Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Kolkata (Calcutta) Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Kolkata (Calcutta)

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $567 in Bangalore versus $433 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $955 in Bangalore versus $673 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,343 in Bangalore versus $914 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Living in Bangalore is roughly 31% more expensive than Kolkata (Calcutta), driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangalore 58% lower, Kolkata (Calcutta) 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 ₹338

$3.29 ₹313

8.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.64 ₹1,677

$11.48 ₹1,092

53.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 ₹394

$4.95 ₹471

-16.36%

Cappuccino

$2.28 ₹217

$1.81 ₹173

25.97%

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

$0.46 ₹43.37

$0.37 ₹35.25

24.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.51

$0.13 ₹12.10

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 ₹226

$1.70 ₹162

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 ₹394

$2.97 ₹282

39.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.62 ₹58.9

$0.67 ₹63.9

-7.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 ₹59.7

$0.39 ₹37.37

61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 ₹83.6

$0.66 ₹63.0

33.33%

Eggs

$1.06 ₹100

$0.98 ₹93.0

8.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 ₹718

$5.31 ₹505

42.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 ₹351

$2.88 ₹274

28.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 ₹247

$2.46 ₹234

5.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ₹75.7

$0.81 ₹77.0

-1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 ₹108

$1.32 ₹125

-14.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.50

$0.66 ₹62.8

-39.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 ₹45.18

$0.38 ₹35.73

26.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ₹51.7

$0.60 ₹57.1

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 ₹41.64

$0.44 ₹42.31

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.50

$0.31 ₹29.12

12.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 ₹395

$4.05 ₹385

2.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.61 ₹1,009

$8.59 ₹817

23.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹206

$1.74 ₹165

24.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₹308

$2.52 ₹239

28.57%

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

$7.59 ₹722

$7.66 ₹728

-0.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₹52.6

$0.22 ₹20.87

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₹1,388

$2.93 ₹279

398.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 ₹109

$0.55 ₹52.7

109.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₹33.54

$0.33 ₹30.92

6.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 ₹217

$1.99 ₹189

14.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₹112

$1.24 ₹118

-5.65%

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

$14.1K ₹1.3M

$15.8K ₹1.5M

-10.40%

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

$24.4K ₹2.3M

$22.3K ₹2.1M

9.38%

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

$35.11 ₹3,339

$42.63 ₹4,054

-17.64%

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

$5.18 ₹492

$3.91 ₹371

32.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.59 ₹1,007

$7.30 ₹694

45.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.24 ₹1,734

$15.82 ₹1,504

15.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.03 ₹573

$11.78 ₹1,120

-48.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 ₹455

$3.96 ₹376

20.96%

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

$115 ₹10.9K

$44.30 ₹4,212

159.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,219 ₹306.1K

$1,564 ₹148.7K

105.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.95 ₹2,658

$28.62 ₹2,722

-2.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.11 ₹2,863

$29.83 ₹2,837

0.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.5 ₹5,086

$49.98 ₹4,753

7.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.54 ₹3,855

$31.68 ₹3,013

27.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$305 ₹29.0K

$161 ₹15.3K

88.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₹17.1K

$90.1 ₹8,571

99.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 ₹77.3K

$377 ₹35.8K

115.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ₹46.3K

$192 ₹18.3K

153.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,776 ₹168.9K

$1,156 ₹110.0K

53.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$995 ₹94.6K

$580 ₹55.2K

71.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$895 ₹85.1K

$464 ₹44.1K

92.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.19

9.9

-7.17%

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

Last update for Bangalore: June 9, 2026

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $305 in Bangalore and $161 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 93% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $18.00 in Bangalore vs $11.00 in Kolkata (Calcutta) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $133 vs $112 per month, with Kolkata (Calcutta) 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 Kolkata (Calcutta): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kolkata (Calcutta) wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Bangalore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kolkata (Calcutta) the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Bangalore pays 93% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $305 in Bangalore versus $161 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kolkata (Calcutta) runs roughly 398% less than in Bangalore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $115 in Bangalore versus $44.30 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Kolkata (Calcutta) 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 Kolkata (Calcutta) delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $433 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kolkata (Calcutta) hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kolkata (Calcutta) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.