Is it cheaper to live in Burlington or Portland?

Burlington, VT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,530 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 6% below Portland, OR's $1,620, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Burlington versus $58,000 in Portland.

Which has lower taxes, Burlington or Portland?

Burlington is taxed under Vermont's rules (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax); Portland under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax).

Burlington vs Portland Cost of Living 2026

Burlington

Vermont

$1,530/mo est.

Portland

Oregon

$1,620/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 $1,620 in Portland, OR. Overall, Burlington, VT is roughly 6% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $68,854 in Burlington, VT and $88,792 in Portland, OR — about 22% higher in Portland, OR. Vermont has a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Burlington, VT

Portland, OR

Rent

Studio

$1,284

$1,294

+1% in Portland, OR

1 Bedroom

$1,275

$1,440

+13% in Portland, OR

2 Bedroom

$1,731

$1,741

+1% in Portland, OR

3 Bedroom

$2,002

$2,053

+3% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$400,200

$557,600

+39% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$68,854

$88,792

+29% in Portland, OR

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$60,020

$60,690

+1% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

26.7 yr

38.6 yr

+11.9 yr in Portland, OR

Homeownership

39.8%

52.8%

+13.0 pp in Portland, OR

Bachelor's+ (25+)

60.5%

53.5%

+7.0 pp in Burlington, VT

Avg Commute

19.2 min

24.6 min

+5.4 min in Portland, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

497.1

732.3

+47% in Portland, OR

Property Crime

4,408.9

5,609.4

+27% in Portland, OR

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

54.5°F

+8.5°F in Portland, OR

Annual Precipitation

36.8 in

42.9 in

+6.0 in in Portland, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.86/gal

$5.09/gal

+32% in Portland, OR

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.80

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

24.9

16.3

+35% in Burlington, VT

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$20.31

$20.59

+1% in Portland, OR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Portland, OR

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$2.04

+6% in Portland, OR

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$7.36

+7% in Portland, OR

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 / OR)

None

+6.0 pp in VT

Income Tax (top rate)

8.75%

9.90%

+1.2 pp in OR

Burlington vs Portland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Burlington or Portland?: Burlington, VT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,530 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 6% below Portland, OR's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Burlington than in Portland?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Burlington versus $58,000 in Portland.
Which has lower taxes, Burlington or Portland?: Burlington is taxed under Vermont's rules (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax); Portland under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% 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).