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 $484 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $429 in Visakhapatnam, rent included.

A couple spends around $754 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $690 in Visakhapatnam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,024 per month in Chennai (Madras) vs $951 in Visakhapatnam, rent included.

Chennai (Madras) costs about 13% more than Visakhapatnam, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Chennai (Madras) and Visakhapatnam are more affordable than the global median – Chennai (Madras) 64% lower, Visakhapatnam 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.23 ₹212

$2.52 ₹240

-11.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.73 ₹1,118

$13.02 ₹1,240

-9.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.96 ₹377

$4.29 ₹409

-7.69%

Cappuccino

$2.11 ₹201

$1.58 ₹151

33.54%

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

$0.49 ₹46.89

$0.36 ₹34.26

36.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.28

$0.10 ₹9.52

90.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 ₹198

$2.11 ₹201

-1.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ₹398

$3.51 ₹334

19.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 ₹59.8

$0.76 ₹72.1

-17.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 ₹47.15

$0.57 ₹54.7

-12.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.1

$0.82 ₹77.8

-6.10%

Eggs

$0.87 ₹83.1

$0.98 ₹93.5

-11.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.99 ₹666

$5.17 ₹492

35.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.45 ₹329

$3.48 ₹331

-0.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ₹280

$2.89 ₹276

1.73%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 ₹77.8

$0.78 ₹73.9

5.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 ₹127

$1.31 ₹125

2.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.45 ₹42.73

$0.55 ₹52.5

-18.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 ₹52.1

$0.56 ₹53.2

-1.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ₹51.2

$0.58 ₹55.1

-6.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ₹52.0

$0.72 ₹69.0

-23.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.27

$0.35 ₹33.39

-5.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ₹381

$4.27 ₹407

-6.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.68 ₹731

$9.03 ₹861

-14.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₹182

$1.97 ₹187

-3.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 ₹333

$3.62 ₹345

-3.59%

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

$6.12 ₹583

$4.81 ₹458

27.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₹32.11

$0.28 ₹26.57

21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.49 ₹1,095

$19.37 ₹1,845

-40.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ₹146

$1.43 ₹136

6.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.64

$0.21 ₹19.95

42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 ₹168

$2.29 ₹219

-23.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₹110

$1.26 ₹120

-7.94%

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

$17.2K ₹1.6M

$15.2K ₹1.4M

13.60%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$24.2K ₹2.3M

1.10%

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

$47.37 ₹4,512

$37.25 ₹3,548

27.17%

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

$4.73 ₹451

$3.69 ₹351

28.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.77 ₹931

$5.60 ₹534

74.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.53 ₹1,669

$17.11 ₹1,630

2.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.26 ₹691

$11.65 ₹1,110

-37.68%

Cinema Ticket

$2.84 ₹271

$3.17 ₹301

-10.41%

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

$80.3 ₹7,650

$65.8 ₹6,269

22.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,756 ₹167.3K

$1,730 ₹164.8K

1.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.19 ₹2,399

$30.09 ₹2,866

-16.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.56 ₹2,244

$28.37 ₹2,702

-16.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.44 ₹4,709

$37.35 ₹3,558

32.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.35 ₹3,367

$37.32 ₹3,555

-5.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$190 ₹18.1K

$142 ₹13.5K

34.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 ₹11.1K

$81.4 ₹7,754

43.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 ₹41.4K

$383 ₹36.4K

13.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 ₹25.0K

$194 ₹18.4K

35.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,736 ₹165.3K

$927 ₹88.3K

87.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$724 ₹69.0K

$470 ₹44.8K

53.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$718 ₹68.4K

$351 ₹33.4K

104.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.42

8.3

13.49%

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

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

Last update for Visakhapatnam: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $190 in Chennai (Madras) versus $142 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 105% 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 $12.00 in Chennai (Madras) versus $13.00 in Visakhapatnam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $124 vs $126 – 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 Visakhapatnam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chennai (Madras) costs about 13% more than Visakhapatnam, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. 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 $644 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 $484 in Chennai (Madras) and $429 in Visakhapatnam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 69% 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 $484 in Chennai (Madras) and $429 in Visakhapatnam, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Visakhapatnam costs $429 versus $484 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.