Living Cost Compare
Burlington

Vermont

$1,530/mo est.

vs
St. Louis

Missouri

$1,030/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 $1,030 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, St. Louis, MO is roughly 33% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Burlington, VT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $68,854 in Burlington, VT and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO — about 20% higher in Burlington, VT. Vermont has a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Burlington, VT
St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio
$1,284
$864
+33% in Burlington, VT
1 Bedroom
$1,275
$866
+32% in Burlington, VT
2 Bedroom
$1,731
$1,109
+36% in Burlington, VT
3 Bedroom
$2,002
$1,135
+43% in Burlington, VT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$400,200
$185,100
+54% in Burlington, VT

Income

Median Household Income
$68,854
$55,279
+20% in Burlington, VT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$60,020
$49,990
+17% in Burlington, VT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
26.7 yr
36.6 yr
+9.9 yr in St. Louis, MO
Homeownership
39.8%
45.4%
+5.6 pp in St. Louis, MO
Bachelor's+ (25+)
60.5%
40.2%
+20.3 pp in Burlington, VT
Avg Commute
19.2 min
22.2 min
+3.0 min in St. Louis, MO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
497.1
1,372.9
+176% in St. Louis, MO
Property Crime
4,408.9
5,794.9
+31% in St. Louis, MO

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
55.7°F
+9.7°F in St. Louis, MO
Annual Precipitation
36.8 in
40.9 in
+4.1 in in St. Louis, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.94/gal
+2% in St. Louis, MO

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
24.9
13.7
+45% in Burlington, VT
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.31
$24.13
+19% in St. Louis, MO

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.31
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.92
$1.66
+14% in Burlington, VT
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$3.63
+66% in St. Louis, MO
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.90
$6.77
+2% in Burlington, VT
Chicken (lb)
$2.19
$2.10
+4% in Burlington, VT
Bananas (lb)
$0.69
$0.62
+11% in Burlington, VT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (VT / MO)
6%
4.225%
+1.8 pp in VT
Income Tax (top rate)
8.75%
4.70%
+4.0 pp in VT

Burlington vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Burlington or St. Louis?
St. Louis, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 33% below Burlington, VT's $1,530, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Burlington than in St. Louis?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Burlington versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, Burlington or St. Louis?
Burlington is taxed under Vermont's rules (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax); St. Louis under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% 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).