Living Cost Compare
Burlington

Vermont

$1,530/mo est.

vs
Richmond

Virginia

$1,390/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 $1,390 in Richmond, VA. Overall, Richmond, VA is roughly 9% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Burlington, VT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $68,854 in Burlington, VT and $62,671 in Richmond, VA — about 9% higher in Burlington, VT. Vermont has a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax; Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax.

Burlington, VT
Richmond, VA

Rent

Studio
$1,284
$1,183
+8% in Burlington, VT
1 Bedroom
$1,275
$1,195
+6% in Burlington, VT
2 Bedroom
$1,731
$1,374
+21% in Burlington, VT
3 Bedroom
$2,002
$1,447
+28% in Burlington, VT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$400,200
$328,100
+18% in Burlington, VT

Income

Median Household Income
$68,854
$62,671
+9% in Burlington, VT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$60,020
$51,460
+14% in Burlington, VT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
26.7 yr
34.5 yr
+7.8 yr in Richmond, VA
Homeownership
39.8%
43.5%
+3.7 pp in Richmond, VA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
60.5%
44.1%
+16.4 pp in Burlington, VT
Avg Commute
19.2 min
22.1 min
+2.9 min in Richmond, VA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
497.1
349
+30% in Burlington, VT
Property Crime
4,408.9
3,240.2
+27% 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
58.9°F
+12.9°F in Richmond, VA
Annual Precipitation
36.8 in
43.6 in
+6.8 in in Richmond, VA

Gas

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

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
24.9
17.6
+29% in Burlington, VT
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.31
$23.66
+16% in Richmond, VA

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 Richmond, VA
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 / VA)
6%
5.3%
+0.7 pp in VT
Income Tax (top rate)
8.75%
5.75%
+3.0 pp in VT

Burlington vs Richmond — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Burlington or Richmond?
Richmond, VA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,390 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 9% below Burlington, VT's $1,530, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Burlington than in Richmond?
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 Richmond.
Which has lower taxes, Burlington or Richmond?
Burlington is taxed under Vermont's rules (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax); Richmond under Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% 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).