Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Thanjavur Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Thanjavur

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $563 in Bangalore versus $418 in Thanjavur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $963 in Bangalore versus $640 in Thanjavur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,362 in Bangalore versus $862 in Thanjavur.

Living in Bangalore is roughly 35% more expensive than Thanjavur, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangalore 58% lower, Thanjavur 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 ₹327

$2.06 ₹197

66.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.49 ₹1,674

$7.10 ₹679

146.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₹391

$4.13 ₹395

-0.97%

Cappuccino

$2.27 ₹217

$2.18 ₹208

4.13%

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

$0.46 ₹43.73

$0.39 ₹37.31

17.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.37

$0.17 ₹16.10

-5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹218

$0.80 ₹76.4

185.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 ₹396

$4.04 ₹387

2.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 ₹57.9

$0.58 ₹55.8

5.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 ₹56.0

$0.49 ₹47.00

18.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 ₹82.4

$0.67 ₹63.6

28.36%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹97.4

$0.74 ₹70.7

37.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.69 ₹736

$7.07 ₹677

8.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 ₹354

$2.27 ₹217

63.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 ₹253

$2.91 ₹278

-9.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.1

$0.87 ₹83.4

-6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 ₹108

$1.32 ₹126

-14.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.44 ₹42.09

$0.50 ₹47.70

-12.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.57

$0.55 ₹52.3

-7.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₹52.2

$0.52 ₹49.67

5.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ₹45.54

$0.59 ₹56.5

-18.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.50

$0.35 ₹33.93

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 ₹381

$3.70 ₹354

7.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 ₹984

$7.77 ₹744

32.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₹206

$1.48 ₹142

45.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ₹314

$3.39 ₹325

-3.24%

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

$7.57 ₹724

$6.01 ₹575

25.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ₹56.5

$0.30 ₹29.13

96.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.61 ₹1,398

$8.75 ₹837

66.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₹113

$1.15 ₹110

2.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.28

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 ₹226

$1.75 ₹168

34.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹114

$1.22 ₹116

-2.46%

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

$14.0K ₹1.3M

$17.3K ₹1.7M

-19.15%

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

$24.7K ₹2.4M

$24.0K ₹2.3M

3.13%

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

$34.40 ₹3,292

$46.15 ₹4,416

-25.46%

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

$4.95 ₹474

$4.65 ₹445

6.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.97 ₹1,050

$9.47 ₹906

15.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.59 ₹1,779

$15.76 ₹1,508

17.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.98 ₹573

$7.04 ₹673

-15.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.66 ₹446

$2.95 ₹282

57.97%

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

$116 ₹11.1K

$80.5 ₹7,700

44.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,236 ₹309.7K

$1,738 ₹166.3K

86.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.98 ₹2,678

$25.49 ₹2,440

9.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.75 ₹2,847

$22.50 ₹2,153

32.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.6 ₹5,225

$50.2 ₹4,804

8.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.21 ₹3,848

$29.13 ₹2,788

38.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 ₹29.3K

$126 ₹12.0K

143.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₹17.2K

$76.1 ₹7,282

135.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$842 ₹80.6K

$271 ₹25.9K

211.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$486 ₹46.6K

$177 ₹16.9K

174.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,812 ₹173.4K

$1,010 ₹96.7K

79.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$962 ₹92.1K

$561 ₹53.7K

71.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₹83.8K

$208 ₹19.9K

320.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.19

9.31

-1.29%

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

Last update for Bangalore: May 30, 2026

Last update for Thanjavur: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $306 in Bangalore and $126 in Thanjavur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 320% 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 $7.00 in Thanjavur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $132 vs $115 per month, with Thanjavur 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 Thanjavur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thanjavur wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Bangalore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Thanjavur the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Bangalore pays 320% 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 $126 in Thanjavur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Thanjavur runs roughly 67% 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 $80.5 in Thanjavur. 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 Thanjavur 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 Thanjavur delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $418 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Thanjavur hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bangalore and Thanjavur 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 Thanjavur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.