Cost of Living Comparison Between Chennai (Madras) and Hyderabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Chennai (Madras) and Hyderabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $484 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $524 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $754 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $855 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,024 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $1,187 in Hyderabad, rent included.

Chennai (Madras) is about 8% cheaper than Hyderabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chennai (Madras) and Hyderabad are more affordable than the global median – Chennai (Madras) 64% lower, Hyderabad 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.23 ₹213

$3.52 ₹337

-36.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.73 ₹1,123

$17.38 ₹1,663

-32.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.96 ₹379

$5.22 ₹499

-24.14%

Cappuccino

$2.11 ₹202

$2.03 ₹194

3.94%

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

$0.49 ₹47.10

$0.42 ₹39.75

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.36

$0.19 ₹18.19

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 ₹199

$2.05 ₹196

1.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ₹400

$3.41 ₹326

22.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 ₹60.1

$0.82 ₹78.8

-23.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 ₹47.37

$0.62 ₹59.2

-19.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.4

$0.76 ₹73.1

1.32%

Eggs

$0.87 ₹83.5

$0.98 ₹94.1

-11.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.99 ₹669

$6.21 ₹595

12.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.45 ₹330

$3.81 ₹365

-9.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ₹281

$2.80 ₹268

5.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 ₹78.1

$0.76 ₹72.3

7.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 ₹128

$1.03 ₹98.8

30.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.45 ₹42.92

$0.51 ₹48.42

-11.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 ₹52.3

$0.46 ₹44.33

19.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ₹51.5

$0.52 ₹50.2

3.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ₹52.3

$0.66 ₹63.6

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.42

$0.37 ₹35.16

-10.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ₹383

$4.19 ₹401

-4.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.68 ₹735

$8.46 ₹810

-9.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₹183

$2.02 ₹193

-5.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ₹334

$2.96 ₹283

17.91%

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

$6.12 ₹585

$6.42 ₹614

-4.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₹32.26

$0.60 ₹57.3

-43.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.49 ₹1,100

$15.39 ₹1,472

-25.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ₹147

$1.17 ₹112

30.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.77

$0.33 ₹31.55

-9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 ₹169

$1.56 ₹149

12.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₹111

$1.29 ₹123

-10.08%

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

$17.2K ₹1.6M

$17.3K ₹1.7M

-0.47%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$24.2K ₹2.3M

1.08%

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

$47.37 ₹4,533

$39.20 ₹3,751

20.84%

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

$4.73 ₹453

$4.42 ₹423

7.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.77 ₹935

$8.41 ₹805

16.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.53 ₹1,677

$21.22 ₹2,030

-17.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.26 ₹694

$7.93 ₹759

-8.45%

Cinema Ticket

$2.84 ₹272

$3.98 ₹381

-28.64%

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

$80.3 ₹7,686

$116 ₹11.1K

-30.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,756 ₹168.0K

$2,589 ₹247.8K

-32.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.19 ₹2,410

$30.68 ₹2,936

-17.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.56 ₹2,254

$24.17 ₹2,313

-2.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.44 ₹4,731

$49.28 ₹4,716

0.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.35 ₹3,382

$37.37 ₹3,576

-5.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$190 ₹18.2K

$239 ₹22.9K

-20.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 ₹11.2K

$137 ₹13.1K

-14.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ₹41.6K

$627 ₹60.0K

-30.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 ₹25.2K

$336 ₹32.2K

-21.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,736 ₹166.1K

$1,364 ₹130.5K

27.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$724 ₹69.3K

$753 ₹72.1K

-3.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$718 ₹68.7K

$1,182 ₹113.1K

-39.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.42

9.19

2.50%

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

Last update for Chennai (Madras): June 1, 2026

Last update for Hyderabad: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $190 in Chennai (Madras) versus $239 in Hyderabad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 65% higher in Hyderabad, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Chennai (Madras) versus $17.00 in Hyderabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $124 vs $127 – making Chennai (Madras) the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Chennai (Madras) vs Hyderabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hyderabad costs about 8% more than Chennai (Madras), with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $726 per month in Chennai (Madras) and $786 in Hyderabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chennai (Madras), especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $484 in Chennai (Madras) and $524 in Hyderabad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 34% less in Chennai (Madras). For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $484 in Chennai (Madras) and $524 in Hyderabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chennai (Madras) costs $484 versus $524 in Hyderabad. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Chennai (Madras). If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hyderabad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.