Objective To evaluate the direct economic losses in the burn patients with wound infection. Methods A retrospective case-control study was carried out on 44 burn patients with wound infection and 44 matched burn patients but without wound infection admitted in our hospital during the period of January 2012 and December 2015. Hospital expense and length of hospital stay were recorded and compared between the 2 groups. Results The median expense was 81 079.85 (39 093.33, 198 185.38)RMB Yuan in the patients with wound infection during hospitalization. The median expense was 61 735.40 (32 167.43, 131 382.55)RMB Yuan in the patients without wound infection during hospitalization. There were significant differences in the total expense and the costs in medication, treatment, laboratory, examination, surgery, board expense and care services between the 2 groups of patients (P<0.05). The burn patients with wound infection had significantly longer length of hospital stay than those without infection［45(23,56) vs 32(21,45)d, P<0.05］. Conclusion Burn patients are the key target for nosocomial infection control and management. Wound infection will cause economic losses at different extents for the patients and the hospital. Reducing the incidence of wound infection in the burn patients can decrease their economic losses.