Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Howrah Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Howrah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $531 per month in Delhi vs $375 in Howrah, rent included.

A couple spends around $875 per month in Delhi vs $501 in Howrah, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,219 per month in Delhi vs $627 in Howrah, rent included.

Delhi costs about 42% more than Howrah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Delhi and Howrah are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 61% lower, Howrah 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 ₹386

$2.15 ₹203

90.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.13 ₹1,996

$9.60 ₹907

120.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.96 ₹374

$4.26 ₹402

-7.04%

Cappuccino

$2.37 ₹224

$1.39 ₹131

70.50%

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

$0.36 ₹33.83

$0.47 ₹44.50

-23.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹15.79

$0.12 ₹11.79

41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₹201

$1.56 ₹148

36.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₹301

$3.17 ₹300

0.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹69.4

$0.64 ₹60.4

14.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 ₹49.28

$0.42 ₹39.89

23.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 ₹69.6

$0.70 ₹65.8

5.71%

Eggs

$1.10 ₹104

$1.03 ₹97.1

6.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 ₹405

$5.29 ₹500

-18.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 ₹327

$2.69 ₹254

28.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₹194

$2.10 ₹199

-2.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 ₹70.2

$0.86 ₹81.3

-13.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 ₹98.0

$1.50 ₹142

-30.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 ₹49.43

$0.66 ₹62.2

-21.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 ₹26.32

$0.33 ₹31.46

-15.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₹34.53

$0.44 ₹41.32

-15.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 ₹42.85

$0.31 ₹28.92

45.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.75

$0.28 ₹26.61

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.13 ₹484

$5.18 ₹489

-0.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₹773

$10.60 ₹1,001

-22.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₹150

$1.38 ₹130

15.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 ₹248

$2.70 ₹255

-2.59%

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

$6.29 ₹594

$8.64 ₹816

-27.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ₹41.55

$0.18 ₹16.91

144.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.04 ₹1,515

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 ₹95.9

$0.60 ₹56.7

70.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₹25.53

$0.31 ₹29.08

-12.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 ₹145

$1.56 ₹148

-1.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ₹98.9

$1.10 ₹104

-4.55%

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

$11.8K ₹1.1M

$15.0K ₹1.4M

-21.54%

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

$19.4K ₹1.8M

$19.7K ₹1.9M

-1.32%

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

$42.31 ₹3,997

$44.77 ₹4,230

-5.49%

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

$4.21 ₹398

$3.55 ₹336

18.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.91 ₹653

$6.18 ₹584

11.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.33 ₹1,921

$14.31 ₹1,352

42.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.17 ₹772

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 ₹493

$3.06 ₹289

70.59%

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

$95.6 ₹9,030

$26.48 ₹2,502

260.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,099 ₹198.3K

$1,283 ₹121.2K

63.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.80 ₹2,343

$25.03 ₹2,365

-0.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.61 ₹2,798

$22.79 ₹2,153

29.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.3 ₹5,125

$31.23 ₹2,951

73.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.37 ₹4,476

$26.66 ₹2,519

77.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 ₹25.7K

$115 ₹10.8K

137.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 ₹14.5K

$77.3 ₹7,301

99.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 ₹68.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 ₹35.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,550 ₹240.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$962 ₹90.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ₹57.2K

$360 ₹34.0K

68.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.6

9.27

-7.23%

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

Last update for Delhi: August 29, 2026

Last update for Howrah: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $272 in Delhi versus $115 in Howrah. 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 68% higher in Delhi, 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 $10.00 in Howrah. Groceries tell a different story – $108 in Delhi vs $112 in Howrah – so Delhi 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

Delhi vs Howrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $531 in Delhi, $375 in Howrah – roughly 42% apart. Delhi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $797 per month in Delhi and $562 in Howrah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Howrah, 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 $531 in Delhi and $375 in Howrah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $95.6 per month in Delhi and $26.48 in Howrah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $531 in Delhi and $375 in Howrah, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Howrah – 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 Howrah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Delhi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.