Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Kollam Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Kollam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $563 in Bangalore versus $299 in Kollam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $963 in Bangalore versus $484 in Kollam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,362 in Bangalore versus $668 in Kollam.

Living in Bangalore is roughly 88% more expensive than Kollam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangalore 58% lower, Kollam 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 ₹326

$1.14 ₹108

200.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.49 ₹1,666

$7.04 ₹671

148.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₹390

$3.96 ₹377

3.28%

Cappuccino

$2.27 ₹216

$1.26 ₹120

80.16%

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

$0.46 ₹43.53

$0.40 ₹38.50

15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.30

$0.12 ₹11.83

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹217

$1.69 ₹161

34.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 ₹395

$2.97 ₹283

39.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 ₹57.7

$0.59 ₹55.8

3.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 ₹55.7

$0.47 ₹44.95

23.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 ₹82.0

$0.51 ₹48.71

68.63%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹96.9

$0.82 ₹77.8

24.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.69 ₹733

$5.29 ₹504

45.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 ₹352

$2.26 ₹215

63.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 ₹251

$2.24 ₹213

17.86%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹76.8

$0.58 ₹55.1

39.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 ₹107

$0.79 ₹75.7

43.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.44 ₹41.90

$0.45 ₹43.00

-2.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.35

$0.48 ₹45.92

6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₹52.0

$0.39 ₹37.25

41.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ₹45.33

$0.40 ₹37.75

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.34

$0.30 ₹28.43

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 ₹379

$3.55 ₹338

12.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 ₹979

$2.58 ₹246

298.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₹205

$2.20 ₹210

-2.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ₹313

$2.88 ₹275

13.89%

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

$7.57 ₹721

$4.63 ₹441

63.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ₹56.2

$0.12 ₹11.18

391.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.61 ₹1,392

$7.82 ₹745

86.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₹113

$1.14 ₹108

3.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.13

$0.30 ₹28.38

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 ₹225

$1.59 ₹152

48.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹113

$1.21 ₹115

-1.65%

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

$14.0K ₹1.3M

$11.7K ₹1.1M

19.44%

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

$24.7K ₹2.4M

$15.9K ₹1.5M

55.47%

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

$34.40 ₹3,277

$26.84 ₹2,557

28.17%

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

$4.95 ₹472

$3.29 ₹313

50.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.97 ₹1,045

$5.74 ₹547

91.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.59 ₹1,771

$12.11 ₹1,153

53.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.98 ₹570

$14.27 ₹1,359

-58.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.66 ₹444

$1.72 ₹164

170.93%

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

$116 ₹11.1K

$23.69 ₹2,257

390.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,236 ₹308.3K

$1,543 ₹147.0K

109.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.98 ₹2,666

$18.56 ₹1,768

50.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.75 ₹2,833

$19.39 ₹1,847

53.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.6 ₹5,201

$28.36 ₹2,702

92.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.21 ₹3,831

$27.59 ₹2,628

45.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 ₹29.1K

$92.4 ₹8,802

230.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₹17.1K

$52.7 ₹5,017

240.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$842 ₹80.2K

$198 ₹18.9K

325.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$486 ₹46.3K

$128 ₹12.2K

280.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,812 ₹172.6K

$832 ₹79.3K

117.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$962 ₹91.7K

$458 ₹43.6K

110.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₹83.4K

$532 ₹50.6K

64.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.19

8.97

2.45%

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

Last update for Bangalore: May 30, 2026

Last update for Kollam: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $306 in Bangalore and $92.4 in Kollam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 65% 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: $17.00 in Bangalore vs $7.00 in Kollam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $132 vs $92.0 per month, with Kollam 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 Kollam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kollam wins on cost – living expenses run 88% lower than in Bangalore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kollam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Bangalore pays 65% 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: $306 in Bangalore versus $92.4 in Kollam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kollam runs roughly 87% less than in Bangalore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $116 in Bangalore versus $23.69 in Kollam. 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 Kollam 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 Kollam delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $299 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kollam hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bangalore and Kollam 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 Kollam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.