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: $560 in Bangalore versus $281 in Kollam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $935 in Bangalore versus $456 in Kollam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,310 in Bangalore versus $630 in Kollam.

Living in Bangalore is roughly 99% more expensive than in Kollam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangalore 59% lower, Kollam 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.06 ₹294

$1.02 ₹98.0

200.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.38 ₹1,764

$6.14 ₹589

199.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.74 ₹455

$3.59 ₹345

32.03%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₹226

$1.40 ₹134

67.86%

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

$0.43 ₹40.89

$0.41 ₹39.29

4.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹16.41

$0.15 ₹14.58

13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 ₹218

$1.12 ₹107

102.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 ₹359

$2.68 ₹257

39.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 ₹60.6

$0.57 ₹54.8

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₹51.7

$0.40 ₹38.54

35.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 ₹71.2

$0.47 ₹45.22

57.45%

Eggs

$1.06 ₹102

$0.75 ₹71.5

41.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.24 ₹599

$5.27 ₹506

18.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ₹351

$2.04 ₹196

79.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 ₹268

$1.64 ₹158

70.73%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.5

$0.58 ₹56.0

31.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 ₹113

$0.68 ₹64.8

73.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.82

$0.39 ₹37.50

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 ₹34.02

$0.43 ₹41.44

-18.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.53

$0.35 ₹33.89

11.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 ₹39.98

$0.36 ₹34.46

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.66

$0.30 ₹29.07

3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 ₹456

$5.09 ₹488

-6.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.24 ₹886

$2.64 ₹254

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₹187

$1.67 ₹160

16.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₹274

$2.75 ₹264

4.00%

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

$6.69 ₹642

$4.16 ₹399

60.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₹48.69

$0.15 ₹14.47

240.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.34 ₹1,472

$7.16 ₹687

114.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 ₹97.8

$1.02 ₹98.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₹31.09

$0.26 ₹24.91

23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₹205

$1.60 ₹154

33.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹109

$1.06 ₹102

6.60%

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

$11.8K ₹1.1M

$10.4K ₹999.3K

12.91%

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

$18.9K ₹1.8M

$16.4K ₹1.6M

15.02%

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

$30.05 ₹2,883

$32.97 ₹3,163

-8.86%

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

$4.13 ₹396

$2.93 ₹281

40.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.27 ₹985

$5.23 ₹502

96.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.70 ₹1,699

$13.31 ₹1,277

32.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.95 ₹571

$12.75 ₹1,223

-53.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.46 ₹428

$1.53 ₹147

191.50%

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

$104 ₹9,995

$20.74 ₹1,990

402.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,063 ₹293.8K

$1,328 ₹127.4K

130.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.00 ₹3,262

$16.33 ₹1,567

108.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 ₹2,806

$21.68 ₹2,080

34.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.3 ₹4,921

$24.98 ₹2,396

105.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.08 ₹3,749

$24.08 ₹2,310

62.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$319 ₹30.6K

$82.3 ₹7,892

287.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 ₹17.1K

$46.28 ₹4,441

285.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 ₹78.8K

$182 ₹17.5K

351.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 ₹47.9K

$114 ₹10.9K

337.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,879 ₹180.3K

$828 ₹79.4K

127.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,043 ₹100.1K

$443 ₹42.5K

135.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$853 ₹81.9K

$530 ₹50.9K

60.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.52

9.13

-6.68%

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

Last update for Bangalore: September 15, 2026

Last update for Kollam: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $319 in Bangalore and $82.3 in Kollam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 61% 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 $6.00 in Kollam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $122 vs $83.0 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 99% 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.

Average pay runs 61% 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 $82.3 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 114% 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 $20.74 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 $281 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 99% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.