Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Lucknow Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Lucknow

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $537 per month in Delhi vs $386 in Lucknow, rent included.

A couple spends around $872 per month in Delhi vs $592 in Lucknow, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,208 per month in Delhi vs $797 in Lucknow, rent included.

Delhi costs about 39% more than Lucknow, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Delhi and Lucknow are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 61% lower, Lucknow 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 ₹376

$1.89 ₹181

108.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.77 ₹1,984

$10.38 ₹992

100.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.03 ₹385

$3.11 ₹297

29.58%

Cappuccino

$2.39 ₹228

$1.59 ₹152

50.31%

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

$0.35 ₹33.66

$0.37 ₹35.65

-5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹15.81

$0.12 ₹11.26

41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 ₹199

$1.64 ₹156

26.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₹305

$2.38 ₹228

34.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 ₹67.8

$0.74 ₹71.1

-4.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 ₹50.5

$0.45 ₹42.90

17.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.5

$0.59 ₹56.8

30.51%

Eggs

$1.07 ₹102

$1.01 ₹96.9

5.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 ₹432

$3.67 ₹351

23.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 ₹333

$2.59 ₹247

34.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₹196

$1.71 ₹163

19.88%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ₹76.8

$0.63 ₹59.9

26.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 ₹99.5

$0.93 ₹89.1

11.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.56

$0.51 ₹48.53

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 ₹28.63

$0.30 ₹28.38

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ₹39.76

$0.45 ₹42.56

-6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 ₹43.81

$0.45 ₹43.12

2.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹27.36

$0.32 ₹30.78

-9.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.23 ₹500

$5.07 ₹484

3.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.56 ₹818

$8.62 ₹823

-0.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ₹155

$1.66 ₹159

-1.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₹262

$2.58 ₹246

6.20%

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

$6.41 ₹613

$5.72 ₹546

12.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₹38.52

$0.44 ₹41.85

-9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.80 ₹1,510

$5.21 ₹498

203.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 ₹98.0

$0.92 ₹88.1

11.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₹23.78

$0.22 ₹21.03

13.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 ₹156

$1.19 ₹114

37.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹105

$1.12 ₹107

-1.79%

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

$11.5K ₹1.1M

$12.5K ₹1.2M

-7.69%

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

$19.7K ₹1.9M

$22.1K ₹2.1M

-10.54%

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

$42.17 ₹4,029

$53.2 ₹5,080

-20.69%

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

$4.16 ₹397

$3.66 ₹350

13.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.85 ₹655

$8.78 ₹839

-21.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.21 ₹1,931

$15.75 ₹1,505

28.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.52 ₹814

$6.97 ₹666

22.24%

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 ₹491

$3.26 ₹311

57.67%

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

$97.6 ₹9,328

$39.71 ₹3,794

145.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,100 ₹200.6K

$1,008 ₹96.3K

108.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.69 ₹2,359

$23.50 ₹2,246

5.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.78 ₹2,845

$24.67 ₹2,357

20.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 ₹5,153

$38.15 ₹3,645

41.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.00 ₹4,586

$25.32 ₹2,419

89.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 ₹26.0K

$129 ₹12.3K

111.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 ₹15.2K

$77.4 ₹7,391

105.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₹67.7K

$355 ₹33.9K

99.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 ₹36.7K

$173 ₹16.5K

121.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,528 ₹241.5K

$1,300 ₹124.2K

94.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$970 ₹92.6K

$551 ₹52.6K

76.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ₹57.8K

$339 ₹32.4K

78.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.6

8.53

0.82%

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

Last update for Delhi: September 8, 2026

Last update for Lucknow: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $272 in Delhi versus $129 in Lucknow. 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 78% 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 $10.00 in Lucknow. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $110 vs $99.0 – making Lucknow 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 Lucknow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $537 in Delhi, $386 in Lucknow – roughly 39% apart. Delhi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $805 per month in Delhi and $579 in Lucknow. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lucknow, 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 $10.00 in Lucknow. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $537 in Delhi and $386 in Lucknow. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $537 in Delhi and $386 in Lucknow, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Lucknow – 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 Lucknow. 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.