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: $563 in Bangalore versus $449 in Shillong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $963 in Bangalore versus $696 in Shillong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,362 in Bangalore versus $944 in Shillong.

Living in Bangalore is roughly 26% more expensive than Shillong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangalore 58% lower, Shillong 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 ₹326

$1.39 ₹133

146.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.49 ₹1,666

$10.66 ₹1,016

64.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₹390

$4.56 ₹434

-10.31%

Cappuccino

$2.27 ₹216

$1.18 ₹112

92.37%

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

$0.46 ₹43.53

$0.36 ₹34.42

27.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.30

$0.12 ₹11.37

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹217

$1.43 ₹136

59.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 ₹395

$3.29 ₹313

25.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 ₹57.7

$0.65 ₹61.9

-6.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 ₹55.7

$0.37 ₹34.80

56.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 ₹82.0

$0.52 ₹49.58

65.38%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹96.9

$0.85 ₹81.2

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.69 ₹733

$4.41 ₹420

74.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 ₹352

$3.32 ₹316

11.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 ₹251

$1.85 ₹176

42.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹76.8

$0.75 ₹71.9

8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 ₹107

$0.92 ₹87.6

22.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.44 ₹41.90

$0.60 ₹57.3

-26.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.35

$0.31 ₹29.61

64.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₹52.0

$0.36 ₹34.14

52.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ₹45.33

$0.37 ₹35.09

29.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.34

$0.17 ₹15.80

105.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 ₹379

$4.08 ₹389

-2.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 ₹979

$4.63 ₹441

122.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₹205

$1.53 ₹146

40.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ₹313

$2.81 ₹267

16.73%

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

$7.57 ₹721

$4.21 ₹401

79.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ₹56.2

$0.30 ₹28.77

96.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.61 ₹1,392

$8.88 ₹846

64.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₹113

$0.76 ₹72.8

55.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.13

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 ₹225

$1.48 ₹141

59.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹113

$1.15 ₹110

3.48%

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

$14.0K ₹1.3M

$13.9K ₹1.3M

0.41%

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

$24.7K ₹2.4M

$18.0K ₹1.7M

37.45%

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

$34.40 ₹3,277

$39.75 ₹3,786

-13.46%

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

$4.95 ₹472

$3.31 ₹315

49.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.97 ₹1,045

$5.70 ₹543

92.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.59 ₹1,771

$4.59 ₹437

305.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.98 ₹570

$5.93 ₹565

0.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.66 ₹444

$2.98 ₹284

56.38%

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

$116 ₹11.1K

$32.18 ₹3,065

260.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,236 ₹308.3K

$1,908 ₹181.7K

69.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.98 ₹2,666

$25.38 ₹2,418

10.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.75 ₹2,833

$35.62 ₹3,393

-16.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.6 ₹5,201

$45.79 ₹4,361

19.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.21 ₹3,831

$42.26 ₹4,025

-4.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 ₹29.1K

$254 ₹24.2K

20.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₹17.1K

$158 ₹15.0K

13.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$842 ₹80.2K

$466 ₹44.4K

80.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$486 ₹46.3K

$319 ₹30.4K

52.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,812 ₹172.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$962 ₹91.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₹83.4K

$438 ₹41.7K

99.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.19

7.38

24.53%

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

Last update for Bangalore: May 30, 2026

Last update for Shillong: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $306 in Bangalore and $254 in Shillong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 100% 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 $11.00 in Shillong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $132 vs $94.0 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 26% 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.

Bangalore pays 100% 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 $254 in Shillong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Shillong runs roughly 65% 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 $32.18 in Shillong. 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 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 $449 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 26% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.