Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington, VT and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Burlington, VT: $3,098 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Burlington, VT
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Burlington, VT Living Index
182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index

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Burlington, VT

🇺🇸 United States

$3,098

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Burlington, VT and in Seattle, WA

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 Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,098 in Burlington, VT versus $3,762 in Seattle, WA.

Burlington, VT $3,098
Seattle, WA $3,762

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,642 in Burlington, VT versus $5,651 in Seattle, WA.

Burlington, VT $4,642
Seattle, WA $5,651

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,187 in Burlington, VT versus $7,541 in Seattle, WA.

Burlington, VT $6,187
Seattle, WA $7,541

Living in Burlington, VT costs roughly 18% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Burlington, VT 129% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.36 $22.36

$23.80 $23.80

-6.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.7 $79.7

$98.6 $98.6

-19.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.21 $12.21

$14.94 $14.94

-18.27%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$6.79 $6.79

-25.92%

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

$2.89 $2.89

$3.23 $3.23

-10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$3.15 $3.15

-24.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.15 $8.15

$8.21 $8.21

-0.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 $8.22

$7.87 $7.87

4.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.17 $1.17

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$4.59 $4.59

$5.29 $5.29

-13.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.91 $5.91

$5.76 $5.76

2.60%

Eggs

$4.48 $4.48

$4.89 $4.89

-8.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.38 $15.38

$20.25 $20.25

-24.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.25 $12.25

$17.95 $17.95

-31.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.07 $19.07

$23.35 $23.35

-18.33%

Apples (1kg)

$7.25 $7.25

$5.94 $5.94

22.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.89 $1.89

7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$5.35 $5.35

2.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.37 $7.37

$6.57 $6.57

12.18%

Potato (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$3.39 $3.39

30.09%

Onion (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.88 $2.88

37.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.89 $2.89

4.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.43 $2.43

17.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.26 $12.26

$12.18 $12.18

0.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$15.24 $15.24

-0.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$4.38 $4.38

-59.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 $4.46

$5.89 $5.89

-24.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.96 $2.96

-33.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.8 $50.8

$109 $109

-53.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.52 $2.52

1.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.72 $1.72

4.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.73 $27.73

$29.70 $29.70

-6.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.51 $1.51

-24.50%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$36.2K $36.2K

-24.51%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.7K $25.7K

3.53%

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

$151 $151

$289 $289

-47.72%

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

$55.6 $55.6

$69.1 $69.1

-19.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 $62.1

$84.8 $84.8

-26.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.0 $64.0

$69.4 $69.4

-7.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.22 $28.22

$35.05 $35.05

-19.49%

Cinema Ticket

$12.15 $12.15

$17.97 $17.97

-32.39%

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

$1,267 $1,267

$2,819 $2,819

-55.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K $21.1K

$43.9K $43.9K

-51.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 $59.7

$91.2 $91.2

-34.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 $51.3

$55.1 $55.1

-6.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 $70.2

$127 $127

-44.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$155 $155

$162 $162

-4.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,426 $2,426

$2,579 $2,579

-5.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$1,943 $1,943

-13.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,601 $3,601

$5,100 $5,100

-29.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,943 $2,943

$3,541 $3,541

-16.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,831 $3,831

$7,357 $7,357

-47.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,217 $3,217

$4,921 $4,921

-34.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,442 $4,442

$6,448 $6,448

-31.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.7

6.8

-1.47%

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

Last update for Burlington, VT: November 1, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Burlington, VT

$1.7K 54.2%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6% 15.8% $265

Groceries & Markets

Burlington, VT

$487 15.7%

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5% 11.6% $56

Eating Out

Burlington, VT

$354 11.4%

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6% 12.7% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Burlington, VT

$269 8.7%

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8% 64.7% $174

Clothing & Footwear

Burlington, VT

$151 4.9%

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2% 29.5% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Burlington, VT

$88 2.9%

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8% 19.4% $17

Getting Around

Burlington, VT

$70 2.3%

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5% 88.3% $62

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,426 in Burlington, VT and $2,579 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 45% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $80 in Burlington, VT vs $99 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $487 vs $544 per month, with Burlington, VT cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Burlington, VT

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

08:47 8:47 AM

05:47 5:47 AM

3 h behind Burlington, VT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,743

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Burlington, VT Seattle, WA 3,740 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Burlington, VT
Seattle, WA

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 Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Burlington, VT is about 18% cheaper overall, especially in transport, groceries, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 31% 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 $2,579 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Burlington, VT runs roughly 54% less than in Seattle, WA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $1,267 in Burlington, VT versus $2,819 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Burlington, VT is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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

Expats usually find Burlington, VT gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.