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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $527 per month in Delhi vs $281 in Kollam, rent included.

A couple spends around $880 per month in Delhi vs $456 in Kollam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,232 per month in Delhi vs $630 in Kollam, rent included.

Delhi costs about 87% more than Kollam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Delhi and Kollam are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 61% lower, Kollam 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.66 ₹352

$1.02 ₹98.0

258.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.58 ₹1,975

$6.14 ₹589

235.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.87 ₹372

$3.59 ₹345

7.80%

Cappuccino

$2.37 ₹227

$1.40 ₹134

69.29%

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

$0.38 ₹36.50

$0.41 ₹39.29

-7.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.66

$0.15 ₹14.58

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 ₹197

$1.12 ₹107

83.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ₹297

$2.68 ₹257

15.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 ₹66.2

$0.57 ₹54.8

21.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 ₹49.83

$0.40 ₹38.54

30.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 ₹75.7

$0.47 ₹45.22

68.09%

Eggs

$1.12 ₹107

$0.75 ₹71.5

49.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 ₹424

$5.27 ₹506

-16.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ₹326

$2.04 ₹196

66.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ₹193

$1.64 ₹158

22.56%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 ₹71.4

$0.58 ₹56.0

27.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 ₹94.0

$0.68 ₹64.8

44.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 ₹52.1

$0.39 ₹37.50

38.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 ₹27.71

$0.43 ₹41.44

-32.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 ₹39.14

$0.35 ₹33.89

17.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ₹46.64

$0.36 ₹34.46

36.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹27.55

$0.30 ₹29.07

-3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.96 ₹475

$5.09 ₹488

-2.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.59 ₹824

$2.64 ₹254

225.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₹160

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ₹260

$2.75 ₹264

-1.45%

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

$6.18 ₹593

$4.16 ₹399

48.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ₹41.90

$0.15 ₹14.47

193.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.54 ₹1,491

$7.16 ₹687

117.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 ₹91.9

$1.02 ₹98.1

-5.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₹23.84

$0.26 ₹24.91

-3.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 ₹153

$1.60 ₹154

-0.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹105

$1.06 ₹102

3.77%

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

$11.4K ₹1.1M

$10.4K ₹999.3K

9.45%

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

$19.2K ₹1.8M

$16.4K ₹1.6M

16.90%

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

$41.81 ₹4,012

$32.97 ₹3,163

26.81%

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

$4.10 ₹393

$2.93 ₹281

39.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.84 ₹656

$5.23 ₹502

30.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.63 ₹1,883

$13.31 ₹1,277

47.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.42 ₹807

$12.75 ₹1,223

-33.96%

Cinema Ticket

$5.12 ₹491

$1.53 ₹147

234.64%

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

$99.2 ₹9,519

$20.74 ₹1,990

378.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,050 ₹196.7K

$1,328 ₹127.4K

54.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.16 ₹2,414

$16.33 ₹1,567

54.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.75 ₹2,758

$21.68 ₹2,080

32.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.9 ₹5,070

$24.98 ₹2,396

111.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.54 ₹4,465

$24.08 ₹2,310

93.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 ₹25.9K

$82.3 ₹7,892

228.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 ₹14.6K

$46.28 ₹4,441

228.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$690 ₹66.2K

$182 ₹17.5K

279.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 ₹35.5K

$114 ₹10.9K

224.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,525 ₹242.3K

$828 ₹79.4K

205.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$950 ₹91.2K

$443 ₹42.5K

114.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$582 ₹55.8K

$530 ₹50.9K

9.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.6

9.13

-5.81%

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

Last update for Delhi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kollam: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $270 in Delhi versus $82.3 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 10% 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 $6.00 in Kollam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $109 vs $83.0 – 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: $527 in Delhi, $281 in Kollam – roughly 87% apart. Delhi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $791 per month in Delhi and $422 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 $21.00 in Delhi and $6.00 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 $527 in Delhi and $281 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 $527 in Delhi and $281 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.