Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Varkala Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Varkala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $567 in Bangalore versus $380 in Varkala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $958 in Bangalore versus $612 in Varkala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,349 in Bangalore versus $845 in Varkala.

Living in Bangalore is roughly 49% more expensive than Varkala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 ₹326

$2.37 ₹222

46.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.26 ₹1,620

$10.56 ₹991

63.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 ₹388

$3.65 ₹342

13.42%

Cappuccino

$2.28 ₹214

$1.56 ₹147

46.15%

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

$0.45 ₹42.50

$0.41 ₹38.09

9.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹13.72

$0.15 ₹13.82

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 ₹213

$1.70 ₹160

33.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 ₹383

$3.15 ₹296

29.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 ₹60.2

$0.71 ₹66.5

-9.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 ₹57.8

$0.49 ₹45.60

26.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₹76.8

$0.71 ₹66.6

15.49%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹95.6

$0.89 ₹83.5

14.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.64 ₹717

$4.91 ₹461

55.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₹365

$3.02 ₹283

28.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 ₹246

$2.06 ₹194

27.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ₹74.7

$0.69 ₹65.1

15.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 ₹107

$1.00 ₹93.5

14.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 ₹40.63

$0.50 ₹46.48

-14.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 ₹44.58

$0.38 ₹35.73

26.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 ₹49.79

$0.45 ₹42.68

17.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 ₹41.09

$0.49 ₹46.19

-10.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹30.65

$0.31 ₹29.52

6.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 ₹377

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 ₹1,019

$7.21 ₹677

50.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹204

$1.78 ₹167

21.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₹304

$2.79 ₹261

16.13%

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

$7.56 ₹709

$5.58 ₹523

35.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₹51.9

$0.30 ₹28.34

83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.78 ₹1,387

$8.64 ₹810

71.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ₹111

$0.78 ₹73.5

52.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ₹33.51

$0.27 ₹25.41

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 ₹224

$1.44 ₹135

65.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₹115

$1.17 ₹110

4.27%

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

$14.2K ₹1.3M

$13.9K ₹1.3M

2.35%

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

$24.9K ₹2.3M

$22.1K ₹2.1M

12.59%

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

$35.01 ₹3,286

$38.30 ₹3,595

-8.59%

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

$5.09 ₹478

$3.40 ₹320

49.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.63 ₹997

$7.42 ₹696

43.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.97 ₹1,687

$16.06 ₹1,507

11.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.22 ₹584

$6.95 ₹652

-10.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₹441

$2.99 ₹281

57.19%

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

$117 ₹11.0K

$52.0 ₹4,876

124.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,342 ₹313.7K

$1,554 ₹145.9K

115.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.65 ₹2,596

$24.28 ₹2,279

13.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.30 ₹2,844

$25.62 ₹2,404

18.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.5 ₹5,020

$42.26 ₹3,966

26.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.37 ₹3,789

$30.19 ₹2,834

33.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$300 ₹28.2K

$126 ₹11.8K

138.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ₹16.9K

$74.7 ₹7,013

140.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 ₹79.2K

$279 ₹26.2K

202.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ₹44.7K

$177 ₹16.6K

169.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,797 ₹168.7K

$1,073 ₹100.7K

67.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$924 ₹86.7K

$602 ₹56.5K

53.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$932 ₹87.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.19

8.67

6.00%

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

Last update for Bangalore: April 21, 2026

Last update for Varkala: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $300 in Bangalore and $126 in Varkala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $17 in Bangalore vs $11 in Varkala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $134 vs $106 per month, with Varkala 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 Varkala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varkala wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Bangalore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Varkala the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $851 in Bangalore and $569 in Varkala to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $300 in Bangalore versus $126 in Varkala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Varkala runs roughly 71% less than in Bangalore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $117 in Bangalore versus $52.0 in Varkala. 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 Varkala 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 Varkala delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $380 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Varkala hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bangalore and Varkala 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 Varkala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.