Living Cost Compare
Burlington

Vermont

$1,530/mo est.

vs
Columbus

Ohio

$1,270/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,530 in Burlington, VT versus $1,270 in Columbus, OH. Overall, Columbus, OH is roughly 17% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Burlington, VT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $68,854 in Burlington, VT and $65,327 in Columbus, OH — about 5% higher in Burlington, VT. Vermont has a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax; Ohio has a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax.

Burlington, VT
Columbus, OH

Rent

Studio
$1,284
$1,014
+21% in Burlington, VT
1 Bedroom
$1,275
$1,059
+17% in Burlington, VT
2 Bedroom
$1,731
$1,276
+26% in Burlington, VT
3 Bedroom
$2,002
$1,369
+32% in Burlington, VT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$400,200
$234,500
+41% in Burlington, VT

Income

Median Household Income
$68,854
$65,327
+5% in Burlington, VT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$60,020
$51,340
+14% in Burlington, VT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
26.7 yr
33.0 yr
+6.3 yr in Columbus, OH
Homeownership
39.8%
44.3%
+4.5 pp in Columbus, OH
Bachelor's+ (25+)
60.5%
38.2%
+22.3 pp in Burlington, VT
Avg Commute
19.2 min
21.8 min
+2.6 min in Columbus, OH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
497.1
485.2
+2% in Burlington, VT
Property Crime
4,408.9
3,093.9
+30% 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
46.0°F
52.7°F
+6.7°F in Columbus, OH
Annual Precipitation
36.8 in
40.1 in
+3.3 in in Columbus, OH

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$4.18/gal
+8% in Columbus, OH

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Ohio.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
24.9
19.5
+22% in Burlington, VT
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.31
$22.83
+12% in Columbus, OH

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.31
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.92
$1.66
+14% in Burlington, VT
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$3.63
+66% in Columbus, OH
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.90
$6.77
+2% in Burlington, VT
Chicken (lb)
$2.19
$2.10
+4% in Burlington, VT
Bananas (lb)
$0.69
$0.62
+11% in Burlington, VT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (VT / OH)
6%
5.75%
+0.3 pp in VT
Income Tax (top rate)
8.75%
2.75%
+6.0 pp in VT

Burlington vs Columbus — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Burlington or Columbus?
Columbus, OH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,270 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 17% below Burlington, VT's $1,530, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Burlington than in Columbus?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Burlington versus $42,000 in Columbus.
Which has lower taxes, Burlington or Columbus?
Burlington is taxed under Vermont's rules (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax); Columbus under Ohio's (a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% 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).