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: $3,009 in Chicago, IL versus $3,079 in Burlington, VT.

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

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

Living in Chicago, IL costs roughly 2% less than in Burlington, VT, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.27 $20.27

$20.63 $20.63

-1.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$81.3 $81.3

23.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.04 $12.04

$11.32 $11.32

6.36%

Cappuccino

$5.76 $5.76

$5.08 $5.08

13.39%

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

$2.97 $2.97

$2.54 $2.54

16.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.25 $2.25

5.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 $7.20

$7.13 $7.13

0.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.83 $7.83

2.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.19 $1.19

-8.40%

White Bread (500g)

$4.12 $4.12

$4.20 $4.20

-1.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$5.46 $5.46

-3.11%

Eggs

$4.56 $4.56

$4.52 $4.52

0.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.45 $14.45

$13.75 $13.75

5.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.79 $14.79

$10.87 $10.87

36.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.56 $19.56

$13.48 $13.48

45.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$5.78 $5.78

-6.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.95 $1.95

-12.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$5.57 $5.57

-24.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$6.79 $6.79

-32.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$4.63 $4.63

-46.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$3.74 $3.74

-27.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.87 $2.87

-13.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$0.98 $0.98

177.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.78 $14.78

$12.18 $12.18

21.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.30 $15.30

$12.58 $12.58

21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.69 $1.69

39.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.91 $2.91

28.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.05 $2.05

20.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.0 $74.0

$49.91 $49.91

48.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.57 $2.57

29.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.70 $1.70

-19.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.65 $24.65

$28.25 $28.25

-12.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$0.87 $0.87

20.69%

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

$32.4K $32.4K

$30.1K $30.1K

7.71%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.4K $25.4K

2.93%

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

$186 $186

$190 $190

-1.84%

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

$62.6 $62.6

$57.3 $57.3

9.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 $67.5

$61.1 $61.1

10.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.2 $75.2

$75.8 $75.8

-0.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.38 $13.38

$27.90 $27.90

-52.04%

Cinema Ticket

$15.10 $15.10

$11.96 $11.96

26.25%

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

$2,023 $2,023

$1,267 $1,267

59.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.9K $39.9K

$12.2K $12.2K

227.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 $64.2

$62.3 $62.3

3.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$29.83 $29.83

71.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 $96.2

$54.1 $54.1

77.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 $147

$90.3 $90.3

62.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,329 $2,329

$1,784 $1,784

30.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 $1,570

$1,821 $1,821

-13.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,677 $4,677

$2,972 $2,972

57.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,810 $2,810

$2,374 $2,374

18.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,082 $4,082

$3,875 $3,875

5.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,645 $2,645

$3,355 $3,355

-21.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,883 $4,883

$4,627 $4,627

5.54%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Burlington, VT: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,329 in Chicago, IL and $1,784 in Burlington, VT. 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: $101 in Chicago, IL vs $81.0 in Burlington, VT for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $450 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 and Burlington, VT differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($3,009 vs $3,079 including rent). Chicago, IL is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 6% higher in Chicago, IL, 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: $2,329 in Chicago, IL versus $1,784 in Burlington, VT. 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 $2,023 in Chicago, IL versus $1,267 in Burlington, VT. 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.