Cost of living in India
Summary of cost of living in India
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: ₨148,811
- Single person estimated monthly costs: ₨65,969
- India is the cheapest country in Asia (10 out of 10)
- India is the 2nd cheapest country in the World (59 out of 60)
Food | |||
---|---|---|---|
Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | ₨400 | ||
Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | ₨350 | ||
500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | ₨177 | ||
1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | ₨63 | ||
12 eggs, large | ₨102 | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | ₨45 | ||
500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | ₨254 | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | ₨196 | ||
1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | ₨40 | ||
0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | ₨172 | ||
1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | ₨961 | ||
2 liters of coca-cola | ₨95 | ||
Bread for 2 people for 1 day | ₨42 | ||
Housing | |||
Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | ₨46,983 | ||
Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | ₨29,753 | ||
Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | ₨5,571 | ||
Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | ₨30,891 | ||
Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | ₨18,623 | ||
Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | ₨4,707 | ||
Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | ₨772 | ||
40” flat screen tv | ₨26,656 | ||
Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | ₨12,082 | ||
Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | ₨555 | ||
Hourly rate for cleaning help | ₨704 | ||
Clothes | |||
1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | ₨2,484 | ||
1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | ₨2,578 | ||
1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | ₨4,084 | ||
1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | ₨2,961 | ||
Transportation | |||
Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | ₨1,800,100 | ||
1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | ₨104 | ||
Monthly ticket public transport | ₨1,476 | ||
Personal Care | |||
Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | ₨94 | ||
1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | ₨262 | ||
Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | ₨1,182 | ||
1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | ₨391 | ||
Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | ₨229 | ||
Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | ₨269 | ||
4 rolls of toilet paper | ₨195 | ||
Tube of toothpaste | ₨99 | ||
Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | ₨303 | ||
Entertainment | |||
Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | ₨1,334 | ||
2 tickets to the movies | ₨620 | ||
2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | ₨1,539 | ||
Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | ₨2,260 | ||
1 cocktail drink in downtown club | ₨709 | ||
Cappuccino in expat area of the city | ₨234 | ||
1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | ₨199 | ||
Ipad wi-fi 128gb | ₨42,549 | ||
1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | ₨5.62 | ||
1 month of gym membership in business district | ₨1,807 | ||
1 package of marlboro cigarettes | ₨279 |
Map of Cost of Living in India

This map shows only the top cities in India. We also have on this page a list of all the cities available in Expatistan:
List of all the cities available in Expatistan
The color of each marker corresponds with the cost of living in the city red markers show more expensive cities green ones show cheaper cities
Moving the mouse on top of a city will show its name and the Cost of Living Index of that city.
What is the Cost of Living Index? To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a
central reference city (that happens to be Prague).
Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the
database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.
Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Cost of Living Ranking in India
(top cities by data quality)
Ranking | City | Price Index * |
---|---|---|
1st | Latur | 57 |
2nd | Bangalore | 49 |
3rd | Jammu | 48 |
4th | Delhi | 45 |
5th | Kolkata | 41 |
6th | Kochi, India | 38 |
Price Index:
To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a central reference city (that happens to be Prague). Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Are you moving to India? Do you know how much money you will need there to maintain your current standard of living?
Find out what is the real equivalent in India of your current salary and improve your chances of a happy relocation.
Get a salary calculation for:
List of all cities available in India
Recent Comparisons
- Cost of living in Pune is about the same as in Delhi
- Cost of living in Ahmedabad is 32% cheaper than in Rivera
- Cost of living in Pune is 17% cheaper than in Limón
- Cost of living in Bhubaneswar is 32% cheaper than in Aracaju
- Cost of living in Mumbai is 88% more expensive than in Pune
- Cost of living in Delhi is about the same as in Kathmandu
- Cost of living in Kalyan is 31% cheaper than in Santa Marta
- Cost of living in Mangalore is 27% cheaper than in Bangalore
- Cost of living in Coimbatore is 44% cheaper than in Rivera
- Cost of living in Coimbatore is 53% cheaper than in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
- Cost of living in Coimbatore is 54% cheaper than in Dammam
- Cost of living in Delhi is about the same as in Cajamarca
- Cost of living in Jaipur is 54% cheaper than in Belgrade
- Cost of living in Bangalore is 36% more expensive than in Chandigarh
- Cost of living in Kolkata is 43% cheaper than in Brasília
- Cost of living in Lucknow is about the same as in Jamshedpur
- Cost of living in Bhubaneswar is 26% cheaper than in Fargo
- Cost of living in Pune is 61% cheaper than in Rochester, New York
- Cost of living in Delhi is 71% cheaper than in Toronto
- Cost of living in Gurgaon is 22% more expensive than in Ahmedabad
Compare other countries
Prices recently added
- 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality in Agartala costs ₨2,000 (1 day ago)
- 500 ml beer in neighbourhood pub in Pune costs ₨300 (1 day ago)
- Cappuccino in expat area of the city in Pune costs ₨400 (1 day ago)
- Cocktail drink in downtown club in Pune costs ₨2,000 (1 day ago)
- Nice dinner at an italian restaurant, dinner for two in Pune costs ₨1,500 (1 day ago)
- 2 tickets to the movies in Pune costs ₨600 (1 day ago)
- Basic dinner out in neighborhood pub, dinner for two in Pune costs ₨1,000 (1 day ago)
- Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city in Pune costs ₨200 (1 day ago)
- One-way ticket in public transport in Pune costs ₨30 (1 day ago)
- Taxi fare per distance, weekday at noon, per 1 km. in Pune costs ₨17 (1 day ago)