Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Rishikesh

For one person, living is cheaper in Rishikesh: $390 a month against $522 in Delhi, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

25

Cost of Living Index in Delhi
Learn more

Delhi Living Index
19

Cost of Living Index in Rishikesh
Learn more

Rishikesh Living Index

Jump to prices

Delhi

🇮🇳 India

$522

/mo nomad

Rishikesh

🇮🇳 India

$390

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Delhi and in Rishikesh

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 Rishikesh actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $522 per month in Delhi vs $390 in Rishikesh, rent included.

Delhi $522
Rishikesh $390

A couple spends around $872 per month in Delhi vs $619 in Rishikesh, rent included.

Delhi $872
Rishikesh $619

A family of three spends $1,222 per month in Delhi vs $848 in Rishikesh, rent included.

Delhi $1,222
Rishikesh $848

Delhi costs about 34% more than Rishikesh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.70 ₹351

$3.09 ₹293

19.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.05 ₹1,999

$8.73 ₹829

141.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.73 ₹354

$3.64 ₹345

2.47%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ₹223

$1.49 ₹142

57.72%

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

$0.37 ₹35.21

$0.37 ₹35.45

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹13.93

$0.18 ₹16.98

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₹203

$2.03 ₹193

5.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ₹291

$3.05 ₹290

0.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 ₹65.1

$0.58 ₹55.4

18.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 ₹50.0

$0.27 ₹25.88

96.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.1

$0.81 ₹76.5

-4.94%

Eggs

$1.11 ₹105

$0.93 ₹88.3

19.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.63 ₹440

$4.46 ₹423

3.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.52 ₹334

$3.50 ₹332

0.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 ₹190

$1.99 ₹189

0.50%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 ₹70.5

$0.76 ₹72.1

-2.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 ₹92.6

$1.03 ₹98.1

-5.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 ₹49.92

$0.49 ₹46.92

8.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 ₹28.61

$0.30 ₹28.84

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹37.82

$0.32 ₹30.82

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 ₹39.62

$0.41 ₹39.38

2.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.81

$0.31 ₹29.75

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.94 ₹469

$2.06 ₹196

139.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.21 ₹779

$8.26 ₹784

-0.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₹150

$1.60 ₹152

-1.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ₹255

$2.71 ₹257

-0.74%

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

$6.19 ₹588

$6.28 ₹597

-1.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ₹43.46

$0.28 ₹26.76

64.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.78 ₹1,498

$7.60 ₹721

107.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ₹102

$1.03 ₹97.9

3.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₹25.66

$0.27 ₹25.70

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ₹150

$1.59 ₹151

-0.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ₹101

$1.10 ₹104

-2.73%

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

$10.7K ₹1.0M

$10.6K ₹1.0M

0.23%

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

$18.9K ₹1.8M

$18.4K ₹1.7M

2.85%

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

$42.37 ₹4,024

$42.49 ₹4,035

-0.28%

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

$4.03 ₹383

$3.32 ₹316

21.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.95 ₹660

$6.86 ₹651

1.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.18 ₹1,821

$11.55 ₹1,096

66.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.92 ₹752

$7.23 ₹687

9.54%

Cinema Ticket

$5.27 ₹500

$5.18 ₹492

1.74%

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

$100 ₹9,525

$102 ₹9,665

-1.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,247 ₹213.4K

$2,297 ₹218.1K

-2.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.11 ₹2,290

$21.30 ₹2,022

13.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.85 ₹2,645

$20.93 ₹1,987

33.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$52.4 ₹4,977

$53.2 ₹5,052

-1.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.90 ₹4,074

$43.99 ₹4,178

-2.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$267 ₹25.4K

$106 ₹10.1K

151.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 ₹14.8K

$64.7 ₹6,147

140.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$734 ₹69.7K

$246 ₹23.3K

198.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 ₹37.5K

$169 ₹16.0K

133.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,507 ₹238.0K

$989 ₹93.9K

153.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,020 ₹96.8K

$524 ₹49.7K

94.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 ₹57.7K

$210 ₹20.0K

188.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

38.83%

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

Last update for Delhi: October 12, 2026

Last update for Rishikesh: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Delhi

$156 29.9%

Rishikesh

$65 16.6% 58.5% $91

Groceries & Markets

Delhi

$109 20.9%

Rishikesh

$104 26.8% 4.2% $4.5

Eating Out

Delhi

$88 16.8%

Rishikesh

$72 18.5% 18.1% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Delhi

$66 12.7%

Rishikesh

$63 16.1% 5.3% $3.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Delhi

$53 10.2%

Rishikesh

$53 13.5% 1.3% $0.7

Sport & Entertainment

Delhi

$30 5.7%

Rishikesh

$22 5.6% 26.3% $7.8

Getting Around

Delhi

$20 3.8%

Rishikesh

$11 2.9% 44.5% $8.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $267 in Delhi versus $106 in Rishikesh. 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 189% 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 $9.00 in Rishikesh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $109 vs $104 – making Rishikesh the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇳 Delhi

🇮🇳 Rishikesh

🕒 Local time

11:55 11:55 AM

Same time as Delhi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

16,787,941 Capital

66,390

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Delhi vs Rishikesh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $522 in Delhi, $390 in Rishikesh – roughly 34% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $783 per month in Delhi and $584 in Rishikesh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rishikesh, 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 $9.00 in Rishikesh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $522 in Delhi and $390 in Rishikesh. That's a gap of about 34%.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $522 in Delhi and $390 in Rishikesh, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Delhi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $390 in Rishikesh to $522 in Delhi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Rishikesh. 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.