Cost of Living Comparison Between Indianapolis, IN and Burlington Cost of Living Comparison Between Indianapolis, IN and Burlington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,753 per month in Indianapolis, IN vs $2,686 in Burlington, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,880 per month in Indianapolis, IN vs $3,903 in Burlington, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,007 per month in Indianapolis, IN vs $5,120 in Burlington, rent included.

Indianapolis, IN costs about 3% more than Burlington, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Indianapolis, IN and Burlington sit above the global median – Indianapolis, IN by 100%, Burlington by 95%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.64 $19.64

$21.49 CA$29.63

-8.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 $79.3

$73.1 CA$101

8.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.85 $11.85

$10.78 CA$14.87

9.93%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$3.50 CA$4.83

60.86%

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

$3.19 $3.19

$1.96 CA$2.71

62.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.57 CA$2.17

71.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.34 $6.34

$5.69 CA$7.84

11.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$6.17 CA$8.51

33.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$2.61 CA$3.60

-64.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.99 CA$4.13

-2.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$4.03 CA$5.55

15.14%

Eggs

$3.62 $3.62

$3.63 CA$5.00

-0.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.43 $12.43

$10.33 CA$14.25

20.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.40 $12.40

$10.82 CA$14.93

14.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.12 $17.12

$15.05 CA$20.76

13.75%

Apples (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$3.84 CA$5.30

38.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.55 CA$2.13

-5.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$2.67 CA$3.68

79.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$3.57 CA$4.92

16.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.92 CA$2.65

26.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.91 CA$2.63

51.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.09 CA$2.88

13.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.55 CA$2.14

57.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.14 $10.14

$13.79 CA$19.02

-26.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.88 $15.88

$10.72 CA$14.79

48.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.84 CA$3.92

-27.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.97 CA$4.10

20.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.65 CA$3.65

-33.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.3 $59.3

$99.6 CA$137

-40.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 $1.98

$5.17 CA$7.14

-61.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.52 CA$3.47

-31.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.10 $34.10

$43.64 CA$60.2

-21.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.14 CA$1.58

-16.67%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$28.3K CA$39.0K

29.73%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$20.4K CA$28.1K

26.94%

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

$228 $228

$144 CA$199

57.76%

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

$67.0 $67.0

$45.14 CA$62.2

48.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.4 $69.4

$69.6 CA$95.9

-0.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.18 $40.18

$52.2 CA$72.0

-23.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.14 $41.14

$30.24 CA$41.70

36.04%

Cinema Ticket

$14.78 $14.78

$16.41 CA$22.63

-9.93%

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

$1,777 $1,777

$1,194 CA$1,647

48.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K $24.5K

$19.3K CA$26.7K

26.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$72.0 CA$99.3

-19.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 $43.78

$67.3 CA$92.8

-34.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$98.6 CA$136

13.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$103 CA$142

38.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,747 $1,747

$1,651 CA$2,277

5.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,360 $1,360

$1,457 CA$2,010

-6.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,587 $2,587

$2,571 CA$3,546

0.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,873 $1,873

$2,268 CA$3,127

-17.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,828 $2,828

$5,350 CA$7,378

-47.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,896 $1,896

$4,160 CA$5,737

-54.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,502 $4,502

$3,260 CA$4,496

38.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.14

4.52

35.84%

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

Last update for Indianapolis, IN: August 31, 2026

Last update for Burlington: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,747 in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,651 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 38% 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 $79.0 in Indianapolis, IN versus $73.0 in Burlington. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $399 vs $352 – making Burlington the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 3%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,129 per month in Indianapolis, IN and $4,028 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 $1,777 per month in Indianapolis, IN and $1,194 in Burlington. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 $2,753 in Indianapolis, IN and $2,686 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.