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: $455 in Chandigarh versus $546 in Delhi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $739 in Chandigarh versus $861 in Delhi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,023 in Chandigarh versus $1,176 in Delhi.

Living in Chandigarh costs roughly 17% 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

$3.16 ₹303

$4.75 ₹455

-33.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.21 ₹1,360

$19.98 ₹1,912

-28.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.41 ₹327

$3.97 ₹380

-14.11%

Cappuccino

$2.00 ₹192

$2.05 ₹196

-2.44%

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

$0.39 ₹37.50

$0.47 ₹45.26

-17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 ₹19.12

$0.15 ₹14.66

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 ₹164

$2.06 ₹197

-16.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ₹281

$3.39 ₹324

-13.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 ₹73.9

$0.75 ₹71.7

2.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 ₹55.9

$0.56 ₹53.6

3.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ₹85.9

$0.91 ₹87.4

-1.10%

Eggs

$1.06 ₹101

$1.12 ₹107

-5.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.45 ₹522

$4.55 ₹435

19.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ₹290

$3.55 ₹340

-14.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 ₹190

$2.01 ₹193

-1.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹78.0

$0.84 ₹80.7

-3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 ₹93.1

$0.99 ₹94.9

-2.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 ₹54.0

$0.59 ₹56.6

-5.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 ₹37.84

$0.39 ₹37.23

2.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ₹43.88

$0.54 ₹51.9

-14.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ₹46.85

$0.61 ₹58.1

-19.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₹30.38

$0.37 ₹35.13

-13.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.01 ₹384

$4.16 ₹398

-3.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.79 ₹936

$9.18 ₹878

6.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ₹165

$1.86 ₹178

-7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ₹264

$2.88 ₹276

-4.17%

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

$5.28 ₹506

$5.57 ₹533

-5.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₹28.89

$0.53 ₹50.8

-43.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.50 ₹814

$11.61 ₹1,111

-26.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₹74.6

$0.56 ₹53.9

39.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₹23.09

$0.28 ₹26.57

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 ₹124

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₹110

$1.17 ₹112

-1.71%

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

$14.5K ₹1.4M

$17.7K ₹1.7M

-18.07%

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

$29.0K ₹2.8M

$23.9K ₹2.3M

21.17%

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

$47.95 ₹4,588

$66.4 ₹6,352

-27.75%

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

$3.47 ₹332

$4.31 ₹413

-19.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.14 ₹683

$7.99 ₹764

-10.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.33 ₹1,850

$20.25 ₹1,938

-4.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.12 ₹969

$10.15 ₹972

-0.30%

Cinema Ticket

$2.88 ₹276

$4.61 ₹441

-37.53%

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

$61.9 ₹5,925

$78.5 ₹7,515

-21.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,968 ₹188.4K

$2,010 ₹192.3K

-2.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.50 ₹2,344

$27.20 ₹2,603

-9.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.07 ₹2,303

$31.17 ₹2,983

-22.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.81 ₹4,671

$48.50 ₹4,641

0.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.30 ₹3,091

$36.01 ₹3,446

-10.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₹16.7K

$239 ₹22.9K

-26.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$104 ₹9,920

$135 ₹12.9K

-23.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 ₹38.5K

$584 ₹55.9K

-31.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 ₹25.9K

$322 ₹30.8K

-15.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,407 ₹326.1K

$2,503 ₹239.5K

36.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,069 ₹198.0K

$931 ₹89.1K

122.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$435 ₹41.7K

$531 ₹50.8K

-17.97%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Delhi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $174 in Chandigarh and $239 in Delhi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Delhi pays 22% 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 for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $116 vs $117 per month, with Chandigarh 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

Chandigarh vs Delhi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chandigarh wins on cost – living expenses run 20% 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, Delhi earns 22% less. 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: $174 in Chandigarh versus $239 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 37% 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 $78.5 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 20% less than in Delhi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.