Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Kolkata (Calcutta) Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Kolkata (Calcutta)

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $549 per month in Delhi vs $430 in Kolkata (Calcutta), rent included.

A couple spends around $869 per month in Delhi vs $678 in Kolkata (Calcutta), rent included.

A family of three spends $1,189 per month in Delhi vs $925 in Kolkata (Calcutta), rent included.

Delhi costs about 28% more than Kolkata (Calcutta), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Delhi and Kolkata (Calcutta) are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 59% lower, Kolkata (Calcutta) 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ₹444

$3.21 ₹304

46.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ₹1,858

$11.40 ₹1,079

72.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 ₹389

$4.96 ₹469

-16.94%

Cappuccino

$2.12 ₹200

$1.79 ₹169

18.44%

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

$0.47 ₹44.93

$0.38 ₹35.62

23.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ₹16.56

$0.12 ₹11.60

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 ₹193

$1.77 ₹167

15.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₹334

$2.97 ₹281

19.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹69.0

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ₹56.4

$0.40 ₹37.76

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₹86.1

$0.70 ₹65.8

30.00%

Eggs

$1.18 ₹111

$0.97 ₹91.9

21.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.71 ₹446

$5.35 ₹506

-11.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ₹322

$2.86 ₹271

18.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₹194

$2.45 ₹232

-16.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 ₹73.8

$0.85 ₹80.6

-8.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 ₹95.6

$1.31 ₹124

-22.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 ₹56.9

$0.62 ₹58.2

-3.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹36.50

$0.37 ₹35.41

5.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₹51.6

$0.59 ₹56.0

-6.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ₹57.1

$0.42 ₹39.73

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₹31.85

$0.31 ₹29.23

9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 ₹395

$4.04 ₹382

3.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.47 ₹896

$8.70 ₹823

8.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₹170

$1.67 ₹158

7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₹272

$2.43 ₹230

18.52%

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

$5.49 ₹519

$7.37 ₹697

-25.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₹50.9

$0.22 ₹20.72

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.78 ₹1,114

$2.82 ₹267

317.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 ₹53.3

$0.60 ₹56.5

-6.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.47

$0.29 ₹27.89

3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 ₹118

$2.01 ₹190

-38.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹107

$1.18 ₹112

-4.24%

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

$17.1K ₹1.6M

$15.5K ₹1.5M

10.67%

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

$24.4K ₹2.3M

$22.8K ₹2.2M

6.81%

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

$65.7 ₹6,219

$42.24 ₹3,997

55.63%

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

$4.12 ₹390

$3.94 ₹372

4.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.82 ₹740

$7.37 ₹698

6.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.30 ₹1,920

$16.33 ₹1,545

24.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.05 ₹951

$11.68 ₹1,105

-13.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.68 ₹443

$4.08 ₹386

14.71%

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

$78.7 ₹7,447

$44.11 ₹4,173

78.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,034 ₹192.4K

$1,596 ₹151.0K

27.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.13 ₹2,661

$27.96 ₹2,645

0.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.02 ₹2,935

$30.70 ₹2,905

1.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.63 ₹4,601

$49.88 ₹4,719

-2.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.94 ₹3,400

$31.43 ₹2,973

14.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 ₹22.9K

$160 ₹15.2K

50.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 ₹13.1K

$88.0 ₹8,329

56.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 ₹55.8K

$388 ₹36.7K

51.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 ₹30.4K

$192 ₹18.1K

67.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,309 ₹218.4K

$1,160 ₹109.7K

99.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$981 ₹92.8K

$582 ₹55.0K

68.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$525 ₹49.6K

$398 ₹37.7K

31.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.9

-9.09%

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

Last update for Delhi: June 14, 2026

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $242 in Delhi versus $160 in Kolkata (Calcutta). 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 32% 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 $11.00 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $117 vs $112 – making Kolkata (Calcutta) 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 Kolkata (Calcutta): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $549 in Delhi, $430 in Kolkata (Calcutta) – roughly 28% 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 $645 in Kolkata (Calcutta). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kolkata (Calcutta), 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 $11.00 in Kolkata (Calcutta). 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 $430 in Kolkata (Calcutta). 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 $430 in Kolkata (Calcutta), leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

If budget matters most, go with Kolkata (Calcutta). 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.