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: $565 in Bangalore versus $314 in Varanasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $955 in Bangalore versus $517 in Varanasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,344 in Bangalore versus $720 in Varanasi.

Living in Bangalore is roughly 80% more expensive than in Varanasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangalore 58% lower, Varanasi 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 ₹332

$2.31 ₹221

50.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.74 ₹1,696

$8.96 ₹857

97.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.17 ₹398

$3.51 ₹336

18.80%

Cappuccino

$2.41 ₹230

$1.50 ₹143

60.67%

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

$0.43 ₹40.92

$0.31 ₹29.51

38.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹16.63

$0.13 ₹12.45

30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 ₹219

$1.79 ₹171

27.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 ₹393

$2.32 ₹222

76.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 ₹61.5

$0.65 ₹61.8

-1.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 ₹55.0

$0.37 ₹35.38

54.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 ₹82.0

$0.52 ₹50.2

65.38%

Eggs

$1.06 ₹101

$0.95 ₹90.7

11.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.45 ₹713

$3.60 ₹344

106.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.85 ₹369

$2.54 ₹243

51.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 ₹246

$1.52 ₹145

69.08%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 ₹71.8

$0.66 ₹63.2

13.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 ₹107

$0.88 ₹83.8

27.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.37

$0.39 ₹36.85

2.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.60

$0.29 ₹27.94

75.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ₹51.4

$0.27 ₹25.91

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 ₹45.30

$0.35 ₹33.26

34.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₹34.05

$0.29 ₹27.47

24.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 ₹391

$2.90 ₹278

41.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.27 ₹982

$5.84 ₹559

75.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₹205

$1.64 ₹157

30.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ₹317

$2.62 ₹251

26.34%

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

$7.58 ₹725

$4.67 ₹447

62.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 ₹53.4

$0.59 ₹56.6

-5.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.75 ₹1,411

$10.66 ₹1,019

38.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₹109

$0.20 ₹19.10

470.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.33

$0.11 ₹10.70

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 ₹217

$1.17 ₹112

94.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹113

$1.16 ₹111

2.59%

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

$13.7K ₹1.3M

$14.1K ₹1.4M

-3.05%

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

$25.0K ₹2.4M

$21.3K ₹2.0M

17.65%

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

$34.53 ₹3,303

$13.81 ₹1,321

150.04%

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

$4.91 ₹470

$3.54 ₹338

38.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.66 ₹1,020

$5.59 ₹534

90.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.49 ₹1,768

$12.28 ₹1,174

50.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.06 ₹579

$5.85 ₹559

3.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.59 ₹439

$2.97 ₹284

54.55%

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

$114 ₹10.9K

$57.5 ₹5,499

98.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,280 ₹313.7K

$926 ₹88.6K

254.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.62 ₹2,642

$22.97 ₹2,197

20.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.17 ₹2,790

$24.51 ₹2,344

19.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.6 ₹5,218

$41.19 ₹3,939

32.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.10 ₹3,931

$24.96 ₹2,387

64.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 ₹29.5K

$127 ₹12.2K

141.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₹17.2K

$52.5 ₹5,022

241.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 ₹80.3K

$252 ₹24.1K

233.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$481 ₹46.0K

$158 ₹15.1K

204.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,826 ₹174.6K

$558 ₹53.4K

226.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$994 ₹95.1K

$331 ₹31.7K

199.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$811 ₹77.6K

$572 ₹54.7K

41.82%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $308 in Bangalore and $127 in Varanasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 42% 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 $9.00 in Varanasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $132 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 80% 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 42% 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 $127 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 38% 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 $57.5 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 $314 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 80% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.