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 $384 in Manali, rent included.

A couple spends around $861 per month in Delhi vs $610 in Manali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,176 per month in Delhi vs $836 in Manali, rent included.

Delhi costs about 42% 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

$4.75 ₹455

$2.37 ₹227

100.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.98 ₹1,912

$7.03 ₹673

184.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.97 ₹380

$3.51 ₹335

13.11%

Cappuccino

$2.05 ₹196

$1.90 ₹182

7.89%

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

$0.47 ₹45.26

$0.25 ₹23.65

88.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.66

$0.20 ₹19.11

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 ₹197

$1.50 ₹143

37.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ₹324

$2.01 ₹193

68.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.7

$0.72 ₹68.6

4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 ₹53.6

$0.57 ₹54.9

-1.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₹87.4

$0.89 ₹85.4

2.25%

Eggs

$1.12 ₹107

$0.82 ₹78.7

36.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.55 ₹435

$5.33 ₹510

-14.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 ₹340

$2.91 ₹278

21.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ₹193

$1.97 ₹188

2.03%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 ₹80.7

$0.80 ₹76.2

5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 ₹94.9

$0.93 ₹88.7

6.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 ₹56.6

$0.58 ₹55.0

1.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.23

$0.37 ₹35.16

5.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ₹51.9

$0.46 ₹43.63

17.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ₹58.1

$0.46 ₹43.67

32.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₹35.13

$0.32 ₹30.57

15.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 ₹398

$4.05 ₹387

2.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.18 ₹878

$9.78 ₹936

-6.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₹178

$1.74 ₹167

6.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₹276

$2.80 ₹268

2.86%

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

$5.57 ₹533

$5.22 ₹500

6.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₹50.8

$0.28 ₹26.46

89.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 ₹1,111

$8.76 ₹838

32.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 ₹53.9

$0.83 ₹79.7

-32.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ₹26.57

$0.24 ₹23.02

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 ₹124

$1.31 ₹125

-0.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₹112

$1.15 ₹111

1.74%

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

$17.7K ₹1.7M

$14.7K ₹1.4M

20.67%

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

$23.9K ₹2.3M

$28.7K ₹2.8M

-16.86%

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

$66.4 ₹6,352

$48.32 ₹4,624

37.36%

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

$4.31 ₹413

$3.36 ₹321

28.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.99 ₹764

$6.94 ₹664

15.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.25 ₹1,938

$16.04 ₹1,535

26.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.15 ₹972

$6.89 ₹660

47.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.61 ₹441

$2.87 ₹275

60.63%

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

$78.5 ₹7,515

$60.2 ₹5,760

30.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,010 ₹192.3K

$2,007 ₹192.0K

0.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.20 ₹2,603

$24.87 ₹2,380

9.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.17 ₹2,983

$24.27 ₹2,323

28.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.50 ₹4,641

$48.78 ₹4,668

-0.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.01 ₹3,446

$33.04 ₹3,162

8.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 ₹22.9K

$92.0 ₹8,803

159.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 ₹12.9K

$53.1 ₹5,076

154.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 ₹55.9K

$229 ₹21.9K

154.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 ₹30.8K

$175 ₹16.7K

84.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,503 ₹239.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$931 ₹89.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$531 ₹50.8K

$523 ₹50.0K

1.52%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Manali: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $239 in Delhi versus $92.0 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 2% 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. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $117 vs $113 – making Manali 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 Manali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $546 in Delhi, $384 in Manali – roughly 42% 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 $576 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 $384 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 $384 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.