Living Cost Compare
Burlington

Vermont

$1,530/mo est.

vs
Houston

Texas

$1,360/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 $1,360 in Houston, TX. Overall, Houston, TX is roughly 11% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Burlington, VT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $68,854 in Burlington, VT and $62,894 in Houston, TX — about 9% higher in Burlington, VT. Vermont has a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax; Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Burlington, VT
Houston, TX

Rent

Studio
$1,284
$1,142
+11% in Burlington, VT
1 Bedroom
$1,275
$1,156
+9% in Burlington, VT
2 Bedroom
$1,731
$1,375
+21% in Burlington, VT
3 Bedroom
$2,002
$1,664
+17% in Burlington, VT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$400,200
$253,400
+37% in Burlington, VT

Income

Median Household Income
$68,854
$62,894
+9% in Burlington, VT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$60,020
$49,410
+18% in Burlington, VT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
26.7 yr
34.3 yr
+7.6 yr in Houston, TX
Homeownership
39.8%
42.0%
+2.2 pp in Houston, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
60.5%
36.0%
+24.5 pp in Burlington, VT
Avg Commute
19.2 min
27.3 min
+8.1 min in Houston, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
497.1
1,153.8
+132% in Houston, TX
Property Crime
4,408.9
4,324.9
+2% 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
70.3°F
+24.3°F in Houston, TX
Annual Precipitation
36.8 in
54.6 in
+17.8 in in Houston, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.52/gal
+9% in Burlington, VT

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Houston.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.25

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
24.9
16.4
+34% in Burlington, VT
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.31
$30.48
+50% in Houston, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.00
+7% in Burlington, VT
Bread (lb)
$1.92
$1.75
+9% in Burlington, VT
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in Houston, TX
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.90
$6.45
+6% in Burlington, VT
Chicken (lb)
$2.19
$1.90
+13% in Burlington, VT
Bananas (lb)
$0.69
$0.62
+11% in Burlington, VT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (VT / TX)
6%
6.25%
+0.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
8.75%
None
+8.8 pp in VT

Burlington vs Houston — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Burlington or Houston?
Houston, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,360 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Burlington, VT's $1,530, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Burlington than in Houston?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Burlington versus $46,000 in Houston.
Which has lower taxes, Burlington or Houston?
Burlington is taxed under Vermont's rules (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax); Houston under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).