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: $560 in Bangalore versus $423 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $935 in Bangalore versus $658 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,310 in Bangalore versus $893 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Living in Bangalore is roughly 33% more expensive than in Kolkata (Calcutta), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangalore 59% lower, Kolkata (Calcutta) 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.06 ₹294

$2.05 ₹196

49.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.38 ₹1,764

$15.47 ₹1,485

18.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 ₹455

$4.10 ₹393

15.61%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₹226

$1.66 ₹160

41.57%

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

$0.43 ₹40.89

$0.43 ₹41.44

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹16.41

$0.14 ₹13.07

21.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 ₹218

$1.84 ₹176

23.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 ₹359

$3.22 ₹309

16.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 ₹60.6

$0.64 ₹61.5

-1.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₹51.7

$0.46 ₹44.06

17.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 ₹71.2

$0.72 ₹68.7

2.78%

Eggs

$1.06 ₹102

$1.02 ₹97.7

3.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 ₹599

$5.48 ₹526

13.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ₹351

$2.97 ₹285

23.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 ₹268

$2.36 ₹226

18.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.5

$0.76 ₹73.0

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 ₹113

$1.49 ₹143

-20.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.82

$0.68 ₹65.2

-42.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 ₹34.02

$0.29 ₹28.14

20.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.53

$0.39 ₹37.37

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 ₹39.98

$0.33 ₹31.19

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.66

$0.28 ₹26.96

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 ₹456

$5.03 ₹482

-5.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.24 ₹886

$10.29 ₹988

-10.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₹187

$1.66 ₹159

17.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₹274

$2.77 ₹265

3.25%

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

$6.69 ₹642

$6.48 ₹621

3.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₹48.69

$0.15 ₹14.16

240.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.34 ₹1,472

$2.58 ₹248

494.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 ₹97.8

$0.86 ₹82.8

18.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₹31.09

$0.32 ₹30.89

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₹205

$1.61 ₹154

32.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹109

$1.08 ₹103

4.63%

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

$11.8K ₹1.1M

$14.5K ₹1.4M

-18.97%

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

$18.9K ₹1.8M

$21.5K ₹2.1M

-12.29%

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

$30.05 ₹2,883

$55.0 ₹5,278

-45.37%

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

$4.13 ₹396

$4.85 ₹465

-14.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.27 ₹985

$6.81 ₹653

50.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.70 ₹1,699

$14.89 ₹1,429

18.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.95 ₹571

$10.88 ₹1,044

-45.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.46 ₹428

$3.34 ₹320

33.53%

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

$104 ₹9,995

$41.18 ₹3,951

152.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,063 ₹293.8K

$1,997 ₹191.6K

53.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.00 ₹3,262

$24.12 ₹2,314

40.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ₹2,806

$23.22 ₹2,228

25.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.3 ₹4,921

$33.14 ₹3,180

54.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.08 ₹3,749

$25.98 ₹2,492

50.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$319 ₹30.6K

$152 ₹14.5K

110.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 ₹17.1K

$92.2 ₹8,849

93.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 ₹78.8K

$385 ₹36.9K

113.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 ₹47.9K

$201 ₹19.3K

148.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,879 ₹180.3K

$1,204 ₹115.5K

56.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,043 ₹100.1K

$620 ₹59.5K

68.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$853 ₹81.9K

$406 ₹38.9K

110.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.52

9.17

-7.09%

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

Last update for Bangalore: September 15, 2026

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $319 in Bangalore and $152 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 110% 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 $15.00 in Kolkata (Calcutta) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $122 vs $116 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 33% 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.

Average pay runs 110% higher in Bangalore, 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: $319 in Bangalore versus $152 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 495% 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 $41.18 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 $423 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 33% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.