Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Kota

For one person, living is cheaper in Kota: $341 a month against $522 in Delhi, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Delhi
🇮🇳 India
$522
/mo nomad
Kota
🇮🇳 India
$341
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Delhi and in Kota

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Delhi and in Kota actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $522 per month in Delhi vs $341 in Kota, rent included.

  • Delhi $522
  • Kota $341

A couple spends around $872 per month in Delhi vs $540 in Kota, rent included.

  • Delhi $872
  • Kota $540

A family of three spends $1,222 per month in Delhi vs $739 in Kota, rent included.

  • Delhi $1,222
  • Kota $739

Delhi costs about 53% more than Kota, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Delhi and Kota are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 61% lower, Kota 75% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Delhi
Kota
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.70 ₹351
$2.12 ₹202
74.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.05 ₹1,999
$8.17 ₹776
157.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.73 ₹354
$2.59 ₹246
44.02%
Cappuccino
$2.35 ₹223
$0.63 ₹60.2
273.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ₹35.21
$0.35 ₹33.56
5.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15 ₹13.93
$0.16 ₹15.55
-6.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.14 ₹203
$1.59 ₹151
34.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 ₹291
$3.15 ₹300
-2.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Delhi
Kota
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.69 ₹65.1
$0.62 ₹58.8
11.29%
White Bread (500g)
$0.53 ₹50.0
$0.44 ₹41.74
20.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.77 ₹73.1
$0.67 ₹63.2
14.93%
Eggs
$1.11 ₹105
$0.88 ₹83.9
26.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.63 ₹440
$4.55 ₹432
1.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.52 ₹334
$2.55 ₹242
38.04%
Apples (1kg)
$2.00 ₹190
$1.55 ₹147
29.03%
Banana (1kg)
$0.74 ₹70.5
$0.52 ₹49.04
42.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.97 ₹92.6
$0.66 ₹63.2
46.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.53 ₹49.92
$0.43 ₹41.16
23.26%
Potato (1kg)
$0.30 ₹28.61
$0.32 ₹30.36
-6.25%
Onion (1kg)
$0.40 ₹37.82
$0.37 ₹35.44
8.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.42 ₹39.62
$0.32 ₹30.79
31.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31 ₹29.81
$0.28 ₹26.21
10.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.94 ₹469
$4.33 ₹411
14.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.21 ₹779
$7.84 ₹744
4.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 ₹150
$1.56 ₹148
1.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 ₹255
$1.85 ₹176
45.41%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$6.19 ₹588
$4.67 ₹444
32.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Delhi
Kota
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.46 ₹43.46
$0.50 ₹47.54
-8.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.78 ₹1,498
$26.53 ₹2,519
-40.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.07 ₹102
$0.32 ₹30.43
234.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.27 ₹25.66
$0.22 ₹20.92
22.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.58 ₹150
$1.08 ₹102
46.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 ₹101
$1.11 ₹106
-3.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$10.7K ₹1.0M
$15.6K ₹1.5M
-31.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.9K ₹1.8M
$17.0K ₹1.6M
11.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Delhi
Kota
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$42.37 ₹4,024
$13.09 ₹1,243
223.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.03 ₹383
$2.53 ₹240
59.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.95 ₹660
$6.40 ₹608
8.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Delhi
Kota
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.18 ₹1,821
$10.62 ₹1,008
80.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.92 ₹752
$4.11 ₹391
92.70%
Cinema Ticket
$5.27 ₹500
$3.17 ₹301
66.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Delhi
Kota
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$100 ₹9,525
$33.56 ₹3,187
198.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,247 ₹213.4K
$662 ₹62.9K
239.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Delhi
Kota
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.11 ₹2,290
$21.88 ₹2,077
10.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.85 ₹2,645
$33.09 ₹3,143
-15.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$52.4 ₹4,977
$34.79 ₹3,304
50.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$42.90 ₹4,074
$21.28 ₹2,021
101.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Delhi
Kota
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$267 ₹25.4K
$138 ₹13.1K
93.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$156 ₹14.8K
$81.0 ₹7,695
92.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$734 ₹69.7K
$273 ₹25.9K
168.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$394 ₹37.5K
$172 ₹16.4K
129.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,507 ₹238.0K
$565 ₹53.6K
344.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,020 ₹96.8K
$334 ₹31.8K
204.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Delhi
Kota
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$608 ₹57.7K
$432 ₹41.0K
40.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.33
7.5
11.07%

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

Last update for Delhi: October 12, 2026

Last update for Kota: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Delhi
$156
Kota
$81 48% $75
Groceries & Markets
Delhi
$109
Kota
$92 15.2% $17
Eating Out
Delhi
$88
Kota
$49 44.6% $39
Clothing & Footwear
Delhi
$66
Kota
$50 24.6% $16
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Delhi
$53
Kota
$22 58.7% $31
Sport & Entertainment
Delhi
$30
Kota
$17 42.9% $13
Getting Around
Delhi
$20
Kota
$30 49.5% $9.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $267 in Delhi versus $138 in Kota. 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 41% 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 $8.00 in Kota. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $109 vs $92.0 – making Kota the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇳 Delhi
🇮🇳 Kota
🕒 Local time
09:46 9:46 AM
09:46 9:46 AM
Same time as Delhi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
16,787,941 Capital
1,001,400
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 94.96 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 107 INR (1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR).

On the map
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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Delhi vs Kota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Delhi and in Kota compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $522 in Delhi, $341 in Kota – roughly 53% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Delhi compared to Kota?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $783 per month in Delhi and $511 in Kota. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Delhi and Kota?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kota, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Delhi and $8.00 in Kota. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Delhi or Kota?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $522 in Delhi and $341 in Kota. That's a gap of about 53%.
How far does $1,200 go in Delhi compared to Kota?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $522 in Delhi and $341 in Kota, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should families live: Delhi or Kota?
Families tend to lean toward Kota – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Delhi and Kota?
If budget matters most, go with Kota. 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.

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