Living Cost Compare
Burlington

Vermont

$1,530/mo est.

vs
Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

$1,410/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 $1,410 in Philadelphia, PA. Overall, Philadelphia, PA is roughly 8% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Burlington, VT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $68,854 in Burlington, VT and $60,698 in Philadelphia, PA — about 12% higher in Burlington, VT. Vermont has a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax; Pennsylvania has a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax.

Burlington, VT
Philadelphia, PA

Rent

Studio
$1,284
$1,126
+12% in Burlington, VT
1 Bedroom
$1,275
$1,189
+7% in Burlington, VT
2 Bedroom
$1,731
$1,394
+19% in Burlington, VT
3 Bedroom
$2,002
$1,406
+30% in Burlington, VT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$400,200
$232,400
+42% in Burlington, VT

Income

Median Household Income
$68,854
$60,698
+12% in Burlington, VT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$60,020
$54,310
+10% in Burlington, VT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
26.7 yr
35.1 yr
+8.4 yr in Philadelphia, PA
Homeownership
39.8%
52.3%
+12.5 pp in Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
60.5%
34.6%
+25.9 pp in Burlington, VT
Avg Commute
19.2 min
32.0 min
+12.8 min in Philadelphia, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
497.1
917.1
+84% in Philadelphia, PA
Property Crime
4,408.9
4,615.3
+5% in Philadelphia, PA

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
57.1°F
+11.1°F in Philadelphia, PA
Annual Precipitation
36.8 in
48.5 in
+11.7 in in Philadelphia, PA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.86/gal
about equal

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.50

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
24.9
21.6
+13% in Burlington, VT
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.31
$19.17
+6% in Burlington, VT

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.31
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.92
$1.92
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.90
$6.90
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.69
$0.69
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (VT / PA)
6%
6%
about equal
Income Tax (top rate)
8.75%
3.07%
+5.7 pp in VT

Burlington vs Philadelphia — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Burlington or Philadelphia?
Philadelphia, PA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,410 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 8% below Burlington, VT's $1,530, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Burlington than in Philadelphia?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Burlington versus $48,000 in Philadelphia.
Which has lower taxes, Burlington or Philadelphia?
Burlington is taxed under Vermont's rules (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax); Philadelphia under Pennsylvania's (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% 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).