| Index | South Burlington | Vermont | National |
| Cost of living | 123 | 108 | 100 |
| Groceries | 107 | 107 | 100 |
| Health care | 105 | 105 | 100 |
| Housing | 165 | 114 | 100 |
| Transportation | 106 | 106 | 100 |
| Utilities | 106 | 106 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 105 | 105 | 100 |
| Household Items | 103 | 103 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 103 | 103 | 100 |

Getting a feel for the cost of living in South Burlington is essential for anyone planning to relocate, as it empowers them to make informed financial decisions, secure a comfortable lifestyle and maintain financial stability in their new environment. The cost of living in South Burlington is 123, which is 23% higher than the national average. Relocating individuals may need to adjust their savings and investment strategies based on the cost of living in the new location. It influences decisions about retirement planning, investments and financial goals.
If you're in pursuit of an economical living environment, South Burlington may not fit the bill, as it ranks among the most expensive places to reside in the United States. Just a minority of regions exhibit a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and, unfortunately, South Burlington falls within this bracket.
Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in South Burlington, and they usually eat into a large part of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, both buying a home and renting one costs 64.5% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.
Is South Burlington an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in South Burlington, the median home price is 71.5% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 48.2% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in South Burlington come in at $115,520, which is 42% higher than the national average.
Housing: High demand for housing in desirable locations can drive up property prices and rental rates. This can be a primary contributor to a higher cost of living. While low demand for housing, especially in undesirable locations, can have the reverse effect and drive prices down, resulting in a lower cost of living. The housing index in South Burlington, is 64.5% higher than the national average.
Subsidies: Some areas might offer government subsidies or assistance programs that help lower cost of living for residents. These programs can include anything from Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and crop subsidies. Areas that offer less subsidies, could see an increase in their cost of living.
Healthcare: Healthcare expenditures and insurance premium rates can vary significantly, contingent upon the particular city or state. Factors such as the accessibility of healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor's appointments, dental care charges, prescription medication costs, and expenses related to specialized medical care can all have an impact on the overall cost of living. In South Burlington, healthcare costs are 5.3% higher than the national average.
The South Burlington cost of living data displayed above uses a U.S. average baseline of 100 to provide a practical way to compare living expenses across cities. Housing estimates incorporate U.S. Census home price and rental data, while all other values are generated using AI-assisted models based on everyday expense expectations, regional pricing trends, climate, transportation patterns, and local economic conditions. These values are designed for directional city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $152,031 | $12,669 | $3,547 | $4,561 |
| Renters | $73,721 | $6,143 | $1,720 | $2,212 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Vermont | 6% | 7% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Vermont | 3.35% | 8.75% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Willsboro, NY | 623 | 94 | 5.7% |
| Cambridge, VT | 250 | 106 | 6.4% |
| Parc, NY | 232 | 111 | 10.9% |
| Winooski, VT | 7,608 | 112 | 12.2% |
| Milton, VT | 4,001 | 114 | 13.8% |
| South Burlington, VT | 20,010 | 123 | 23.1% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Badger, AK | 20,019 | 122 | 21.5% |
| Bethany, OK | 20,021 | 90 | 9.9% |
| Makakilo, HI | 20,024 | 179 | 78.9% |
| Affton, MO | 19,993 | 94 | 6.3% |
| Matteson, IL | 19,990 | 102 | 2.2% |
| South Burlington, VT | 20,010 | 123 | 23.1% |