Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chandigarh and Amritsar

For one person, living is cheaper in Amritsar: $381 a month against $471 in Chandigarh, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

23

Cost of Living Index in Chandigarh
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Chandigarh Living Index
18

Cost of Living Index in Amritsar
Learn more

Amritsar Living Index

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Chandigarh

🇮🇳 India

$471

/mo nomad

Amritsar

🇮🇳 India

$381

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chandigarh and in Amritsar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chandigarh and in Amritsar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $471 in Chandigarh versus $381 in Amritsar.

Chandigarh $471
Amritsar $381

Estimated couple costs with rent: $760 in Chandigarh versus $591 in Amritsar.

Chandigarh $760
Amritsar $591

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,049 in Chandigarh versus $802 in Amritsar.

Chandigarh $1,049
Amritsar $802

Living in Chandigarh is roughly 24% more expensive than in Amritsar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chandigarh 65% lower, Amritsar 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 ₹294

$2.04 ₹194

51.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.56 ₹1,288

$8.24 ₹782

64.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.08 ₹387

$3.35 ₹318

21.79%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ₹259

$1.97 ₹187

38.07%

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

$0.43 ₹41.05

$0.44 ₹41.39

-2.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 ₹21.71

$0.20 ₹18.96

15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 ₹193

$1.52 ₹145

33.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 ₹295

$3.17 ₹301

-1.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 ₹67.4

$0.69 ₹65.3

2.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₹51.5

$0.52 ₹48.95

3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.88 ₹83.5

$0.86 ₹81.3

2.33%

Eggs

$0.92 ₹87.7

$0.84 ₹79.8

9.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.07 ₹481

$4.19 ₹398

21.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.84 ₹270

$2.94 ₹279

-3.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₹156

$1.66 ₹158

-1.20%

Banana (1kg)

$0.71 ₹67.3

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 ₹102

$0.62 ₹58.5

72.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 ₹64.6

$0.47 ₹44.85

44.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 ₹26.53

$0.28 ₹26.57

Onion (1kg)

$0.30 ₹28.89

$0.33 ₹31.75

-9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ₹62.7

$0.29 ₹28.00

127.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₹30.81

$0.30 ₹28.49

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.91 ₹466

$4.93 ₹468

-0.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 ₹1,090

$11.53 ₹1,095

-0.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₹162

$1.66 ₹158

3.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ₹264

$2.71 ₹258

2.58%

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

$6.61 ₹627

$5.55 ₹527

19.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₹28.16

$0.39 ₹36.80

-23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.59 ₹341

$21.28 ₹2,021

-83.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 ₹102

$1.02 ₹97.2

5.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₹21.80

$0.22 ₹20.90

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 ₹155

$1.59 ₹151

3.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹107

$1.12 ₹106

0.89%

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

$12.4K ₹1.2M

$12.3K ₹1.2M

0.80%

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

$24.6K ₹2.3M

$25.4K ₹2.4M

-3.24%

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

$37.66 ₹3,576

$38.33 ₹3,640

-1.75%

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

$4.04 ₹384

$3.06 ₹291

32.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.49 ₹616

$6.51 ₹618

-0.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.70 ₹1,965

$29.96 ₹2,845

-30.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.11 ₹770

$5.13 ₹487

58.09%

Cinema Ticket

$3.11 ₹295

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

$58.6 ₹5,561

$38.96 ₹3,700

50.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,454 ₹233.1K

$583 ₹55.3K

321.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.27 ₹2,589

$27.61 ₹2,622

-1.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.64 ₹2,340

$24.41 ₹2,318

0.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.7 ₹5,477

$55.0 ₹5,224

4.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.07 ₹4,185

$43.21 ₹4,103

1.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$166 ₹15.8K

$62.0 ₹5,891

167.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 ₹11.1K

$30.97 ₹2,941

277.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₹44.2K

$113 ₹10.7K

312.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 ₹27.1K

$79.9 ₹7,584

257.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,052 ₹289.8K

$808 ₹76.8K

277.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,786 ₹169.6K

$634 ₹60.2K

181.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$432 ₹41.1K

$709 ₹67.3K

-38.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Chandigarh: October 12, 2026

Last update for Amritsar: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chandigarh

$117 24.8%

Amritsar

$31 8.1% 73.5% $86

Groceries & Markets

Chandigarh

$114 24.3%

Amritsar

$106 28% 6.9% $7.9

Eating Out

Chandigarh

$89 18.8%

Amritsar

$67 17.5% 25% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Chandigarh

$69 14.7%

Amritsar

$68 17.8% 2.2% $1.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chandigarh

$48 10.2%

Amritsar

$48 12.6% 0.6% $0.3

Sport & Entertainment

Chandigarh

$27 5.7%

Amritsar

$36 9.5% 34.4% $9.3

Getting Around

Chandigarh

$7 1.5%

Amritsar

$25 6.6% 257% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $166 in Chandigarh and $62.0 in Amritsar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Amritsar pays 64% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14.00 in Chandigarh vs $8.00 in Amritsar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $114 vs $107 per month, with Amritsar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇳 Chandigarh

🇮🇳 Amritsar

🕒 Local time

09:27 9:27 AM

Same time as Chandigarh

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,028,667

1,132,761

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chandigarh vs Amritsar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Amritsar wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Chandigarh. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Amritsar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 64% lower in Amritsar. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $166 in Chandigarh versus $62.0 in Amritsar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Amritsar – a meal for two runs $8.00 versus $14.00 in Chandigarh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $471 per month in Chandigarh versus $381 in Amritsar – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Amritsar 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.

Safety-wise, Chandigarh and Amritsar 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 Amritsar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Chandigarh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.