2% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Burlington, VT

$88 2.9%

Chicago, IL

$83 2.7% 5.4% $4.8

Getting Around

Burlington, VT

$70 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$97 3.2% 37.8% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,426 in Burlington, VT and $2,531 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 11% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $80 in Burlington, VT vs $89 in Chicago, IL. Groceries flip the comparison at $487 vs $439, with Chicago, IL cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Burlington, VT

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

12:49 12:49 PM

11:49 11:49 AM

1 h behind Burlington, VT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,743

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Burlington, VT Chicago, IL 1,200 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Burlington, VT
Chicago, IL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Burlington, VT vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Burlington, VT. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,426 in Burlington, VT versus $2,531 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,267 in Burlington, VT versus $1,815 in Chicago, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Burlington, VT – a meal for two runs $80 versus $89 in Chicago, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Chicago, IL is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.