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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $549 per month in Delhi vs $335 in Karnataka, rent included.

A couple spends around $869 per month in Delhi vs $543 in Karnataka, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,189 per month in Delhi vs $752 in Karnataka, rent included.

Delhi costs about 64% more than Karnataka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Delhi and Karnataka are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 59% lower, Karnataka 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ₹443

$1.18 ₹111

298.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ₹1,853

$7.00 ₹660

180.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 ₹388

$3.52 ₹332

17.05%

Cappuccino

$2.12 ₹200

$1.13 ₹107

87.61%

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

$0.47 ₹44.80

$0.45 ₹42.84

4.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ₹16.51

$0.14 ₹12.97

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 ₹193

$1.75 ₹165

16.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₹333

$2.27 ₹215

55.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹68.7

$0.39 ₹36.80

87.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ₹56.3

$0.39 ₹37.02

53.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₹85.8

$0.61 ₹57.5

49.18%

Eggs

$1.18 ₹111

$0.72 ₹68.4

63.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.71 ₹444

$7.96 ₹751

-40.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ₹321

$3.21 ₹303

5.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₹193

$2.37 ₹224

-13.50%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 ₹73.6

$0.81 ₹76.5

-3.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 ₹95.4

$0.85 ₹79.7

18.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 ₹56.7

$0.52 ₹49.36

15.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹36.39

$0.34 ₹31.70

14.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₹51.5

$0.44 ₹41.65

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ₹57.0

$0.48 ₹45.57

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₹31.76

$0.33 ₹31.50

3.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 ₹394

$3.39 ₹320

23.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.47 ₹893

$4.46 ₹420

112.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₹170

$1.65 ₹155

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₹272

$2.83 ₹267

1.77%

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

$5.49 ₹518

$4.74 ₹447

15.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₹50.8

$0.28 ₹26.33

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.78 ₹1,111

$8.54 ₹806

37.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 ₹53.1

$0.34 ₹31.78

64.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.38

$0.33 ₹31.40

-9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 ₹117

$1.43 ₹135

-13.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹106

$0.84 ₹79.3

34.52%

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

$17.1K ₹1.6M

$12.9K ₹1.2M

33.12%

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

$24.4K ₹2.3M

$21.2K ₹2.0M

15.04%

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

$65.7 ₹6,201

$17.62 ₹1,662

273.10%

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

$4.12 ₹389

$3.56 ₹336

15.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.82 ₹738

$2.30 ₹217

240.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.30 ₹1,914

$16.13 ₹1,521

25.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.05 ₹948

$6.90 ₹651

45.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.68 ₹441

$2.86 ₹270

63.64%

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

$78.7 ₹7,425

$36.32 ₹3,426

116.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,034 ₹191.8K

$988 ₹93.2K

105.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.13 ₹2,654

$20.66 ₹1,949

36.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.02 ₹2,926

$17.27 ₹1,629

79.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.63 ₹4,587

$33.60 ₹3,169

44.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.94 ₹3,390

$26.98 ₹2,545

33.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 ₹22.8K

$126 ₹11.8K

92.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 ₹13.0K

$77.3 ₹7,290

78.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 ₹55.6K

$279 ₹26.3K

111.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 ₹30.3K

$181 ₹17.1K

77.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,309 ₹217.8K

$960 ₹90.6K

140.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$981 ₹92.5K

$519 ₹48.9K

89.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$525 ₹49.5K

$521 ₹49.2K

0.69%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Karnataka: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $242 in Delhi versus $126 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 1% 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: $117 vs $106 – 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: $549 in Delhi, $335 in Karnataka – roughly 64% apart. Delhi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $823 per month in Delhi and $502 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 $549 in Delhi and $335 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 $549 in Delhi and $335 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 $335 in Karnataka to $549 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.