Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Shimla Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Shimla

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $567 in Bangalore versus $337 in Shimla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $958 in Bangalore versus $539 in Shimla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,349 in Bangalore versus $742 in Shimla.

Living in Bangalore is roughly 68% more expensive than Shimla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangalore 58% lower, Shimla 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 ₹326

$1.78 ₹167

95.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.26 ₹1,620

$5.90 ₹554

192.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 ₹388

$3.56 ₹334

16.29%

Cappuccino

$2.28 ₹214

$0.93 ₹87.2

145.16%

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

$0.45 ₹42.50

$0.31 ₹29.53

45.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹13.72

$0.15 ₹14.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 ₹213

$1.62 ₹152

40.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 ₹383

$2.30 ₹216

77.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 ₹60.2

$0.75 ₹70.7

-14.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 ₹57.8

$0.44 ₹41.38

40.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₹76.8

$0.64 ₹59.8

28.12%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹95.6

$0.86 ₹80.3

18.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.64 ₹717

$4.36 ₹409

75.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₹365

$3.70 ₹347

5.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 ₹246

$1.97 ₹185

32.99%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ₹74.7

$0.70 ₹65.5

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 ₹107

$0.82 ₹76.7

39.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 ₹40.63

$0.56 ₹52.3

-23.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 ₹44.58

$0.35 ₹32.54

37.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 ₹49.79

$0.44 ₹41.34

20.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 ₹41.09

$0.22 ₹20.63

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹30.65

$0.34 ₹31.54

-2.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 ₹377

$4.46 ₹418

-9.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 ₹1,019

$5.26 ₹494

106.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹204

$1.69 ₹159

28.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₹304

$2.25 ₹211

44.00%

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

$7.56 ₹709

$5.91 ₹555

27.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₹51.9

$0.22 ₹20.53

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.78 ₹1,387

$8.78 ₹824

68.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ₹111

$0.83 ₹77.8

43.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ₹33.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ₹224

$1.18 ₹110

102.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₹115

$1.19 ₹111

2.52%

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

$14.2K ₹1.3M

$15.0K ₹1.4M

-5.15%

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

$24.9K ₹2.3M

$19.7K ₹1.8M

26.55%

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

$35.01 ₹3,286

$19.05 ₹1,788

83.78%

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

$5.09 ₹478

$3.45 ₹324

47.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.63 ₹997

$7.69 ₹721

38.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.97 ₹1,687

$14.60 ₹1,370

23.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.22 ₹584

$7.20 ₹676

-13.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₹441

$3.44 ₹323

36.63%

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

$117 ₹11.0K

$46.07 ₹4,324

153.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,342 ₹313.7K

$2,352 ₹220.8K

42.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.65 ₹2,596

$33.31 ₹3,127

-16.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.30 ₹2,844

$28.80 ₹2,704

5.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.5 ₹5,020

$46.18 ₹4,334

15.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.37 ₹3,789

$29.10 ₹2,731

38.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 ₹28.2K

$94.6 ₹8,878

217.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₹16.9K

$58.3 ₹5,467

208.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 ₹79.2K

$223 ₹20.9K

279.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ₹44.7K

$138 ₹13.0K

245.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,797 ₹168.7K

$955 ₹89.6K

88.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$924 ₹86.7K

$515 ₹48.3K

79.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$932 ₹87.5K

$577 ₹54.1K

61.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.19

8.25

11.39%

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

Last update for Bangalore: April 21, 2026

Last update for Shimla: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $300 in Bangalore and $95 in Shimla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 62% 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 in Bangalore vs $6 in Shimla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $134 vs $100 per month, with Shimla 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 Shimla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shimla wins on cost – living expenses run 68% lower than in Bangalore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Shimla the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Bangalore pays 62% 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: $300 in Bangalore versus $94.6 in Shimla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Shimla runs roughly 68% less than in Bangalore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $117 in Bangalore versus $46.07 in Shimla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Shimla 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 Shimla delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $337 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Shimla hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bangalore and Shimla 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 Shimla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.