Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Shillong Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Shillong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $562 in Bangalore versus $406 in Shillong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $943 in Bangalore versus $645 in Shillong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,323 in Bangalore versus $884 in Shillong.

Living in Bangalore is roughly 38% more expensive than in Shillong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangalore 59% lower, Shillong 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.08 ₹293

$2.91 ₹277

5.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.75 ₹1,780

$11.38 ₹1,080

64.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 ₹454

$4.76 ₹452

0.42%

Cappuccino

$2.40 ₹228

$1.60 ₹152

50.00%

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

$0.42 ₹40.07

$0.44 ₹41.45

-4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ₹12.48

$0.17 ₹16.40

-23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 ₹215

$1.25 ₹118

80.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 ₹384

$3.37 ₹319

19.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 ₹55.8

$0.66 ₹62.5

-10.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 ₹51.8

$0.35 ₹32.82

57.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 ₹76.0

$0.60 ₹56.8

33.33%

Eggs

$1.05 ₹99.6

$0.92 ₹87.5

14.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.25 ₹593

$4.01 ₹381

55.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 ₹343

$2.42 ₹229

49.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ₹269

$2.12 ₹201

33.49%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 ₹70.6

$0.66 ₹62.5

12.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 ₹112

$0.90 ₹85.2

31.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 ₹40.45

$0.55 ₹52.3

-21.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 ₹33.81

$0.33 ₹31.44

9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 ₹34.13

$0.38 ₹35.80

-5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 ₹40.36

$0.20 ₹18.98

115.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.69

$0.25 ₹23.57

32.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.66 ₹443

$4.97 ₹472

-6.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.32 ₹884

$4.59 ₹436

103.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₹191

$1.24 ₹117

62.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ₹269

$1.99 ₹189

42.21%

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

$6.72 ₹638

$4.93 ₹468

36.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₹48.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.82 ₹1,502

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 ₹98.1

$0.68 ₹65.0

51.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ₹28.98

$0.30 ₹28.87

3.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 ₹198

$1.30 ₹123

60.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₹103

$1.03 ₹98.2

5.83%

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

$12.0K ₹1.1M

$12.6K ₹1.2M

-4.13%

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

$19.2K ₹1.8M

$16.2K ₹1.5M

18.47%

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

$29.65 ₹2,815

$34.28 ₹3,255

-13.51%

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

$4.23 ₹402

$3.18 ₹302

33.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.00 ₹950

$6.17 ₹585

62.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.95 ₹1,704

$10.12 ₹961

77.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.14 ₹583

$5.30 ₹503

15.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 ₹440

$3.08 ₹293

50.32%

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

$104 ₹9,910

$27.60 ₹2,620

278.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,139 ₹298.0K

$1,168 ₹110.8K

168.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.62 ₹3,002

$17.42 ₹1,654

81.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.61 ₹2,811

$21.65 ₹2,055

36.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.8 ₹5,009

$37.08 ₹3,521

42.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.98 ₹3,796

$27.72 ₹2,632

44.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$322 ₹30.5K

$213 ₹20.2K

51.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 ₹16.9K

$133 ₹12.7K

33.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$823 ₹78.1K

$730 ₹69.3K

12.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ₹47.6K

$284 ₹27.0K

76.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,863 ₹176.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,057 ₹100.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$854 ₹81.0K

$451 ₹42.8K

89.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.52

7.38

15.45%

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

Last update for Bangalore: August 30, 2026

Last update for Shillong: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $322 in Bangalore and $213 in Shillong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 89% 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 $11.00 in Shillong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $123 vs $86.0 per month, with Shillong 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 Shillong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shillong wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Bangalore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Shillong the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 89% 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: $322 in Bangalore versus $213 in Shillong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Bangalore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $562 per month in Bangalore versus $406 in Shillong – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Shillong 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 Shillong delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $406 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Shillong hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Shillong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.