Cost of Living Comparison Between Bhilai and Kottayam Cost of Living Comparison Between Bhilai and Kottayam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $307 in Bhilai versus $298 in Kottayam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $503 in Bhilai versus $498 in Kottayam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $698 in Bhilai versus $697 in Kottayam.

Living in Bhilai is roughly 3% more expensive than Kottayam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bhilai 77% lower, Kottayam 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.60 ₹248

$1.19 ₹113

118.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.24 ₹785

$10.03 ₹955

-17.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.25 ₹310

$3.96 ₹378

-17.93%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ₹172

$0.61 ₹57.7

196.72%

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

$0.28 ₹26.61

$0.40 ₹38.48

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 ₹20.30

$0.16 ₹15.18

31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 ₹145

$1.38 ₹131

10.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₹296

$2.84 ₹270

9.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 ₹64.2

$0.62 ₹59.2

8.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.32 ₹30.60

$0.43 ₹41.24

-25.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 ₹64.9

$0.78 ₹74.3

-12.82%

Eggs

$0.93 ₹88.2

$0.82 ₹78.1

13.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.60 ₹439

$2.27 ₹216

102.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.76 ₹262

$3.04 ₹289

-9.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 ₹203

$2.29 ₹218

-6.99%

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 ₹53.1

$0.63 ₹59.8

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 ₹58.0

$1.14 ₹108

-46.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 ₹40.48

$0.49 ₹46.84

-12.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.20

$0.47 ₹45.24

-17.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 ₹44.74

$0.46 ₹43.39

2.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 ₹22.87

$0.40 ₹38.07

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 ₹25.66

$0.33 ₹31.30

-18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 ₹224

$4.16 ₹396

-43.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.62 ₹440

$3.97 ₹378

16.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₹90.5

$1.72 ₹163

-44.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₹219

$3.55 ₹338

-35.21%

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

$4.09 ₹390

$4.49 ₹428

-8.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹22.99

$0.30 ₹28.61

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$2.95 ₹281

$8.52 ₹812

-65.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₹108

$1.18 ₹113

-3.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₹22.89

$0.32 ₹30.86

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 ₹165

$1.68 ₹160

2.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹112

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

$11.7K ₹1.1M

$9,374 ₹892.9K

24.67%

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

$19.8K ₹1.9M

$15.2K ₹1.4M

30.81%

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

$23.59 ₹2,247

$27.76 ₹2,644

-15.02%

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

$3.76 ₹358

$3.39 ₹323

10.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.08 ₹579

$8.49 ₹809

-28.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$3.40 ₹324

$8.86 ₹844

-61.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.83 ₹651

$11.69 ₹1,114

-41.57%

Cinema Ticket

$1.70 ₹162

$2.10 ₹200

-19.05%

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

$57.1 ₹5,440

$57.6 ₹5,482

-0.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,503 ₹143.2K

$1,564 ₹149.0K

-3.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.31 ₹1,649

$23.36 ₹2,225

-25.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.68 ₹1,684

$17.48 ₹1,665

1.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$17.11 ₹1,630

$25.68 ₹2,446

-33.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.43 ₹2,613

$17.46 ₹1,663

57.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$124 ₹11.8K

$139 ₹13.2K

-10.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.9 ₹6,561

$58.0 ₹5,527

18.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 ₹25.8K

$287 ₹27.4K

-5.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ₹17.0K

$165 ₹15.7K

8.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$957 ₹91.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$548 ₹52.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$647 ₹61.6K

$291 ₹27.8K

122.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.36

-14.53%

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

Last update for Bhilai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kottayam: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $124 in Bhilai and $139 in Kottayam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bhilai pays 122% 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: $8.00 in Bhilai vs $10.00 in Kottayam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $87.0 vs $93.0 per month, with Bhilai 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

Bhilai vs Kottayam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bhilai and Kottayam differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($307 vs $298 including rent). Kottayam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bhilai pays 122% 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: $124 in Bhilai versus $139 in Kottayam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $57.1 in Bhilai versus $57.6 in Kottayam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Bhilai pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Kottayam gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Kottayam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Bhilai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.