Living Cost Compare
Burlington

Vermont

$1,530/mo est.

vs
Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,160/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 $2,160 in Honolulu, HI. Overall, Burlington, VT is roughly 29% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $68,854 in Burlington, VT and $85,428 in Honolulu, HI — about 19% higher in Honolulu, HI. Vermont has a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax; Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax.

Burlington, VT
Honolulu, HI

Rent

Studio
$1,284
$1,390
+8% in Honolulu, HI
1 Bedroom
$1,275
$1,570
+23% in Honolulu, HI
2 Bedroom
$1,731
$1,983
+15% in Honolulu, HI
3 Bedroom
$2,002
$2,433
+22% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$400,200
$834,100
+108% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income
$68,854
$85,428
+24% in Honolulu, HI
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$60,020
$57,220
+5% in Burlington, VT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
26.7 yr
42.9 yr
+16.2 yr in Honolulu, HI
Homeownership
39.8%
48.6%
+8.8 pp in Honolulu, HI
Bachelor's+ (25+)
60.5%
40.8%
+19.7 pp in Burlington, VT
Avg Commute
19.2 min
22.3 min
+3.1 min in Honolulu, HI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
497.1
214.1
+57% in Burlington, VT
Property Crime
4,408.9
1,919.8
+56% 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
77.7°F
+31.7°F in Honolulu, HI
Annual Precipitation
36.8 in
17.1 in
+19.7 in in Burlington, VT

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$5.09/gal
+32% in Honolulu, HI

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$3.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
24.9
52.0
+109% in Honolulu, HI
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.31
$70.84
+249% in Honolulu, HI

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.82
+12% in Honolulu, HI
Bread (lb)
$1.92
$2.04
+6% in Honolulu, HI
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.90
$7.36
+7% in Honolulu, HI
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 / HI)
6%
4%
+2.0 pp in VT
Income Tax (top rate)
8.75%
11.00%
+2.3 pp in HI

Burlington vs Honolulu — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Burlington or Honolulu?
Burlington, VT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,530 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 29% below Honolulu, HI's $2,160, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Burlington than in Honolulu?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Burlington versus $63,000 in Honolulu.
Which has lower taxes, Burlington or Honolulu?
Burlington is taxed under Vermont's rules (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax); Honolulu under Hawaii's (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% 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).