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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $421 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $377 in Visakhapatnam, rent included.

A couple spends around $702 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $589 in Visakhapatnam, rent included.

A family of three spends $982 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $802 in Visakhapatnam, rent included.

Chennai (Madras) costs about 12% more than Visakhapatnam, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Chennai (Madras) and Visakhapatnam are more affordable than the global median – Chennai (Madras) 69% lower, Visakhapatnam 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 ₹195

$2.14 ₹202

-3.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.66 ₹1,196

$8.35 ₹789

51.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.28 ₹404

$4.66 ₹440

-8.15%

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₹168

$1.69 ₹159

5.33%

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

$0.35 ₹32.94

$0.34 ₹31.66

2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ₹17.39

$0.10 ₹9.77

80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₹150

$2.09 ₹197

-23.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₹283

$3.03 ₹286

-0.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.57 ₹54.2

$0.68 ₹64.1

-16.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 ₹47.37

$0.54 ₹50.7

-7.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 ₹65.1

$0.61 ₹57.5

13.11%

Eggs

$0.83 ₹78.4

$0.86 ₹81.1

-3.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.16 ₹582

$5.67 ₹535

8.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ₹312

$3.06 ₹289

7.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 ₹272

$2.49 ₹235

15.66%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹76.6

$0.67 ₹63.0

20.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 ₹130

$1.07 ₹101

28.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 ₹45.24

$0.41 ₹38.39

17.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 ₹44.30

$0.39 ₹36.95

20.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 ₹36.01

$0.36 ₹34.47

5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ₹45.37

$0.56 ₹52.9

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₹26.45

$0.32 ₹30.55

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.17 ₹488

$5.14 ₹485

0.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.13 ₹579

$9.18 ₹867

-33.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ₹167

$1.73 ₹163

2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₹264

$3.09 ₹292

-9.39%

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

$6.45 ₹609

$4.40 ₹415

46.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ₹31.49

$0.20 ₹18.88

65.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.46 ₹988

$13.56 ₹1,281

-22.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 ₹97.0

$1.04 ₹97.8

-0.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₹30.58

$0.18 ₹17.33

77.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.14 ₹202

$2.66 ₹251

-19.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹104

$1.12 ₹106

-1.79%

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

$15.4K ₹1.5M

$13.4K ₹1.3M

14.88%

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

$20.6K ₹1.9M

$21.9K ₹2.1M

-5.93%

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

$38.32 ₹3,620

$32.30 ₹3,052

18.64%

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

$3.98 ₹376

$3.50 ₹330

13.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.18 ₹773

$5.06 ₹478

61.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.96 ₹1,413

$18.54 ₹1,751

-19.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.94 ₹656

$5.41 ₹511

28.28%

Cinema Ticket

$2.64 ₹249

$2.57 ₹243

2.72%

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

$94.6 ₹8,942

$50.5 ₹4,771

87.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,126 ₹200.9K

$1,546 ₹146.1K

37.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.99 ₹1,983

$23.32 ₹2,203

-9.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.67 ₹1,575

$21.11 ₹1,995

-21.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.34 ₹3,339

$30.83 ₹2,913

14.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.73 ₹2,903

$31.97 ₹3,020

-3.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$186 ₹17.5K

$151 ₹14.3K

22.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$104 ₹9,817

$61.4 ₹5,801

69.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 ₹47.0K

$353 ₹33.4K

40.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 ₹29.4K

$149 ₹14.1K

108.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,997 ₹188.6K

$961 ₹90.8K

107.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$797 ₹75.3K

$471 ₹44.5K

69.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$681 ₹64.4K

$355 ₹33.5K

91.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.88

8.58

15.15%

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

Last update for Chennai (Madras): August 30, 2026

Last update for Visakhapatnam: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $186 in Chennai (Madras) versus $151 in Visakhapatnam. 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 92% higher in Chennai (Madras), 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 $13.00 in Chennai (Madras) versus $8.00 in Visakhapatnam. Groceries tell a different story – $113 in Chennai (Madras) vs $114 in Visakhapatnam – so Chennai (Madras) wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Visakhapatnam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chennai (Madras) costs about 12% more than Visakhapatnam, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $632 per month in Chennai (Madras) and $565 in Visakhapatnam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Visakhapatnam, 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 $421 in Chennai (Madras) and $377 in Visakhapatnam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 30% less in Visakhapatnam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $421 in Chennai (Madras) and $377 in Visakhapatnam, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Visakhapatnam costs $377 versus $421 in Chennai (Madras). Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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