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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,111 in Chicago, IL versus $3,124 in Burlington, VT.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,680 in Chicago, IL versus $4,228 in Burlington, VT.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,249 in Chicago, IL versus $5,331 in Burlington, VT.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Chicago, IL 131% above, Burlington, VT 132% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$20.84 $20.84

-2.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$78.5 $78.5

25.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$11.44 $11.44

5.51%

Cappuccino

$5.73 $5.73

$5.29 $5.29

8.32%

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

$2.97 $2.97

$2.63 $2.63

12.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.36 $2.36

4.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.99 $6.99

$6.92 $6.92

1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$7.81 $7.81

5.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.16 $1.16

-9.48%

White Bread (500g)

$4.08 $4.08

$4.22 $4.22

-3.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.50 $5.50

$5.37 $5.37

2.42%

Eggs

$4.64 $4.64

$4.37 $4.37

6.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$13.82 $13.82

4.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.20 $15.20

$10.54 $10.54

44.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.28 $19.28

$12.97 $12.97

48.65%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$5.65 $5.65

-9.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.97 $1.97

-10.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$5.35 $5.35

-18.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$6.87 $6.87

-36.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$4.58 $4.58

-46.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.66 $3.66

-23.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.73 $2.73

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.02 $1.02

160.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.90 $14.90

$12.21 $12.21

22.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 $14.97

$15.16 $15.16

-1.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.71 $1.71

43.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 $3.54

$2.97 $2.97

19.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.98 $1.98

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.5 $74.5

$50.1 $50.1

48.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.59 $2.59

28.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.70 $1.70

-18.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.11 $25.11

$28.52 $28.52

-11.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.94 $0.94

15.96%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$30.1K $30.1K

5.98%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.73%

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

$187 $187

$194 $194

-3.73%

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

$63.5 $63.5

$56.8 $56.8

11.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.5 $65.5

$59.7 $59.7

9.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.7 $75.7

$76.4 $76.4

-0.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.05 $13.05

$28.28 $28.28

-53.85%

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 $14.80

$11.78 $11.78

25.64%

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

$2,025 $2,025

$1,261 $1,261

60.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.0K $39.0K

$12.0K $12.0K

223.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 $64.2

$61.8 $61.8

3.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 $51.7

$29.89 $29.89

73.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 $95.6

$54.9 $54.9

74.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$90.9 $90.9

59.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,326 $2,326

$1,832 $1,832

26.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,611 $1,611

$1,806 $1,806

-10.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,703 $4,703

$2,941 $2,941

59.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,721 $2,721

$2,412 $2,412

12.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,829 $3,829

$3,801 $3,801

0.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,533 $2,533

$3,317 $3,317

-23.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,100 $5,100

$4,482 $4,482

13.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.43

2.64%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: June 7, 2026

Last update for Burlington, VT: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,326 in Chicago, IL and $1,832 in Burlington, VT. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chicago, IL pays 14% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $98.0 in Chicago, IL vs $78.0 in Burlington, VT for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $448 vs $411 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

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

Chicago, IL pays 14% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,326 in Chicago, IL versus $1,832 in Burlington, VT. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,025 in Chicago, IL versus $1,261 in Burlington, VT. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Chicago, IL – a meal for two runs $98.0 versus $78.0 in Burlington, VT. 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.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Chicago, IL wins on affordability, Burlington, VT on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.