Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Karnataka Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Karnataka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $539 per month in Delhi vs $330 in Karnataka, rent included.

A couple spends around $857 per month in Delhi vs $538 in Karnataka, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,174 per month in Delhi vs $746 in Karnataka, rent included.

Delhi costs about 63% more than Karnataka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Delhi and Karnataka are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 60% lower, Karnataka 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.76 ₹452

$1.14 ₹108

317.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.65 ₹1,866

$6.95 ₹659

182.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.13 ₹392

$3.43 ₹326

20.41%

Cappuccino

$2.10 ₹199

$1.17 ₹111

79.49%

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

$0.48 ₹45.40

$0.49 ₹46.45

-2.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.70

$0.16 ₹15.38

-12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 ₹194

$1.70 ₹161

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 ₹337

$2.27 ₹215

56.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹69.8

$0.43 ₹40.72

69.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 ₹53.0

$0.40 ₹37.85

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ₹87.4

$0.64 ₹60.3

43.75%

Eggs

$1.17 ₹111

$0.69 ₹65.4

69.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.63 ₹440

$7.79 ₹740

-40.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.50 ₹332

$3.24 ₹308

8.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 ₹193

$2.39 ₹227

-15.06%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 ₹80.6

$0.78 ₹73.9

8.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 ₹91.6

$0.84 ₹80.2

14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 ₹57.3

$0.48 ₹45.84

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.42 ₹39.81

$0.34 ₹32.02

23.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.15

$0.45 ₹42.45

13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ₹56.2

$0.45 ₹42.88

31.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₹34.62

$0.33 ₹31.63

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 ₹391

$3.53 ₹335

16.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.10 ₹959

$4.53 ₹430

122.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ₹169

$1.65 ₹157

7.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ₹263

$2.98 ₹283

-7.05%

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

$5.62 ₹534

$4.55 ₹432

23.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₹50.8

$0.30 ₹28.59

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.58 ₹1,099

$8.47 ₹804

36.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 ₹53.9

$0.36 ₹34.30

58.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ₹26.22

$0.34 ₹32.03

-17.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 ₹119

$1.43 ₹136

-12.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₹111

$0.83 ₹79.1

40.96%

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

$17.3K ₹1.6M

$12.8K ₹1.2M

35.31%

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

$24.0K ₹2.3M

$21.4K ₹2.0M

12.20%

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

$65.6 ₹6,232

$17.31 ₹1,643

279.20%

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

$4.30 ₹409

$3.38 ₹321

27.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.90 ₹750

$2.28 ₹217

246.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.40 ₹1,936

$15.62 ₹1,483

30.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.17 ₹965

$7.03 ₹668

44.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 ₹451

$2.98 ₹283

59.40%

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

$80.2 ₹7,612

$35.82 ₹3,401

123.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,059 ₹195.4K

$996 ₹94.6K

106.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.26 ₹2,588

$20.43 ₹1,940

33.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.85 ₹3,023

$17.33 ₹1,645

83.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.67 ₹4,716

$33.24 ₹3,155

49.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.83 ₹3,496

$26.84 ₹2,548

37.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 ₹22.9K

$123 ₹11.7K

96.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 ₹13.2K

$77.4 ₹7,346

80.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 ₹56.5K

$277 ₹26.3K

114.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 ₹31.2K

$178 ₹16.9K

84.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,553 ₹242.4K

$374 ₹35.5K

582.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$922 ₹87.5K

$236 ₹22.4K

289.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$535 ₹50.8K

$408 ₹38.8K

31.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.38

7.40%

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

Last update for Delhi: April 27, 2026

Last update for Karnataka: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $242 in Delhi versus $123 in Karnataka. 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 31% 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 $20.00 in Delhi versus $7.00 in Karnataka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $118 vs $107 – making Karnataka 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

Delhi vs Karnataka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $539 in Delhi, $330 in Karnataka – roughly 63% apart. Delhi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $809 per month in Delhi and $495 in Karnataka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Delhi and $7.00 in Karnataka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $539 in Delhi and $330 in Karnataka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $539 in Delhi and $330 in Karnataka, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Karnataka has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $330 in Karnataka to $539 in Delhi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Karnataka. 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.