Cost of Living Comparison Between Chandigarh and Delhi Cost of Living Comparison Between Chandigarh and Delhi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $450 in Chandigarh versus $546 in Delhi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $731 in Chandigarh versus $874 in Delhi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,012 in Chandigarh versus $1,202 in Delhi.

Living in Chandigarh costs roughly 18% less than in Delhi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Chandigarh 66% lower, Delhi 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 ₹300

$4.61 ₹443

-32.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.08 ₹1,355

$19.83 ₹1,909

-29.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.53 ₹340

$4.16 ₹400

-15.14%

Cappuccino

$1.98 ₹191

$2.00 ₹192

-1.00%

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

$0.40 ₹38.41

$0.44 ₹42.25

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 ₹19.21

$0.18 ₹17.65

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 ₹171

$2.06 ₹198

-13.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₹278

$3.41 ₹328

-15.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 ₹74.2

$0.73 ₹70.3

5.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 ₹54.9

$0.56 ₹53.7

1.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₹79.1

$0.85 ₹82.0

-3.53%

Eggs

$1.09 ₹105

$1.18 ₹114

-7.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.49 ₹528

$4.65 ₹448

18.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.91 ₹281

$3.42 ₹329

-14.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₹198

$2.12 ₹204

-3.30%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 ₹72.3

$0.82 ₹79.0

-8.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 ₹95.7

$0.99 ₹95.6

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 ₹54.4

$0.63 ₹60.8

-11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.80

$0.38 ₹36.80

2.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 ₹43.77

$0.53 ₹51.2

-15.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 ₹43.96

$0.59 ₹56.8

-22.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹30.32

$0.36 ₹34.83

-13.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ₹398

$4.01 ₹386

3.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.70 ₹1,126

$9.10 ₹877

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₹160

$1.79 ₹173

-7.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ₹275

$2.84 ₹273

0.35%

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

$5.06 ₹487

$5.69 ₹547

-11.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₹26.69

$0.53 ₹51.1

-47.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.68 ₹835

$11.56 ₹1,113

-24.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₹75.7

$0.57 ₹54.4

38.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₹23.11

$0.28 ₹26.60

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 ₹126

$1.32 ₹127

-0.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₹116

$1.13 ₹109

7.08%

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

$14.8K ₹1.4M

$17.8K ₹1.7M

-16.83%

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

$28.9K ₹2.8M

$24.2K ₹2.3M

19.50%

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

$47.68 ₹4,590

$65.7 ₹6,323

-27.39%

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

$3.34 ₹321

$4.35 ₹419

-23.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.17 ₹690

$8.11 ₹781

-11.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.79 ₹1,905

$20.31 ₹1,956

-2.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.31 ₹992

$10.13 ₹975

1.78%

Cinema Ticket

$2.84 ₹273

$4.55 ₹438

-37.58%

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

$61.9 ₹5,957

$78.9 ₹7,592

-21.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,966 ₹189.3K

$2,030 ₹195.4K

-3.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.88 ₹2,395

$27.86 ₹2,682

-10.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.03 ₹2,314

$31.02 ₹2,986

-22.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.63 ₹4,682

$50.1 ₹4,825

-2.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.59 ₹3,138

$35.47 ₹3,415

-8.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$170 ₹16.4K

$242 ₹23.3K

-29.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$104 ₹10.1K

$137 ₹13.2K

-23.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ₹39.5K

$582 ₹56.1K

-29.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 ₹25.7K

$322 ₹31.0K

-16.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,017 ₹290.5K

$2,419 ₹232.9K

24.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,782 ₹171.6K

$975 ₹93.9K

82.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$471 ₹45.3K

$530 ₹51.0K

-11.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.3

-7.78%

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

Last update for Chandigarh: July 11, 2026

Last update for Delhi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $170 in Chandigarh and $242 in Delhi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Delhi pays 13% 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: $14.00 in Chandigarh vs $20.00 in Delhi. Groceries flip the comparison at $119 vs $116, with Delhi cheaper for home cooking.

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

Chandigarh vs Delhi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chandigarh wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Delhi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chandigarh the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Delhi. 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: $170 in Chandigarh versus $242 in Delhi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chandigarh runs roughly 33% less than in Delhi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $61.9 in Chandigarh versus $78.9 in Delhi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chandigarh 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 Delhi 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 Chandigarh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Delhi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.