Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Thiruvananthapuram Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Thiruvananthapuram

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $563 in Bangalore versus $382 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $963 in Bangalore versus $604 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,362 in Bangalore versus $827 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Living in Bangalore is roughly 48% more expensive than Thiruvananthapuram, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangalore 58% lower, Thiruvananthapuram 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 ₹328

$2.27 ₹218

50.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.49 ₹1,675

$13.73 ₹1,315

27.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₹392

$4.31 ₹413

-5.10%

Cappuccino

$2.27 ₹217

$1.80 ₹172

26.11%

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

$0.46 ₹43.77

$0.33 ₹32.00

39.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.38

$0.23 ₹22.04

-30.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹218

$1.71 ₹164

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 ₹397

$3.47 ₹332

19.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 ₹58.0

$0.60 ₹57.2

1.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 ₹56.0

$0.54 ₹51.6

7.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 ₹82.5

$0.63 ₹60.7

36.51%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹97.5

$0.99 ₹95.1

3.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.69 ₹737

$5.93 ₹568

29.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 ₹354

$2.40 ₹230

54.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 ₹253

$2.42 ₹231

9.09%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.2

$0.71 ₹68.3

14.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 ₹108

$1.27 ₹122

-11.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.44 ₹42.12

$0.58 ₹55.6

-24.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.61

$0.52 ₹49.75

-1.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₹52.3

$0.61 ₹58.4

-9.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ₹45.58

$0.51 ₹48.81

-5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.52

$0.30 ₹29.08

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.98 ₹381

$3.59 ₹344

10.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 ₹984

$6.70 ₹641

53.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₹206

$1.48 ₹142

45.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ₹315

$2.81 ₹269

16.73%

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

$7.57 ₹725

$4.82 ₹462

57.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ₹56.5

$0.17 ₹15.89

247.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.61 ₹1,399

$6.36 ₹609

129.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₹113

$0.96 ₹91.5

22.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.30

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 ₹226

$1.79 ₹171

31.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹114

$1.24 ₹119

-4.03%

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

$14.0K ₹1.3M

$18.9K ₹1.8M

-25.97%

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

$24.7K ₹2.4M

$21.5K ₹2.1M

15.11%

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

$34.40 ₹3,295

$28.02 ₹2,684

22.77%

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

$4.95 ₹474

$3.39 ₹324

46.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.97 ₹1,051

$7.98 ₹764

37.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.59 ₹1,780

$16.57 ₹1,587

12.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.98 ₹573

$11.88 ₹1,137

-49.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.66 ₹446

$2.35 ₹225

98.30%

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

$116 ₹11.1K

$30.59 ₹2,929

279.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,236 ₹310.0K

$1,959 ₹187.6K

65.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.98 ₹2,680

$18.05 ₹1,729

55.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.75 ₹2,849

$15.97 ₹1,530

86.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.6 ₹5,230

$33.82 ₹3,239

61.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.21 ₹3,852

$22.06 ₹2,113

82.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 ₹29.3K

$144 ₹13.8K

112.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₹17.2K

$89.9 ₹8,609

99.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$842 ₹80.6K

$281 ₹26.9K

199.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$486 ₹46.6K

$173 ₹16.6K

180.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,812 ₹173.6K

$678 ₹64.9K

167.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$962 ₹92.2K

$428 ₹41.0K

125.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 ₹83.9K

$241 ₹23.1K

262.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.19

-23.42%

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

Last update for Bangalore: May 30, 2026

Last update for Thiruvananthapuram: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $306 in Bangalore and $144 in Thiruvananthapuram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 263% 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 $14.00 in Thiruvananthapuram for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $132 vs $107 per month, with Thiruvananthapuram 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 Thiruvananthapuram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thiruvananthapuram wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Bangalore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Thiruvananthapuram the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Bangalore pays 263% 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 $144 in Thiruvananthapuram. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Thiruvananthapuram runs roughly 130% 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 $30.59 in Thiruvananthapuram. 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 Thiruvananthapuram 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 Thiruvananthapuram delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $382 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Thiruvananthapuram hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bangalore and Thiruvananthapuram 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 Thiruvananthapuram gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.