Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Manali Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Manali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $546 per month in Delhi vs $391 in Manali, rent included.

A couple spends around $874 per month in Delhi vs $627 in Manali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,202 per month in Delhi vs $862 in Manali, rent included.

Delhi costs about 40% more than Manali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Delhi and Manali are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 59% lower, Manali 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.61 ₹443

$2.31 ₹222

99.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.83 ₹1,909

$6.92 ₹666

186.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.16 ₹400

$3.55 ₹342

17.18%

Cappuccino

$2.00 ₹192

$1.91 ₹184

4.71%

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

$0.44 ₹42.25

$0.27 ₹26.03

62.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ₹17.65

$0.20 ₹19.21

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 ₹198

$1.48 ₹142

39.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 ₹328

$1.93 ₹186

76.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹70.3

$0.77 ₹73.9

-5.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 ₹53.7

$0.55 ₹52.8

1.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 ₹82.0

$0.84 ₹81.3

1.19%

Eggs

$1.18 ₹114

$0.81 ₹77.6

45.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.65 ₹448

$5.59 ₹538

-16.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ₹329

$3.04 ₹293

12.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ₹204

$2.05 ₹198

3.41%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 ₹79.0

$0.80 ₹77.2

2.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 ₹95.5

$0.92 ₹88.9

7.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.8

$0.57 ₹54.7

10.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 ₹36.79

$0.37 ₹35.38

2.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 ₹51.2

$0.48 ₹46.35

10.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ₹56.8

$0.46 ₹43.88

28.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₹34.83

$0.31 ₹30.28

16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.01 ₹386

$4.18 ₹402

-4.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.10 ₹876

$11.62 ₹1,118

-21.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ₹173

$1.67 ₹161

7.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ₹273

$2.77 ₹266

2.53%

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

$5.69 ₹547

$5.26 ₹507

8.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₹51.1

$0.28 ₹26.85

89.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 ₹1,113

$8.92 ₹859

29.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 ₹54.4

$0.85 ₹81.7

-32.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ₹26.60

$0.24 ₹23.11

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 ₹127

$1.25 ₹120

5.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹109

$1.21 ₹116

-6.61%

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

$17.8K ₹1.7M

$14.5K ₹1.4M

22.68%

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

$24.2K ₹2.3M

$28.7K ₹2.8M

-15.76%

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

$65.7 ₹6,322

$46.87 ₹4,512

40.11%

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

$4.35 ₹419

$3.37 ₹325

29.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.11 ₹781

$6.88 ₹663

17.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.31 ₹1,956

$16.03 ₹1,543

26.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.13 ₹975

$7.13 ₹687

42.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 ₹438

$2.94 ₹283

54.76%

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

$78.9 ₹7,591

$61.3 ₹5,903

28.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,030 ₹195.4K

$1,976 ₹190.2K

2.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.86 ₹2,682

$24.89 ₹2,396

11.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.02 ₹2,986

$23.90 ₹2,300

29.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.1 ₹4,824

$48.68 ₹4,686

2.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.47 ₹3,415

$32.78 ₹3,155

8.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 ₹23.3K

$93.9 ₹9,042

157.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 ₹13.2K

$52.5 ₹5,058

161.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 ₹56.1K

$229 ₹22.0K

154.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 ₹31.0K

$173 ₹16.7K

85.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,419 ₹232.9K

$1,097 ₹105.6K

120.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$975 ₹93.9K

$536 ₹51.6K

82.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 ₹51.0K

$514 ₹49.5K

3.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.3

8.43%

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

Last update for Delhi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Manali: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $242 in Delhi versus $93.9 in Manali. 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 3% 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 $7.00 in Manali. Groceries tell a different story – $116 in Delhi vs $118 in Manali – so Delhi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Manali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $546 in Delhi, $391 in Manali – roughly 40% apart. Delhi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $819 per month in Delhi and $587 in Manali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $546 in Delhi and $391 in Manali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $546 in Delhi and $391 in Manali, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Manali – 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 Manali. 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.