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: $576 in Bangalore versus $304 in Varanasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $947 in Bangalore versus $512 in Varanasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,318 in Bangalore versus $720 in Varanasi.

Living in Bangalore is roughly 89% more expensive than Varanasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangalore 57% lower, Varanasi 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 ₹329

$2.28 ₹216

51.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.42 ₹1,654

$8.82 ₹837

97.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.00 ₹380

$3.58 ₹340

11.73%

Cappuccino

$2.32 ₹220

$1.55 ₹148

49.68%

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

$0.43 ₹40.50

$0.33 ₹31.34

30.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.36

$0.11 ₹10.58

45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 ₹218

$1.72 ₹163

33.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 ₹393

$2.27 ₹216

82.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 ₹58.0

$0.64 ₹60.6

-4.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 ₹54.3

$0.37 ₹34.68

54.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₹77.9

$0.53 ₹50.3

54.72%

Eggs

$1.00 ₹94.9

$0.95 ₹89.9

5.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.44 ₹706

$3.61 ₹343

106.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.91 ₹371

$2.57 ₹244

52.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ₹248

$1.50 ₹143

74.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.3

$0.66 ₹62.2

15.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 ₹104

$0.87 ₹82.3

26.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.41 ₹38.81

$0.38 ₹36.12

7.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 ₹45.17

$0.27 ₹25.61

77.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 ₹47.81

$0.27 ₹25.73

85.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ₹45.51

$0.35 ₹33.19

37.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.33

$0.31 ₹29.54

12.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ₹392

$2.92 ₹277

41.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.46 ₹993

$5.66 ₹537

84.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 ₹197

$1.72 ₹163

20.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ₹313

$2.62 ₹249

25.95%

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

$7.54 ₹716

$4.67 ₹443

61.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ₹57.5

$0.56 ₹53.6

8.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.28 ₹1,355

$10.57 ₹1,004

35.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₹108

$0.20 ₹18.97

470.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ₹33.88

$0.12 ₹11.05

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 ₹216

$1.19 ₹113

91.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₹116

$1.16 ₹110

5.17%

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

$14.1K ₹1.3M

$14.0K ₹1.3M

0.79%

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

$24.3K ₹2.3M

$20.6K ₹2.0M

18.26%

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

$35.03 ₹3,326

$13.87 ₹1,317

152.56%

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

$5.19 ₹493

$3.71 ₹352

39.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.70 ₹1,016

$5.50 ₹523

94.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.18 ₹1,726

$12.43 ₹1,180

46.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.06 ₹575

$5.83 ₹554

3.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.69 ₹445

$3.00 ₹285

56.33%

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

$114 ₹10.9K

$56.8 ₹5,392

101.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,285 ₹311.9K

$933 ₹88.6K

252.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.11 ₹2,669

$22.89 ₹2,174

22.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.30 ₹2,876

$24.11 ₹2,289

25.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.0 ₹5,130

$40.07 ₹3,804

34.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.14 ₹3,811

$24.97 ₹2,371

60.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 ₹29.0K

$130 ₹12.3K

135.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₹17.1K

$53.0 ₹5,033

239.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$819 ₹77.8K

$244 ₹23.2K

235.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 ₹45.3K

$154 ₹14.6K

209.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,796 ₹170.5K

$576 ₹54.7K

211.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$926 ₹87.9K

$337 ₹31.9K

175.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$931 ₹88.4K

$589 ₹56.0K

57.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.19

8.72

5.39%

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

Last update for Bangalore: April 26, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $306 in Bangalore and $130 in Varanasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 58% 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 $9.00 in Varanasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $131 vs $88.0 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 89% 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.

Bangalore pays 58% 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 $130 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 35% 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 $56.8 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 $304 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 89% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.