Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Indianapolis, IN and Burlington

For one person, living is cheaper in Burlington: $2,634 a month against $2,785 in Indianapolis, IN, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

134

Cost of Living Index in Indianapolis, IN
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Indianapolis, IN Living Index
128

Cost of Living Index in Burlington
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Burlington Living Index

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Indianapolis, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,785

/mo nomad

Burlington

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,634

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Indianapolis, IN and in Burlington

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Indianapolis, IN and in Burlington actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,785 per month in Indianapolis, IN vs $2,634 in Burlington, rent included.

Indianapolis, IN $2,785
Burlington $2,634

A couple spends around $3,948 per month in Indianapolis, IN vs $3,790 in Burlington, rent included.

Indianapolis, IN $3,948
Burlington $3,790

A family of three spends $5,111 per month in Indianapolis, IN vs $4,946 in Burlington, rent included.

Indianapolis, IN $5,111
Burlington $4,946

Indianapolis, IN costs about 6% more than Burlington, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Indianapolis, IN and Burlington sit above the global median – Indianapolis, IN by 106%, Burlington by 95%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.31 $20.31

$21.10 CA$29.82

-3.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 $80.8

$71.3 CA$101

13.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.83 $11.83

$10.70 CA$15.13

10.56%

Cappuccino

$5.68 $5.68

$3.40 CA$4.81

67.06%

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

$3.25 $3.25

$1.98 CA$2.80

64.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$1.53 CA$2.16

75.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 $6.35

$5.52 CA$7.81

15.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$6.16 CA$8.71

27.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$2.63 CA$3.72

-65.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.78 CA$3.93

21.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$3.71 CA$5.24

25.88%

Eggs

$3.61 $3.61

$3.51 CA$4.97

2.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 $12.53

$9.94 CA$14.05

26.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.77 $12.77

$10.43 CA$14.75

22.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.96 $16.96

$14.22 CA$20.10

19.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$3.56 CA$5.03

54.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.51 CA$2.13

-2.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$2.72 CA$3.84

81.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$3.53 CA$4.99

23.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.92 CA$2.71

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.84 CA$2.61

61.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.05 CA$2.89

18.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.47 CA$2.08

69.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.24 $10.24

$13.04 CA$18.44

-21.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.47 $15.47

$10.57 CA$14.94

46.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.61 CA$3.69

-21.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.85 CA$4.02

21.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.55 CA$3.61

-30.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 $59.5

$97.3 CA$138

-38.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 $1.99

$4.96 CA$7.01

-59.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.39 CA$3.38

-26.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.33 $33.33

$42.21 CA$59.7

-21.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.15 CA$1.63

-14.78%

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

$37.1K $37.1K

$27.2K CA$38.5K

36.38%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$20.2K CA$28.5K

27.66%

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

$232 $232

$143 CA$202

62.51%

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

$61.3 $61.3

$44.20 CA$62.5

38.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 $63.6

$66.7 CA$94.3

-4.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.74 $39.74

$51.3 CA$72.5

-22.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.13 $41.13

$29.46 CA$41.65

39.61%

Cinema Ticket

$15.09 $15.09

$15.93 CA$22.51

-5.27%

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

$1,756 $1,756

$1,151 CA$1,628

52.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K $24.6K

$19.2K CA$27.1K

28.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$68.0 CA$96.1

-15.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.68 $44.68

$63.8 CA$90.1

-29.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$97.1 CA$137

13.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$97.0 CA$137

49.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,732 $1,732

$1,617 CA$2,286

7.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,376 $1,376

$1,393 CA$1,969

-1.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,681 $2,681

$2,558 CA$3,616

4.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,985 $1,985

$2,136 CA$3,019

-7.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,787 $2,787

$5,013 CA$7,087

-44.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,865 $1,865

$4,029 CA$5,696

-53.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,595 $4,595

$3,161 CA$4,468

45.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

4.52

45.35%

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

Last update for Indianapolis, IN: October 11, 2026

Last update for Burlington: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Indianapolis, IN

$1.4K 49.4%

Burlington

$1.4K 52.9% 1.2% $17

Groceries & Markets

Indianapolis, IN

$407 14.6%

Burlington

$338 12.8% 16.9% $69

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Indianapolis, IN

$357 12.8%

Burlington

$254 9.6% 28.9% $103

Eating Out

Indianapolis, IN

$337 12.1%

Burlington

$296 11.2% 12.3% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Indianapolis, IN

$161 5.8%

Burlington

$147 5.6% 8.8% $14

Getting Around

Indianapolis, IN

$77 2.8%

Burlington

$124 4.7% 60.9% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Indianapolis, IN

$70 2.5%

Burlington

$83 3.2% 18.9% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,732 in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,617 in Burlington. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 45% higher in Indianapolis, IN, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Indianapolis, IN versus $71.0 in Burlington. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 vs $338 – making Burlington the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Indianapolis, IN

🇨🇦 Burlington

🕒 Local time

17:59 5:59 PM

Same time as Indianapolis, IN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

882,039

183,314

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Indianapolis, IN Burlington 660 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Indianapolis, IN
Burlington

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

Indianapolis, IN vs Burlington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Indianapolis, IN is pricier by about 6%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,178 per month in Indianapolis, IN and $3,952 in Burlington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Burlington, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,756 per month in Indianapolis, IN and $1,151 in Burlington. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Indianapolis, IN, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,785 in Indianapolis, IN and $2,634 in Burlington. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Burlington – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Burlington. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Indianapolis, IN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.