South Burlington, VT Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In South Burlington, VT Summary

Cost of living in South Burlington research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means South Burlington is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Vermont, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in South Burlington is 125, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in South Burlington is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • South Burlington ranks as the #11 cheapest in Vermont out of 12.

  • South Burlington ranks as the #4,715 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in South Burlington is $481,374.

  • The median income in South Burlington is $97,229.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
125
South Burlington's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in South Burlington, VT?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, South Burlington has an overall cost of living index of 125, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Vermont, South Burlington has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Vermont's index of 111.

The standard of living in South Burlington ranks as #11 most affordable out of the 12 places we measured in Vermont. By definition, that implies South Burlington ranks as the #1 most expensive place in the Green Mountain State.

For more reading on life in South Burlington, check out:

11 out of 12
In Vermont
4,715 out of 6,489
In America

South Burlington Cost Of Living Vs. Vermont

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in South Burlington. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in South Burlington is 109.

  • The Groceries index in South Burlington is 107.

  • The Health index in South Burlington is 105.

  • The Housing index in South Burlington is 161.

  • The Transportation index in South Burlington is 107.

  • The Utilities index in South Burlington is 120.

Living Expense South Burlington Vermont National Average
Overall 125 111 100
Services 109 106 100
Groceries 107 106 100
Health 105 107 100
Housing 161 113 100
Transportation 107 108 100
Utilities 120 121 100
For more reading on cost of living around Vermont, check out:
South Burlington Cost of Living Vs. VT

South Burlington, VT Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Vermont, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in South Burlington is $481,374.

  • The Median Rent in South Burlington is $1,755.

  • The Median Income in South Burlington is $97,229.

  • The Home Value To Income in South Burlington is 5.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in South Burlington is 0.22x.

Statistic South Burlington Vermont United States
Median Home Value $481,374 $400,246 $303,400
Median Rent $1,755 $1,193 $1,348
Median Income $97,229 $78,024 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.0x 5.1x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.18x 0.21x
$481,374
Median Home Value
$1,755
Median Rent
$97,229
Median Income

South Burlington, VT Costs By Category

Detailed South Burlington Services Costs Vs. Vermont

Item South Burlington Vermont
Shampoo $1.23 $1.28
Movie $11.94 $12.13
Bowling $15.67 $18
Haircut $26.98 $24.26
Beauty Salon $46.44 $45.56

Detailed South Burlington Groceries Costs Vs. Vermont

Item South Burlington Vermont
Ground Beef $5.76 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.72 $1.57
Milk $4.82 $4.67
Potatoes $4.97 $4.93
Pizza $12.05 $12.09
Beer $10.01 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.73 $3.7

Detailed South Burlington Health Costs Vs. Vermont

Item South Burlington Vermont
Optometrist $141.67 $125.68
Doctor $152.78 $135.78
Dentist $130.83 $113.29

Detailed South Burlington Transportation Costs Vs. Vermont

Item South Burlington Vermont
Gasoline $3.59 $3.46
Tire Balancing $68.6 $59.92

Detailed South Burlington Utilities Costs Vs. Vermont

Item South Burlington Vermont
All Electricity $262.67 $193.99
Phone $186.03 $192.25

South Burlington SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
9
Affordability
5
Diversity
7
Safety
6
Amenities
8
Education
9
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around South Burlington

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around South Burlington. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Burlington, VT has a cost of living index of 122, 1.0x South Burlington.

  • Winooski, VT has a cost of living index of 112, 0.9x South Burlington.

  • Shelburne, VT has a cost of living index of 133, 1.1x South Burlington.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. South Burlington
Burlington, VT 44,649 122 1.0x
Winooski, VT 8,198 112 0.9x
Shelburne, VT 6,292 133 1.1x

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