Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Varanasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Varanasi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $551 in Bangalore versus $286 in Varanasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $941 in Bangalore versus $482 in Varanasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,332 in Bangalore versus $678 in Varanasi.

Living in Bangalore is roughly 93% more expensive than in Varanasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangalore 60% lower, Varanasi 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.08 ₹294

$1.84 ₹176

67.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.67 ₹1,783

$8.11 ₹774

130.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 ₹462

$3.23 ₹308

49.85%

Cappuccino

$2.33 ₹222

$1.60 ₹153

45.63%

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

$0.42 ₹40.40

$0.38 ₹35.97

10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.18

$0.12 ₹11.75

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 ₹219

$1.60 ₹153

43.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 ₹383

$2.09 ₹200

91.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 ₹58.3

$0.65 ₹62.3

-6.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₹51.1

$0.29 ₹27.43

86.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.4

$0.57 ₹54.5

35.09%

Eggs

$1.06 ₹101

$0.81 ₹77.7

30.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.42 ₹614

$3.18 ₹304

101.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 ₹366

$2.26 ₹216

69.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ₹263

$1.42 ₹136

93.66%

Banana (1kg)

$0.71 ₹67.4

$0.66 ₹63.1

7.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 ₹112

$0.88 ₹84.5

34.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.42 ₹40.59

$0.34 ₹32.70

23.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 ₹34.34

$0.24 ₹22.92

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₹35.33

$0.26 ₹25.07

42.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 ₹41.00

$0.43 ₹41.06

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.93

$0.26 ₹24.55

26.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 ₹454

$3.19 ₹305

48.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.17 ₹876

$5.66 ₹541

62.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₹187

$1.68 ₹161

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ₹285

$2.44 ₹233

22.13%

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

$6.40 ₹611

$4.06 ₹388

57.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₹48.55

$0.55 ₹52.9

-7.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.65 ₹1,496

$9.35 ₹893

67.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 ₹103

$0.20 ₹19.17

440.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ₹29.52

$0.10 ₹9.64

210.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₹207

$1.05 ₹99.9

106.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₹104

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

$12.2K ₹1.2M

$12.6K ₹1.2M

-2.91%

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

$18.8K ₹1.8M

$18.9K ₹1.8M

-0.89%

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

$30.07 ₹2,873

$12.58 ₹1,201

139.03%

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

$4.20 ₹401

$3.66 ₹350

14.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.17 ₹971

$6.75 ₹645

50.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.23 ₹1,742

$11.21 ₹1,071

62.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 ₹574

$5.37 ₹513

11.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₹449

$2.93 ₹280

60.41%

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

$108 ₹10.3K

$39.67 ₹3,790

172.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,128 ₹298.8K

$1,003 ₹95.8K

212.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.74 ₹3,128

$21.50 ₹2,054

52.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.62 ₹2,830

$25.06 ₹2,394

18.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.9 ₹4,955

$37.26 ₹3,560

39.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.59 ₹3,782

$25.46 ₹2,433

55.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 ₹30.3K

$114 ₹10.9K

178.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 ₹17.6K

$47.40 ₹4,529

289.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹78.9K

$197 ₹18.9K

318.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 ₹47.7K

$141 ₹13.5K

253.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,872 ₹178.8K

$577 ₹55.1K

224.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,076 ₹102.8K

$345 ₹32.9K

212.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$857 ₹81.9K

$575 ₹54.9K

49.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.52

8.53

-0.12%

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

Last update for Bangalore: September 7, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $317 in Bangalore and $114 in Varanasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 49% 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: $19.00 in Bangalore vs $8.00 in Varanasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $124 vs $83.0 per month, with Varanasi 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 Varanasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varanasi wins on cost – living expenses run 93% lower than in Bangalore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Varanasi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 49% 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: $317 in Bangalore versus $114 in Varanasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Varanasi 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 $108 in Bangalore versus $39.67 in Varanasi. 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 Varanasi 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 Varanasi delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $286 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Varanasi hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Varanasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.