Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Dharwad Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Dharwad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $560 in Bangalore versus $359 in Dharwad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $935 in Bangalore versus $564 in Dharwad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,310 in Bangalore versus $768 in Dharwad.

Living in Bangalore is roughly 56% more expensive than in Dharwad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangalore 59% lower, Dharwad 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.06 ₹294

$2.04 ₹196

50.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.38 ₹1,764

$7.24 ₹694

153.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 ₹455

$3.83 ₹368

23.76%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₹226

$1.64 ₹158

43.29%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ₹40.89

$0.38 ₹36.37

13.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹16.41

$0.10 ₹9.91

70.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 ₹218

$1.50 ₹144

51.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 ₹359

$3.02 ₹290

23.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 ₹60.6

$0.62 ₹59.3

1.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₹51.7

$0.50 ₹47.69

8.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 ₹71.2

$0.61 ₹58.8

21.31%

Eggs

$1.06 ₹102

$0.92 ₹87.8

15.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 ₹599

$4.17 ₹400

49.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ₹351

$2.79 ₹268

31.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 ₹268

$1.87 ₹179

49.73%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.5

$0.64 ₹61.6

18.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 ₹113

$0.92 ₹88.6

28.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.82

$0.44 ₹42.19

-11.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 ₹34.02

$0.36 ₹34.15

-2.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.53

$0.41 ₹39.04

-4.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 ₹39.98

$0.50 ₹47.57

-16.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.66

$0.31 ₹30.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 ₹456

$4.99 ₹479

-4.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.24 ₹886

$7.02 ₹674

31.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₹187

$1.44 ₹138

35.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₹274

$2.59 ₹248

10.42%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$6.69 ₹642

$5.51 ₹529

21.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₹48.69

$0.25 ₹23.98

104.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.34 ₹1,472

$7.38 ₹708

107.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 ₹97.8

$0.81 ₹78.1

25.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₹31.09

$0.27 ₹25.98

18.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₹205

$1.39 ₹133

53.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹109

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$11.8K ₹1.1M

$11.4K ₹1.1M

3.40%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$18.9K ₹1.8M

$21.6K ₹2.1M

-12.67%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$30.05 ₹2,883

$34.75 ₹3,334

-13.53%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.13 ₹396

$3.19 ₹306

29.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.27 ₹985

$5.86 ₹563

75.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.70 ₹1,699

$14.10 ₹1,353

25.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.95 ₹571

$5.81 ₹557

2.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.46 ₹428

$2.81 ₹270

58.72%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$104 ₹9,995

$48.13 ₹4,618

116.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,063 ₹293.8K

$1,389 ₹133.3K

120.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.00 ₹3,262

$21.89 ₹2,100

55.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ₹2,806

$25.60 ₹2,456

14.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.3 ₹4,921

$39.32 ₹3,773

30.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.08 ₹3,749

$26.41 ₹2,534

47.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$319 ₹30.6K

$121 ₹11.6K

163.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 ₹17.1K

$72.6 ₹6,967

145.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 ₹78.8K

$261 ₹25.0K

214.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 ₹47.9K

$177 ₹17.0K

181.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,879 ₹180.3K

$860 ₹82.5K

118.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,043 ₹100.1K

$529 ₹50.8K

97.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$853 ₹81.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.52

8.86

-3.84%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bangalore: September 15, 2026

Last update for Dharwad: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $319 in Bangalore and $121 in Dharwad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $18.00 in Bangalore vs $7.00 in Dharwad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $122 vs $97.0 per month, with Dharwad cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bangalore vs Dharwad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dharwad wins on cost – living expenses run 56% lower than in Bangalore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Dharwad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $841 in Bangalore and $539 in Dharwad to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $319 in Bangalore versus $121 in Dharwad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dharwad runs roughly 108% less than in Bangalore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $104 in Bangalore versus $48.13 in Dharwad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Dharwad gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Dharwad delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $359 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Dharwad hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bangalore and Dharwad are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dharwad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.