Cost of Living Comparison Between Helsinki and Burlington, VT Cost of Living Comparison Between Helsinki and Burlington, VT

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,196 in Helsinki versus $3,124 in Burlington, VT.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,398 in Helsinki versus $4,228 in Burlington, VT.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,600 in Helsinki versus $5,331 in Burlington, VT.

Living in Helsinki costs roughly 30% less than in Burlington, VT, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Helsinki 63% above, Burlington, VT 132% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.18 €14.80

$20.84 $20.84

-17.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 €88.6

$78.5 $78.5

30.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.66 €10.91

$11.44 $11.44

10.66%

Cappuccino

$5.03 €4.33

$5.29 $5.29

-4.91%

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

$3.06 €2.64

$2.63 $2.63

16.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 €1.93

$2.36 $2.36

-5.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.19 €7.06

$6.92 $6.92

18.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 €6.96

$7.81 $7.81

3.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.16 $1.16

20.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 €2.25

$4.22 $4.22

-38.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.73 €2.35

$5.37 $5.37

-49.16%

Eggs

$3.62 €3.11

$4.37 $4.37

-17.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.14 €7.87

$13.82 $13.82

-33.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.37 €12.38

$10.54 $10.54

36.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.11 €19.05

$12.97 $12.97

70.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 €2.34

$5.65 $5.65

-52.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 €1.81

$1.97 $1.97

6.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 €2.14

$5.35 $5.35

-53.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 €4.03

$6.87 $6.87

-31.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 €1.07

$4.58 $4.58

-72.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 €1.61

$3.66 $3.66

-48.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 €1.76

$2.73 $2.73

-24.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.73

$1.02 $1.02

97.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.78 €11.01

$12.21 $12.21

4.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.90 €13.70

$15.16 $15.16

4.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.24 €2.79

$1.71 $1.71

89.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 €3.35

$2.97 $2.97

30.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.65 €3.14

$1.98 $1.98

84.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.0 €69.0

$50.1 $50.1

59.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.21 €7.08

$2.59 $2.59

216.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 €1.01

$1.70 $1.70

-31.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$70.5 €60.7

$28.52 $28.52

147.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.79

$0.94 $0.94

121.28%

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

$36.9K €31.8K

$30.1K $30.1K

22.89%

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

$39.4K €34.0K

$25.6K $25.6K

53.98%

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

$125 €108

$194 $194

-35.57%

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

$29.29 €25.23

$56.8 $56.8

-48.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.65 €20.37

$59.7 $59.7

-60.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.60 €41.01

$76.4 $76.4

-37.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.56 €28.92

$28.28 $28.28

18.67%

Cinema Ticket

$19.96 €17.19

$11.78 $11.78

69.44%

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

$395 €341

$1,261 $1,261

-68.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K €9,680

$12.0K $12.0K

-6.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €91.1

$61.8 $61.8

70.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.88 €33.50

$29.89 $29.89

30.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 €89.6

$54.9 $54.9

89.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$90.9 $90.9

36.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 €1,024

$1,832 $1,832

-35.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$941 €810

$1,806 $1,806

-47.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 €1,787

$2,941 $2,941

-29.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,550 €1,336

$2,412 $2,412

-35.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,998 €8,615

$3,801 $3,801

163.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,474 €3,855

$3,317 $3,317

34.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,234 €2,786

$4,482 $4,482

-27.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.09

6.43

-36.39%

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

Last update for Helsinki: June 9, 2026

Last update for Burlington, VT: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,188 in Helsinki and $1,832 in Burlington, VT. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Burlington, VT pays 39% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $103 in Helsinki vs $78.0 in Burlington, VT. Groceries flip the comparison at $386 vs $411, with Helsinki cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Helsinki is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Burlington, VT earns 39% less. 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: $1,188 in Helsinki versus $1,832 in Burlington, VT. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Helsinki runs roughly 60% less than in Burlington, VT. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $395 in Helsinki versus $1,261 in Burlington, VT. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $2,196 in Helsinki versus $3,124 in Burlington, VT, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Helsinki but tight or insufficient in Burlington, VT. The gap between the two cities makes Helsinki the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Helsinki 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.

Safety-wise, Helsinki and Burlington, VT are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Helsinki gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Burlington, VT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.