Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Burlington?

Burlington, VT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,530 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 8% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Burlington?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $51,000 in Burlington.

Which has lower taxes, Austin or Burlington?

Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Burlington under Vermont's (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax).

Austin vs Burlington Cost of Living 2026

Austin

Texas

$1,660/mo est.

Burlington

Vermont

$1,530/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,660 in Austin, TX versus $1,530 in Burlington, VT. Overall, Burlington, VT is roughly 8% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $68,854 in Burlington, VT — about 25% higher in Austin, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Vermont has a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax.

Austin, TX

Burlington, VT

Rent

Studio

$1,348

$1,284

+5% in Austin, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,457

$1,275

+12% in Austin, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,776

$1,731

+3% in Austin, TX

3 Bedroom

$2,127

$2,002

+6% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$512,700

$400,200

+22% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income

$91,461

$68,854

+25% in Austin, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,950

$60,020

+5% in Burlington, VT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.5 yr

26.7 yr

+7.8 yr in Austin, TX

Homeownership

44.4%

39.8%

+4.6 pp in Austin, TX

Bachelor's+ (25+)

58.2%

60.5%

+2.3 pp in Burlington, VT

Avg Commute

24.0 min

19.2 min

+4.8 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

476.1

497.1

+4% in Burlington, VT

Property Crime

3,290.7

4,408.9

+34% in Burlington, VT

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

67.2°F

46.0°F

+21.2°F in Austin, TX

Annual Precipitation

34.9 in

36.8 in

+1.9 in in Burlington, VT

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

$3.86/gal

+7% in Burlington, VT

Area: Texas vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.25

—

Adult base one-way fare — CapMetro vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.4

24.9

+51% in Burlington, VT

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$30.48

$20.31

+33% in Austin, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.31

+8% in Burlington, VT

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$1.92

+10% in Burlington, VT

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Austin, TX

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$6.90

+7% in Burlington, VT

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.19

+15% in Burlington, VT

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.69

+12% in Burlington, VT

Average prices — South vs Northeast (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / VT)

6.25%

+0.3 pp in TX

Income Tax (top rate)

None

8.75%

+8.8 pp in VT

Austin vs Burlington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Burlington?: Burlington, VT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,530 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 8% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Burlington?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $51,000 in Burlington.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Burlington?: Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Burlington under Vermont's (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).