For one person, living is cheaper in Delhi: $522 a month against $1,372 in Shaab, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
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 Shaab actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $522 per month in Delhi vs $1,372 in Shaab, rent included.
Delhi $522
Shaab $1,372
A couple spends around $872 per month in Delhi vs $2,277 in Shaab, rent included.
Delhi $872
Shaab $2,277
A family of three spends $1,222 per month in Delhi vs $3,181 in Shaab, rent included.
Delhi $1,222
Shaab $3,181
🙂
Delhi is about 62% cheaper than Shaab, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Delhi sits 61% below the global median, while Shaab is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Delhi
Shaab
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.70₹351
$12.78KWD 3.94
-71.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.05₹1,999
$63.7KWD 19.63
-66.96%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.73₹354
$8.64KWD 2.66
-56.83%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.12KWD 0.96
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.77KWD 1.47
-
Cappuccino
$2.35₹223
$5.08KWD 1.56
-53.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37₹35.21
$0.74KWD 0.23
-50.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15₹13.93
$0.29KWD 0.09
-48.28%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.14₹203
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06₹291
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Delhi
Shaab
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.69₹65.1
$1.62KWD 0.50
-57.41%
White Bread(500g)
$0.53₹50.0
$1.49KWD 0.46
-64.43%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.77₹73.1
$1.98KWD 0.61
-61.11%
Eggs
$1.11₹105
$2.14KWD 0.66
-48.13%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.63₹440
$4.40KWD 1.35
5.23%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.52₹334
$6.82KWD 2.10
-48.39%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$10.02KWD 3.09
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.00₹190
$2.43KWD 0.75
-17.70%
Banana(1kg)
$0.74₹70.5
$1.85KWD 0.57
-60.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.97₹92.6
$1.78KWD 0.55
-45.51%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.53₹49.92
$1.49KWD 0.46
-64.43%
Potato(1kg)
$0.30₹28.61
$1.37KWD 0.42
-78.10%
Onion(1kg)
$0.40₹37.82
$1.41KWD 0.43
-71.63%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.42₹39.62
$2.32KWD 0.72
-81.90%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31₹29.81
$0.58KWD 0.18
-46.55%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$3.19KWD 0.98
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.01KWD 0.31
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.40KWD 0.43
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.94₹469
$2.77KWD 0.85
78.34%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.21₹779
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58₹150
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69₹255
-
-
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
$6.19₹588
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Delhi
Shaab
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.46₹43.46
$0.71KWD 0.22
-35.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$15.78₹1,498
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.07₹102
$4.95KWD 1.53
-78.38%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.27₹25.66
$3.16KWD 0.98
-91.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.58₹150
$15.75KWD 4.85
-89.97%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.07₹101
$0.35KWD 0.11
205.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$10.7K₹1.0M
$21.0KKWD 6,472
-49.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.9K₹1.8M
$19.9KKWD 6,119
-4.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Delhi
Shaab
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$42.37₹4,024
$65.4KWD 20.14
-35.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.03₹383
$22.23KWD 6.85
-81.87%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.95₹660
$29.79KWD 9.18
-76.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Delhi
Shaab
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$19.18₹1,821
$103KWD 31.81
-81.42%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.92₹752
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$5.27₹500
$11.32KWD 3.49
-53.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Delhi
Shaab
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$100₹9,525
$298KWD 91.8
-66.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,247₹213.4K
$9,213KWD 2,838
-75.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Delhi
Shaab
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.11₹2,290
$37.41KWD 11.53
-35.55%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.85₹2,645
$39.85KWD 12.28
-30.11%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$52.4₹4,977
$95.5KWD 29.43
-45.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$42.90₹4,074
$88.3KWD 27.21
-51.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Delhi
Shaab
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$267₹25.4K
$810KWD 250
-67.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$156₹14.8K
$608KWD 187
-74.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$734₹69.7K
$1,741KWD 537
-57.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$394₹37.5K
$1,310KWD 404
-69.88%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,507₹238.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,020₹96.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Delhi
Shaab
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$608₹57.7K
$3,158KWD 973
-80.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.33
6.53
27.57%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Delhi: October 12, 2026
Last update for Shaab: October 12, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Delhi
$156 29.9%
Shaab
$608 44.3% ↑ 290%$452
🛒Groceries & Markets
Delhi
$109 20.9%
Shaab
$186 13.6% ↑ 70.7%$77
🍽Eating Out
Delhi
$88 16.8%
Shaab
$193 14.1% ↑ 120%$105
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Delhi
$66 12.7%
Shaab
$118 8.6% ↑ 77.3%$51
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Delhi
$53 10.2%
Shaab
$117 8.6% ↑ 120%$64
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Delhi
$30 5.7%
Shaab
$126 9.2% ↑ 324%$96
🚌Getting Around
Delhi
$20 3.8%
Shaab
$24 * 1.7% ↑ 17.9%$3.6
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Delhi
$394 32.3%
Shaab
$1.3K 41.2% ↑ 232%$915
🛒Groceries & Markets
Delhi
$236 19.3%
Shaab
$451 14.2% ↑ 91.4%$215
🍽Eating Out
Delhi
$279 22.9%
Shaab
$720 22.6% ↑ 158%$440
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Delhi
$147 12.1%
Shaab
$261 8.2% ↑ 77.3%$114
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Delhi
$57 4.7%
Shaab
$140 4.4% ↑ 143%$82
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Delhi
$67 5.5%
Shaab
$252 * 7.9% ↑ 274%$184
🚌Getting Around
Delhi
$41 3.4%
Shaab
$49 * 1.5% ↑ 18.7%$7.7
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $267 in Delhi versus $810 in Shaab. 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 420% higher in Shaab, 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 $64.0 in Shaab. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $109 vs $186 – making Delhi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 Shaab: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Delhi and in Shaab compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $522 in Delhi, $1,372 in Shaab – roughly 163% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Delhi compared to Shaab?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $783 per month in Delhi and $2,058 in Shaab. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Delhi and Shaab?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Delhi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Delhi or Shaab?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $522 in Delhi and $1,372 in Shaab. That's a gap of about 163%.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Delhi and Shaab?
Kindergarten costs $100 per month in Delhi and $298 in Shaab. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Delhi, where all-in costs run around $522, than in Shaab at $1,372. In Delhi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shaab it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Delhi or Shaab?
Families tend to lean toward Delhi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Delhi or Shaab safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Delhi and Shaab?
If budget matters most, go with Delhi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shaab makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.