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: $567 in Bangalore versus $310 in Varanasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $955 in Bangalore versus $514 in Varanasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,343 in Bangalore versus $717 in Varanasi.

Living in Bangalore is roughly 83% more expensive than Varanasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangalore 58% lower, Varanasi 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 ₹338

$2.31 ₹220

54.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.64 ₹1,677

$8.68 ₹825

103.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 ₹394

$3.47 ₹330

19.31%

Cappuccino

$2.28 ₹217

$1.55 ₹147

47.10%

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

$0.46 ₹43.37

$0.33 ₹31.70

39.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.51

$0.12 ₹11.84

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 ₹226

$1.76 ₹168

35.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.14 ₹394

$2.29 ₹217

80.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.62 ₹58.9

$0.69 ₹65.8

-10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 ₹59.7

$0.39 ₹37.32

61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 ₹83.6

$0.52 ₹49.63

69.23%

Eggs

$1.06 ₹100

$0.90 ₹85.6

17.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 ₹718

$3.58 ₹340

110.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 ₹351

$2.59 ₹246

42.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 ₹247

$1.57 ₹149

64.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ₹75.7

$0.66 ₹62.5

21.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 ₹108

$0.93 ₹88.4

21.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.50

$0.38 ₹36.36

5.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 ₹45.18

$0.27 ₹25.42

77.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ₹51.7

$0.25 ₹23.53

116.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 ₹41.64

$0.35 ₹33.01

25.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.50

$0.29 ₹27.46

20.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 ₹395

$2.89 ₹275

43.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.61 ₹1,009

$5.66 ₹538

87.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹206

$1.67 ₹159

29.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₹308

$2.67 ₹254

21.35%

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

$7.59 ₹722

$4.52 ₹430

67.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₹52.6

$0.55 ₹52.5

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₹1,388

$10.59 ₹1,007

37.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 ₹109

$0.22 ₹20.93

422.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₹33.54

$0.11 ₹10.23

218.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 ₹217

$1.13 ₹107

101.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₹112

$1.19 ₹113

-1.68%

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

$14.1K ₹1.3M

$13.7K ₹1.3M

3.18%

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

$24.4K ₹2.3M

$20.8K ₹2.0M

17.09%

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

$35.11 ₹3,339

$13.88 ₹1,320

152.95%

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

$5.18 ₹492

$3.65 ₹347

41.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.59 ₹1,007

$5.28 ₹502

100.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.24 ₹1,734

$12.64 ₹1,202

44.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.03 ₹573

$5.83 ₹555

3.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 ₹455

$2.84 ₹270

68.66%

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

$115 ₹10.9K

$57.8 ₹5,493

99.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,219 ₹306.1K

$926 ₹88.1K

247.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.95 ₹2,658

$23.02 ₹2,189

21.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.11 ₹2,863

$24.76 ₹2,355

21.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.5 ₹5,086

$40.46 ₹3,847

32.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.54 ₹3,855

$25.47 ₹2,423

59.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$305 ₹29.0K

$125 ₹11.9K

142.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₹17.1K

$52.7 ₹5,011

240.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 ₹77.3K

$251 ₹23.8K

224.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ₹46.3K

$152 ₹14.5K

219.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,776 ₹168.9K

$553 ₹52.6K

221.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$995 ₹94.6K

$338 ₹32.2K

194.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$895 ₹85.1K

$579 ₹55.1K

54.59%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $305 in Bangalore and $125 in Varanasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 55% 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 $133 vs $89.0 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 83% 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 55% 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: $305 in Bangalore versus $125 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 $115 in Bangalore versus $57.8 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 $310 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 83% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.