Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and McLeod Ganj Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and McLeod Ganj

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $527 per month in Delhi vs $391 in McLeod Ganj, rent included.

A couple spends around $880 per month in Delhi vs $622 in McLeod Ganj, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,232 per month in Delhi vs $853 in McLeod Ganj, rent included.

Delhi costs about 35% more than McLeod Ganj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Delhi and McLeod Ganj are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 61% lower, McLeod Ganj 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.66 ₹351

$2.40 ₹230

52.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.58 ₹1,973

$10.49 ₹1,005

96.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.87 ₹371

$3.63 ₹348

6.61%

Cappuccino

$2.37 ₹227

$1.57 ₹151

50.96%

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

$0.38 ₹36.47

$0.40 ₹38.37

-5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.65

$0.15 ₹14.86

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 ₹197

$1.72 ₹165

19.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ₹296

$3.10 ₹297

-0.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 ₹66.1

$0.70 ₹67.4

-1.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 ₹49.79

$0.49 ₹46.52

6.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 ₹75.7

$0.71 ₹68.5

11.27%

Eggs

$1.12 ₹107

$0.94 ₹90.5

19.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 ₹424

$4.97 ₹477

-11.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ₹326

$2.89 ₹277

17.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ₹193

$2.00 ₹192

0.50%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 ₹71.3

$0.69 ₹65.7

7.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 ₹94.0

$0.94 ₹89.8

4.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 ₹52.1

$0.54 ₹51.7

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 ₹27.69

$0.38 ₹36.89

-23.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 ₹39.11

$0.42 ₹40.24

-2.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ₹46.60

$0.46 ₹43.87

6.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹27.53

$0.34 ₹33.06

-14.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.96 ₹475

$4.00 ₹383

24.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.59 ₹824

$7.49 ₹718

14.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₹160

$1.70 ₹163

-1.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ₹260

$2.89 ₹277

-6.23%

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

$6.18 ₹592

$5.51 ₹528

12.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ₹41.87

$0.28 ₹26.53

57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.54 ₹1,490

$8.57 ₹822

81.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 ₹91.8

$0.79 ₹75.7

21.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₹23.82

$0.27 ₹26.10

-7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 ₹153

$1.46 ₹140

8.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹105

$1.17 ₹112

-5.98%

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

$11.4K ₹1.1M

$13.9K ₹1.3M

-17.72%

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

$19.2K ₹1.8M

$22.4K ₹2.1M

-14.18%

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

$41.81 ₹4,008

$38.79 ₹3,719

7.79%

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

$4.10 ₹393

$3.42 ₹327

19.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.84 ₹656

$7.36 ₹705

-7.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.63 ₹1,882

$16.13 ₹1,546

21.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.42 ₹807

$6.83 ₹655

23.28%

Cinema Ticket

$5.12 ₹490

$2.87 ₹275

78.40%

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

$99.2 ₹9,512

$51.5 ₹4,935

92.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,050 ₹196.6K

$1,512 ₹145.0K

35.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.16 ₹2,412

$23.76 ₹2,278

5.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.75 ₹2,756

$25.13 ₹2,409

14.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.9 ₹5,066

$43.02 ₹4,124

22.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.54 ₹4,461

$31.10 ₹2,981

49.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 ₹25.9K

$125 ₹12.0K

116.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 ₹14.6K

$77.6 ₹7,437

96.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$690 ₹66.2K

$273 ₹26.1K

153.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 ₹35.5K

$182 ₹17.4K

103.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,525 ₹242.1K

$1,041 ₹99.8K

142.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$950 ₹91.1K

$605 ₹58.0K

57.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$582 ₹55.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.6

8.67

-0.81%

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

Last update for Delhi: September 13, 2026

Last update for McLeod Ganj: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $270 in Delhi versus $125 in McLeod Ganj. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Delhi versus $10.00 in McLeod Ganj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $109 vs $106 – making McLeod Ganj 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 McLeod Ganj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $527 in Delhi, $391 in McLeod Ganj – roughly 35% 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 $587 in McLeod Ganj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in McLeod Ganj, 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 McLeod Ganj. 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 $391 in McLeod Ganj. 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 $527 in Delhi and $391 in McLeod Ganj, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward McLeod Ganj – 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 McLeod Ganj. 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.