Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Lucknow Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Lucknow

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $551 in Bangalore versus $386 in Lucknow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $941 in Bangalore versus $592 in Lucknow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,332 in Bangalore versus $797 in Lucknow.

Living in Bangalore is roughly 43% more expensive than in Lucknow, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangalore 60% lower, Lucknow 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.08 ₹294

$1.89 ₹181

62.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.67 ₹1,783

$10.38 ₹992

79.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 ₹462

$3.11 ₹297

55.63%

Cappuccino

$2.33 ₹222

$1.59 ₹152

46.54%

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

$0.42 ₹40.40

$0.37 ₹35.65

13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.18

$0.12 ₹11.26

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 ₹219

$1.64 ₹156

40.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 ₹383

$2.38 ₹228

68.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 ₹58.3

$0.74 ₹71.1

-17.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₹51.1

$0.45 ₹42.90

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.4

$0.59 ₹56.8

30.51%

Eggs

$1.06 ₹101

$1.01 ₹96.9

4.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.42 ₹614

$3.67 ₹351

74.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 ₹366

$2.59 ₹247

47.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ₹263

$1.71 ₹163

60.82%

Banana (1kg)

$0.71 ₹67.4

$0.63 ₹59.9

12.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 ₹112

$0.93 ₹89.1

26.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.42 ₹40.59

$0.51 ₹48.53

-17.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 ₹34.34

$0.30 ₹28.38

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₹35.33

$0.45 ₹42.56

-17.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 ₹41.00

$0.45 ₹43.12

-4.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.93

$0.32 ₹30.78

3.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 ₹454

$5.07 ₹484

-6.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.17 ₹876

$8.62 ₹823

6.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₹187

$1.66 ₹159

18.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ₹285

$2.58 ₹246

15.50%

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

$6.40 ₹611

$5.72 ₹546

11.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₹48.55

$0.44 ₹41.85

15.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.65 ₹1,496

$5.21 ₹498

200.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 ₹103

$0.92 ₹88.1

17.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ₹29.52

$0.22 ₹21.03

40.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₹207

$1.19 ₹114

82.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₹104

$1.12 ₹107

-2.68%

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

$12.2K ₹1.2M

$12.5K ₹1.2M

-1.93%

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

$18.8K ₹1.8M

$22.1K ₹2.1M

-14.87%

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

$30.07 ₹2,873

$53.2 ₹5,080

-43.45%

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

$4.20 ₹401

$3.66 ₹350

14.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.17 ₹971

$8.78 ₹839

15.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.23 ₹1,742

$15.75 ₹1,505

15.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 ₹574

$6.97 ₹666

-13.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₹449

$3.26 ₹311

44.17%

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

$108 ₹10.3K

$39.71 ₹3,794

171.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,128 ₹298.8K

$1,008 ₹96.3K

210.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.74 ₹3,128

$23.50 ₹2,246

39.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.62 ₹2,830

$24.67 ₹2,357

20.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.9 ₹4,955

$38.15 ₹3,645

35.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.59 ₹3,782

$25.32 ₹2,419

56.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 ₹30.3K

$129 ₹12.3K

146.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 ₹17.6K

$77.4 ₹7,391

138.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹78.9K

$355 ₹33.9K

132.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 ₹47.7K

$173 ₹16.5K

188.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,872 ₹178.8K

$1,300 ₹124.2K

43.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,076 ₹102.8K

$551 ₹52.6K

95.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$857 ₹81.9K

$339 ₹32.4K

152.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.52

8.53

-0.12%

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

Last update for Bangalore: September 7, 2026

Last update for Lucknow: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $317 in Bangalore and $129 in Lucknow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 153% 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: $19.00 in Bangalore vs $10.00 in Lucknow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $124 vs $99.0 per month, with Lucknow 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 Lucknow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lucknow wins on cost – living expenses run 43% lower than in Bangalore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lucknow the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 153% 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: $317 in Bangalore versus $129 in Lucknow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Lucknow runs roughly 200% less than in Bangalore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $108 in Bangalore versus $39.71 in Lucknow. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Lucknow 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 Lucknow delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $386 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lucknow hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Lucknow gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.