Is it cheaper to live in Burlington or Fairbanks?

Fairbanks, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,350 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 12% below Burlington, VT's $1,540, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Burlington versus $43,000 in Fairbanks.

Which has lower taxes, Burlington or Fairbanks?

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

Burlington vs Fairbanks Cost of Living 2026

Burlington

Vermont

$1,540/mo est.

Fairbanks

Alaska

$1,350/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,540 in Burlington, VT versus $1,350 in Fairbanks, AK. Overall, Fairbanks, AK is roughly 12% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Burlington, VT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $68,854 in Burlington, VT and $72,077 in Fairbanks, AK — about 4% higher in Fairbanks, AK. Vermont has a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax; Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax.

Burlington, VT

Fairbanks, AK

Rent

Studio

$1,284

$883

+31% in Burlington, VT

1 Bedroom

$1,275

$1,076

+16% in Burlington, VT

2 Bedroom

$1,731

$1,428

+18% in Burlington, VT

3 Bedroom

$2,002

$2,019

+1% in Fairbanks, AK

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$400,200

$255,700

+36% in Burlington, VT

Income

Median Household Income

$68,854

$72,077

+5% in Fairbanks, AK

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$60,020

$61,810

+3% in Fairbanks, AK

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

26.7 yr

28.6 yr

+1.9 yr in Fairbanks, AK

Homeownership

39.8%

40.5%

+0.7 pp in Fairbanks, AK

Bachelor's+ (25+)

60.5%

26.5%

+34.0 pp in Burlington, VT

Avg Commute

19.2 min

14.1 min

+5.1 min in Burlington, VT

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

497.1

726.1

+46% in Fairbanks, AK

Property Crime

4,408.9

3,504.2

+21% 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

27.7°F

+18.3°F in Burlington, VT

Annual Precipitation

36.8 in

10.8 in

+26.0 in in Burlington, VT

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$5.21/gal

+32% in Fairbanks, AK

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

24.4

28.2

+15% in Fairbanks, AK

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$26.07

$17.35

+33% in Burlington, VT

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Fairbanks, AK

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$2.04

+6% in Fairbanks, AK

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$7.36

+7% in Fairbanks, AK

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$2.01

+8% in Burlington, VT

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.70

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (VT / AK)

None

+6.0 pp in VT

Income Tax (top rate)

8.75%

None

+8.8 pp in VT

Burlington vs Fairbanks — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Burlington or Fairbanks?: Fairbanks, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,350 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 12% below Burlington, VT's $1,540, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Burlington than in Fairbanks?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Burlington versus $43,000 in Fairbanks.
Which has lower taxes, Burlington or Fairbanks?: Burlington is taxed under Vermont's rules (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax); Fairbanks under Alaska's (no state income tax and no 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).