Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Cheras

For one person, living is cheaper in Delhi: $522 a month against $1,130 in Cheras, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

25

Cost of Living Index in Delhi
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Delhi Living Index
55

Cost of Living Index in Cheras
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Cheras Living Index

Jump to prices

Delhi

🇮🇳 India

$522

/mo nomad

Cheras

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$1,130

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Delhi and in Cheras

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

A single person spends $522 per month in Delhi vs $1,130 in Cheras, rent included.

Delhi $522
Cheras $1,130

A couple spends around $872 per month in Delhi vs $1,541 in Cheras, rent included.

Delhi $872
Cheras $1,541

A family of three spends $1,222 per month in Delhi vs $1,952 in Cheras, rent included.

Delhi $1,222
Cheras $1,952

Delhi is about 54% cheaper than Cheras, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Delhi and Cheras are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 61% lower, Cheras 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.70 ₹351

$3.58 MYR 14.62

3.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.05 ₹1,999

$24.28 MYR 99.1

-13.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.73 ₹354

$4.80 MYR 19.57

-22.29%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₹223

$3.08 MYR 12.55

-23.70%

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

$0.37 ₹35.21

$0.93 MYR 3.79

-60.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹13.93

$0.60 MYR 2.44

-75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₹203

$4.35 MYR 17.75

-50.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ₹291

$6.25 MYR 25.50

-51.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 ₹65.1

$1.93 MYR 7.88

-64.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 ₹50.0

$1.02 MYR 4.18

-48.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.1

$1.44 MYR 5.89

-46.53%

Eggs

$1.11 ₹105

$1.77 MYR 7.23

-37.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.63 ₹440

$17.85 MYR 72.8

-74.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.52 ₹334

$4.56 MYR 18.60

-22.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 MYR 44.09

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 ₹190

$3.55 MYR 14.50

-43.66%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 ₹70.5

$1.94 MYR 7.91

-61.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 ₹92.6

$2.63 MYR 10.73

-63.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 ₹49.92

$1.67 MYR 6.80

-68.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 ₹28.61

$2.08 MYR 8.48

-85.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹37.82

$1.65 MYR 6.72

-75.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 ₹39.62

$1.38 MYR 5.63

-69.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.81

$0.51 MYR 2.07

-39.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.94 ₹469

$4.24 MYR 17.30

16.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.21 ₹779

$13.88 MYR 56.6

-40.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₹150

$2.77 MYR 11.30

-42.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ₹255

$3.15 MYR 12.83

-14.60%

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

$6.19 ₹588

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₹43.46

$0.70 MYR 2.87

-34.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.78 ₹1,498

$12.03 MYR 49.08

31.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ₹102

$1.01 MYR 4.13

5.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₹25.66

$0.35 MYR 1.44

-22.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ₹150

$8.96 MYR 36.57

-82.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ₹101

$0.88 MYR 3.58

21.59%

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

$10.7K ₹1.0M

$40.9K MYR 167.0K

-73.97%

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

$18.9K ₹1.8M

$34.0K MYR 138.7K

-44.30%

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

$42.37 ₹4,024

$49.67 MYR 203

-14.70%

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

$4.03 ₹383

$11.06 MYR 45.10

-63.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.95 ₹660

$27.31 MYR 111

-74.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.18 ₹1,821

$39.42 MYR 161

-51.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.92 ₹752

$7.14 MYR 29.13

10.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.27 ₹500

$4.99 MYR 20.36

5.61%

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

$100 ₹9,525

$164 MYR 667

-38.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,247 ₹213.4K

$4,451 MYR 18.2K

-49.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.11 ₹2,290

$54.3 MYR 221

-55.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.85 ₹2,645

$29.39 MYR 120

-5.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.4 ₹4,977

$81.5 MYR 332

-35.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.90 ₹4,074

$98.6 MYR 402

-56.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 ₹25.4K

$409 MYR 1,669

-34.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 ₹14.8K

$467 MYR 1,906

-66.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$734 ₹69.7K

$687 MYR 2,803

6.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ₹37.5K

$485 MYR 1,977

-18.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,507 ₹238.0K

$2,052 MYR 8,372

22.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,020 ₹96.8K

$1,103 MYR 4,501

-7.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 ₹57.7K

$1,189 MYR 4,851

-48.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

4.06

105.17%

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

Last update for Delhi: October 12, 2026

Last update for Cheras: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Delhi

$156 29.9%

Cheras

$467 41.4% 200% $311

Groceries & Markets

Delhi

$109 20.9%

Cheras

$268 23.8% 147% $160

Eating Out

Delhi

$88 16.8%

Cheras

$120 10.7% 36.9% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Delhi

$66 12.7%

Cheras

$119 10.5% 79.1% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Delhi

$53 10.2%

Cheras

$88 7.8% 65% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Delhi

$30 5.7%

Cheras

$49 4.4% 66.2% $20

Getting Around

Delhi

$20 3.8%

Cheras

$18 1.6% 12% $2.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $267 in Delhi versus $409 in Cheras. 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 96% higher in Cheras, 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 $21.00 in Delhi versus $24.00 in Cheras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $109 vs $268 – making Delhi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇳 Delhi

🇲🇾 Cheras

🕒 Local time

08:52 8:52 AM

11:22 11:22 AM

2 h 30 min ahead of Delhi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

16,787,941 Capital

440,000

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇳 Indian Rupee (₹)

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

USD to INR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Delhi Cheras 3,850 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Delhi
Cheras

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

Delhi vs Cheras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cheras is pricier by about 116%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $783 per month in Delhi and $1,695 in Cheras. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 146% more in Cheras, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Delhi and $24.00 in Cheras. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Delhi, where all-in costs run around $522, than in Cheras at $1,130. In Delhi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cheras it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Delhi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Delhi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cheras makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.