Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dehradun and Surat

For one person, living is cheaper in Dehradun: $517 a month against $799 in Surat, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Surat outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Dehradun, India
Surat, India
Dehradun
🇮🇳 India
$517
/mo nomad
Surat
🇮🇳 India
$799
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dehradun and in Surat

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dehradun and in Surat actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $517 in Dehradun versus $799 in Surat.

  • Dehradun $517
  • Surat $799

Estimated couple costs with rent: $768 in Dehradun versus $853 in Surat.

  • Dehradun $768
  • Surat $853

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,019 in Dehradun versus $906 in Surat.

  • Dehradun $1,019
  • Surat $906

Living in Dehradun costs roughly 35% less than in Surat, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dehradun 62% lower, Surat 41% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dehradun
Surat
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.21 ₹306
$3.14 ₹299
2.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.54 ₹1,004
$10.59 ₹1,008
-0.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.62 ₹345
$3.22 ₹306
12.42%
Cappuccino
$1.83 ₹175
$1.76 ₹167
3.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 ₹34.37
$0.39 ₹37.24
-7.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.17 ₹16.20
$0.14 ₹13.62
21.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.87 ₹178
$3.21 ₹306
-41.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 ₹253
$3.39 ₹323
-21.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dehradun
Surat
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.70 ₹66.6
$0.72 ₹68.3
-2.78%
White Bread (500g)
$0.53 ₹50.5
$0.46 ₹43.91
15.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.76 ₹72.4
$0.72 ₹68.7
5.56%
Eggs
$0.89 ₹85.1
$0.90 ₹85.8
-1.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.51 ₹525
$4.63 ₹441
19.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.23 ₹308
$2.74 ₹261
17.88%
Apples (1kg)
$1.91 ₹182
$1.67 ₹159
14.37%
Banana (1kg)
$0.76 ₹72.6
$0.57 ₹54.7
33.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.64 ₹61.2
$0.76 ₹72.1
-15.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.47 ₹44.93
$0.55 ₹52.3
-14.55%
Potato (1kg)
$0.28 ₹26.42
$0.39 ₹36.89
-28.21%
Onion (1kg)
$0.37 ₹35.53
$0.43 ₹41.11
-13.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.46 ₹44.13
$0.46 ₹44.28
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.27 ₹25.41
$0.30 ₹28.13
-10.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.15 ₹491
$4.94 ₹470
4.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.91 ₹944
$7.81 ₹744
26.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 ₹145
$1.86 ₹178
-18.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 ₹199
$3.05 ₹290
-31.48%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$4.99 ₹475
$6.18 ₹589
-19.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Dehradun
Surat
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.15 ₹14.24
$0.20 ₹19.04
-25.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.75 ₹1,214
$3.21 ₹306
297.20%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.06 ₹101
$0.56 ₹53.7
89.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.33 ₹31.86
$0.22 ₹20.96
50.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.54 ₹147
$1.08 ₹103
42.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.12 ₹107
$1.13 ₹108
-0.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$11.1K ₹1.1M
$11.4K ₹1.1M
-2.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.7K ₹1.7M
$18.3K ₹1.7M
-3.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dehradun
Surat
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.6 ₹6,054
$36.87 ₹3,511
72.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.67 ₹349
$3.56 ₹339
3.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.14 ₹679
$7.44 ₹708
-4.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dehradun
Surat
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$16.59 ₹1,579
$18.56 ₹1,767
-10.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$9.70 ₹923
$5.45 ₹519
77.98%
Cinema Ticket
$3.72 ₹355
$2.98 ₹284
24.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dehradun
Surat
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$49.26 ₹4,690
$32.79 ₹3,122
50.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,328 ₹412.2K
$937 ₹89.2K
361.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dehradun
Surat
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.12 ₹2,392
$22.65 ₹2,157
10.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.83 ₹2,650
$24.76 ₹2,357
12.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$39.01 ₹3,714
$40.73 ₹3,878
-4.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$39.69 ₹3,780
$32.31 ₹3,077
22.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dehradun
Surat
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$214 ₹20.4K
$208 ₹19.8K
2.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$159 ₹15.1K
$484 ₹46.1K
-67.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$403 ₹38.4K
$387 ₹36.9K
4.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$285 ₹27.1K
$241 ₹23.0K
18.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$964 ₹91.8K
$645 ₹61.4K
49.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$562 ₹53.5K
$364 ₹34.6K
54.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dehradun
Surat
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$363 ₹34.6K
$319 ₹30.4K
13.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.88
9.17
-3.16%

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

Last update for Dehradun: October 27, 2026

Last update for Surat: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Dehradun
$159
Surat
$484 205% $325
Groceries & Markets
Dehradun
$109
Surat
$102 6.5% $7.1
Eating Out
Dehradun
$75
Surat
$81 7.2% $5.5
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dehradun
$74
Surat
$48 35.7% $27
Clothing & Footwear
Dehradun
$59
Surat
$54 8.5% $5
Sport & Entertainment
Dehradun
$24
Surat
$25 2% $0.5
Getting Around
Dehradun
$16
Surat
$5.7 64.7% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $214 in Dehradun and $208 in Surat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dehradun pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $11 in Dehradun vs $11 in Surat. Groceries flip the comparison at $109 vs $102, with Surat cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇮🇳 Dehradun
🇮🇳 Surat
🕒 Local time
00:10 12:10 AM
00:10 12:10 AM
Same time as Dehradun
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
447,808
6,936,534
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 95.22 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dehradun Surat 1,140 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Dehradun
  • Surat

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Dehradun vs Surat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dehradun cheaper than Surat?
Dehradun is cheaper overall, especially in eating out. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Dehradun or Surat?
Average pay runs 14% higher in Dehradun, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Dehradun and Surat?
Rent for a central apartment: $214 in Dehradun versus $208 in Surat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $49 in Dehradun versus $33 in Surat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Surat runs roughly 75% less than in Dehradun. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.
Is $1,000 enough for either Dehradun or Surat?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Dehradun gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is it better to live in Dehradun or in Surat?
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.
Which city is safer, Dehradun or Surat?
Safety-wise, Dehradun and Surat are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

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