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: $565 in Bangalore versus $426 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $955 in Bangalore versus $665 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,344 in Bangalore versus $905 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Living in Bangalore is roughly 33% more expensive than in 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

$3.47 ₹331

$3.23 ₹308

7.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.74 ₹1,691

$11.45 ₹1,092

54.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.17 ₹397

$4.96 ₹473

-15.93%

Cappuccino

$2.41 ₹230

$1.88 ₹180

28.19%

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

$0.43 ₹40.81

$0.40 ₹38.60

7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹16.58

$0.14 ₹13.79

21.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 ₹218

$1.70 ₹162

34.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ₹391

$2.97 ₹283

38.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 ₹61.4

$0.73 ₹69.5

-12.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 ₹54.8

$0.43 ₹40.91

32.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 ₹81.8

$0.71 ₹67.8

21.13%

Eggs

$1.06 ₹101

$0.97 ₹92.5

9.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.45 ₹711

$5.49 ₹524

35.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.85 ₹368

$2.91 ₹277

32.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ₹245

$2.50 ₹239

2.80%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 ₹71.6

$0.80 ₹76.1

-6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 ₹107

$1.26 ₹120

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.27

$0.61 ₹58.6

-34.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.46

$0.37 ₹35.57

37.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ₹51.3

$0.60 ₹57.1

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 ₹45.18

$0.41 ₹38.97

14.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₹33.95

$0.31 ₹29.22

16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 ₹390

$3.85 ₹367

6.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.27 ₹979

$9.17 ₹874

12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₹204

$1.68 ₹160

27.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ₹316

$2.43 ₹232

36.21%

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

$7.58 ₹723

$7.52 ₹717

0.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 ₹53.2

$0.22 ₹20.93

154.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.75 ₹1,407

$2.82 ₹269

423.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₹109

$0.55 ₹52.8

107.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.25

$0.32 ₹30.99

3.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 ₹216

$2.01 ₹192

12.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹113

$1.24 ₹118

-4.03%

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

$13.7K ₹1.3M

$15.6K ₹1.5M

-12.34%

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

$25.0K ₹2.4M

$22.4K ₹2.1M

11.68%

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

$34.53 ₹3,293

$42.68 ₹4,070

-19.10%

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

$4.91 ₹468

$4.02 ₹383

22.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.66 ₹1,017

$7.21 ₹688

47.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.49 ₹1,764

$16.02 ₹1,528

15.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.06 ₹578

$11.50 ₹1,097

-47.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 ₹438

$3.98 ₹380

15.33%

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

$114 ₹10.9K

$43.92 ₹4,188

160.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,280 ₹312.8K

$1,619 ₹154.4K

102.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.62 ₹2,634

$27.83 ₹2,654

-0.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.17 ₹2,782

$30.44 ₹2,903

-4.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.6 ₹5,204

$49.24 ₹4,696

10.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.10 ₹3,920

$31.37 ₹2,992

31.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 ₹29.4K

$159 ₹15.2K

93.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₹17.1K

$88.9 ₹8,481

101.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 ₹80.1K

$387 ₹36.9K

117.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 ₹45.8K

$192 ₹18.3K

150.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,826 ₹174.1K

$1,195 ₹113.9K

52.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$994 ₹94.8K

$578 ₹55.1K

71.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$811 ₹77.4K

$381 ₹36.3K

112.91%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $308 in Bangalore and $159 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 113% 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 $132 vs $114 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 113% 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: $308 in Bangalore versus $159 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 423% less than in Bangalore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $114 in Bangalore versus $43.92 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 $426 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.