Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Kollam Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Kollam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $549 per month in Delhi vs $300 in Kollam, rent included.

A couple spends around $869 per month in Delhi vs $486 in Kollam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,189 per month in Delhi vs $673 in Kollam, rent included.

Delhi costs about 83% more than Kollam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Delhi and Kollam are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 59% lower, Kollam 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ₹444

$1.18 ₹112

298.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.64 ₹1,858

$7.14 ₹676

175.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 ₹389

$4.06 ₹384

1.48%

Cappuccino

$2.12 ₹200

$1.26 ₹119

68.25%

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

$0.47 ₹44.93

$0.37 ₹35.25

27.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ₹16.56

$0.13 ₹12.51

38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 ₹193

$1.70 ₹161

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₹334

$2.98 ₹282

18.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹69.0

$0.63 ₹60.0

15.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ₹56.4

$0.43 ₹41.09

39.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₹86.1

$0.51 ₹48.32

78.43%

Eggs

$1.18 ₹111

$0.86 ₹81.0

37.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.71 ₹446

$5.29 ₹501

-10.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ₹322

$2.25 ₹213

51.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₹194

$2.14 ₹202

-4.21%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 ₹73.8

$0.62 ₹58.9

25.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 ₹95.6

$0.77 ₹73.0

31.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 ₹56.9

$0.49 ₹46.64

22.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹36.50

$0.45 ₹43.04

-13.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 ₹51.6

$0.36 ₹34.38

52.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ₹57.1

$0.43 ₹40.55

39.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₹31.85

$0.30 ₹28.00

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 ₹395

$3.47 ₹328

20.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.47 ₹896

$2.66 ₹252

256.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₹170

$2.24 ₹212

-19.64%

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 ₹519

$4.54 ₹429

20.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 ₹50.9

$0.11 ₹10.11

390.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.78 ₹1,114

$7.93 ₹750

48.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 ₹53.3

$1.13 ₹107

-50.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.47

$0.30 ₹28.11

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 ₹118

$1.64 ₹156

-24.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹107

$1.22 ₹115

-7.38%

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

$17.1K ₹1.6M

$11.8K ₹1.1M

45.52%

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

$24.4K ₹2.3M

$16.3K ₹1.5M

49.87%

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

$65.7 ₹6,219

$27.56 ₹2,607

138.53%

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

$4.12 ₹390

$3.41 ₹322

20.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.82 ₹740

$5.96 ₹563

31.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.30 ₹1,920

$12.01 ₹1,136

69.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.05 ₹951

$14.07 ₹1,331

-28.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.68 ₹443

$1.69 ₹160

176.92%

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

$78.7 ₹7,447

$23.17 ₹2,192

239.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,034 ₹192.4K

$1,525 ₹144.2K

33.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.13 ₹2,661

$18.14 ₹1,716

55.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.02 ₹2,935

$19.38 ₹1,833

60.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.63 ₹4,601

$28.49 ₹2,695

70.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.94 ₹3,400

$26.91 ₹2,546

33.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 ₹22.9K

$92.9 ₹8,790

160.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 ₹13.1K

$51.5 ₹4,867

168.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$590 ₹55.8K

$200 ₹18.9K

194.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 ₹30.4K

$128 ₹12.1K

150.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,309 ₹218.4K

$869 ₹82.2K

165.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$981 ₹92.8K

$459 ₹43.5K

113.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$525 ₹49.6K

$535 ₹50.6K

-1.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.97

0.33%

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

Last update for Delhi: June 14, 2026

Last update for Kollam: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $242 in Delhi versus $92.9 in Kollam. 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 2% higher in Kollam, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Delhi versus $7.00 in Kollam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $117 vs $93.0 – making Kollam 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 Kollam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $549 in Delhi, $300 in Kollam – roughly 83% 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 $450 in Kollam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kollam, 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 Kollam. 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 $300 in Kollam. 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 $300 in Kollam, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Kollam – 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 Kollam. 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.