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: $565 in Bangalore versus $332 in Shimla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $955 in Bangalore versus $532 in Shimla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,344 in Bangalore versus $732 in Shimla.

Living in Bangalore is roughly 70% more expensive than in Shimla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 ₹331

$1.77 ₹169

96.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.74 ₹1,691

$5.84 ₹557

203.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.17 ₹397

$3.51 ₹335

18.80%

Cappuccino

$2.41 ₹230

$1.00 ₹95.5

141.00%

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

$0.43 ₹40.81

$0.34 ₹32.46

26.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹16.58

$0.16 ₹15.70

6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 ₹218

$1.58 ₹151

44.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ₹391

$2.35 ₹224

74.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 ₹61.4

$0.73 ₹70.0

-12.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 ₹54.8

$0.45 ₹42.80

26.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 ₹81.8

$0.62 ₹59.1

38.71%

Eggs

$1.06 ₹101

$0.92 ₹88.1

15.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.45 ₹711

$4.31 ₹411

72.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.85 ₹368

$3.59 ₹343

7.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ₹245

$1.93 ₹184

33.16%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 ₹71.6

$0.69 ₹65.8

8.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 ₹107

$0.79 ₹75.8

41.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.27

$0.56 ₹53.2

-28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.46

$0.38 ₹36.01

34.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ₹51.3

$0.43 ₹41.13

25.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 ₹45.18

$0.24 ₹22.92

95.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₹33.95

$0.37 ₹34.95

-2.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 ₹390

$4.46 ₹426

-8.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.27 ₹979

$6.98 ₹665

47.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₹204

$1.78 ₹170

20.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ₹316

$2.25 ₹215

47.11%

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

$7.58 ₹723

$5.68 ₹542

33.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 ₹53.2

$0.24 ₹22.99

133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.75 ₹1,407

$8.93 ₹852

65.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₹109

$0.83 ₹78.9

37.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.25

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 ₹216

$1.18 ₹113

92.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹113

$1.18 ₹113

0.85%

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

$13.7K ₹1.3M

$15.1K ₹1.4M

-9.14%

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

$25.0K ₹2.4M

$20.1K ₹1.9M

24.72%

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

$34.53 ₹3,293

$19.55 ₹1,864

76.62%

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

$4.91 ₹468

$3.54 ₹338

38.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.66 ₹1,017

$7.68 ₹733

38.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.49 ₹1,764

$14.43 ₹1,376

28.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.06 ₹578

$7.10 ₹677

-14.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 ₹438

$3.46 ₹330

32.66%

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

$114 ₹10.9K

$45.25 ₹4,315

152.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,280 ₹312.8K

$2,380 ₹227.0K

37.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.62 ₹2,634

$33.95 ₹3,238

-18.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.17 ₹2,782

$28.04 ₹2,675

4.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.6 ₹5,204

$47.40 ₹4,521

15.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.10 ₹3,920

$29.42 ₹2,806

39.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 ₹29.4K

$96.7 ₹9,225

218.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₹17.1K

$58.7 ₹5,594

205.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 ₹80.1K

$225 ₹21.4K

273.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 ₹45.8K

$138 ₹13.2K

247.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,826 ₹174.1K

$980 ₹93.4K

86.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$994 ₹94.8K

$525 ₹50.1K

89.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$811 ₹77.4K

$554 ₹52.8K

46.57%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Shimla: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $308 in Bangalore and $96.7 in Shimla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 47% 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 Shimla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $132 vs $103 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 70% 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.

Average pay runs 47% 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: $308 in Bangalore versus $96.7 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 65% less than in Bangalore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $114 in Bangalore versus $45.25 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 $332 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 70% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.