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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,079 in Burlington, VT versus $3,009 in Chicago, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,226 in Burlington, VT versus $4,576 in Chicago, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,373 in Burlington, VT versus $6,143 in Chicago, IL.

Living in Burlington, VT is roughly 2% more expensive than in Chicago, IL, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Burlington, VT 131% above, Chicago, IL 126% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.63 $20.63

$20.27 $20.27

1.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 $81.3

$101 $101

-19.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.32 $11.32

$12.04 $12.04

-5.98%

Cappuccino

$5.08 $5.08

$5.76 $5.76

-11.81%

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

$2.54 $2.54

$2.97 $2.97

-14.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.38 $2.38

-5.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 $7.13

$7.20 $7.20

-0.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.83 $7.83

$8.05 $8.05

-2.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.09 $1.09

9.17%

White Bread (500g)

$4.20 $4.20

$4.12 $4.12

1.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.46 $5.46

$5.29 $5.29

3.21%

Eggs

$4.52 $4.52

$4.56 $4.56

-0.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.75 $13.75

$14.45 $14.45

-4.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.87 $10.87

$14.79 $14.79

-26.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.48 $13.48

$19.56 $19.56

-31.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.78 $5.78

$5.42 $5.42

6.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.71 $1.71

14.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.57 $5.57

$4.18 $4.18

33.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.79 $6.79

$4.59 $4.59

47.93%

Potato (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$2.48 $2.48

86.69%

Onion (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.72 $2.72

37.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.47 $2.47

16.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.72 $2.72

-63.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$14.78 $14.78

-17.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 $12.58

$15.30 $15.30

-17.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.35 $2.35

-28.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.74 $3.74

-22.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.47 $2.47

-17.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.91 $49.91

$74.0 $74.0

-32.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.32 $3.32

-22.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.37 $1.37

24.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.25 $28.25

$24.65 $24.65

14.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.05 $1.05

-17.14%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$32.4K $32.4K

-7.16%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$26.1K $26.1K

-2.84%

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

$190 $190

$186 $186

1.88%

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

$57.3 $57.3

$62.6 $62.6

-8.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.1 $61.1

$67.5 $67.5

-9.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.8 $75.8

$75.2 $75.2

0.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.90 $27.90

$13.38 $13.38

108.52%

Cinema Ticket

$11.96 $11.96

$15.10 $15.10

-20.79%

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

$1,267 $1,267

$2,023 $2,023

-37.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K $12.2K

$39.9K $39.9K

-69.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 $62.3

$64.2 $64.2

-3.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.83 $29.83

$51.2 $51.2

-41.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.1 $54.1

$96.2 $96.2

-43.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 $90.3

$147 $147

-38.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,784 $1,784

$2,329 $2,329

-23.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 $1,821

$1,570 $1,570

16.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,972 $2,972

$4,677 $4,677

-36.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,374 $2,374

$2,810 $2,810

-15.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,875 $3,875

$4,082 $4,082

-5.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,355 $3,355

$2,645 $2,645

26.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,627 $4,627

$4,883 $4,883

-5.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

6.6

-2.58%

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

Last update for Burlington, VT: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,784 in Burlington, VT and $2,329 in Chicago, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 6% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $81.0 in Burlington, VT vs $101 in Chicago, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $411 vs $450 per month, with Burlington, VT cheaper across the board.

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

Burlington, VT and Chicago, IL differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($3,079 vs $3,009 including rent). Chicago, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 6% lower in Chicago, IL. 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: $1,784 in Burlington, VT versus $2,329 in Chicago, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chicago, IL runs roughly 48% less than in Burlington, VT. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,267 in Burlington, VT versus $2,023 in Chicago, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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.

For families, Chicago, IL is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Burlington, VT, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Chicago, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Burlington, VT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.