Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Shillong Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Shillong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $531 per month in Delhi vs $406 in Shillong, rent included.

A couple spends around $875 per month in Delhi vs $645 in Shillong, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,219 per month in Delhi vs $884 in Shillong, rent included.

Delhi costs about 31% more than Shillong, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Delhi and Shillong are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 61% lower, Shillong 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 ₹388

$2.91 ₹277

40.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.13 ₹2,006

$11.38 ₹1,080

85.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.96 ₹376

$4.76 ₹452

-16.81%

Cappuccino

$2.37 ₹225

$1.60 ₹152

48.13%

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

$0.36 ₹33.99

$0.44 ₹41.45

-18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹15.86

$0.17 ₹16.40

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₹202

$1.25 ₹118

70.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 ₹303

$3.37 ₹319

-5.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹69.8

$0.66 ₹62.5

10.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 ₹49.52

$0.35 ₹32.82

48.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 ₹70.0

$0.60 ₹56.8

23.33%

Eggs

$1.10 ₹104

$0.92 ₹87.5

19.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 ₹407

$4.01 ₹381

6.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 ₹329

$2.42 ₹229

42.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₹195

$2.12 ₹201

-3.30%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 ₹70.6

$0.66 ₹62.5

12.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 ₹98.5

$0.90 ₹85.2

15.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 ₹49.67

$0.55 ₹52.3

-5.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 ₹26.44

$0.33 ₹31.44

-15.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₹34.70

$0.38 ₹35.80

-2.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 ₹43.06

$0.20 ₹18.98

125.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.89

$0.25 ₹23.57

24.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.13 ₹487

$4.97 ₹472

3.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₹777

$4.59 ₹436

78.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₹151

$1.24 ₹117

28.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 ₹250

$1.99 ₹189

32.16%

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

$6.29 ₹597

$4.93 ₹468

27.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ₹41.76

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.04 ₹1,523

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 ₹96.4

$0.68 ₹65.0

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₹25.65

$0.30 ₹28.87

-10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 ₹146

$1.30 ₹123

18.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ₹99.3

$1.03 ₹98.2

1.94%

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

$11.8K ₹1.1M

$12.6K ₹1.2M

-6.27%

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

$19.4K ₹1.8M

$16.2K ₹1.5M

19.80%

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

$42.31 ₹4,017

$34.28 ₹3,255

23.42%

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

$4.21 ₹400

$3.18 ₹302

32.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.91 ₹656

$6.17 ₹585

11.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.33 ₹1,930

$10.12 ₹961

100.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.17 ₹776

$5.30 ₹503

54.15%

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 ₹495

$3.08 ₹293

69.48%

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

$95.6 ₹9,074

$27.60 ₹2,620

246.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,099 ₹199.3K

$1,168 ₹110.8K

79.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.80 ₹2,355

$17.42 ₹1,654

42.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.61 ₹2,811

$21.65 ₹2,055

36.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.3 ₹5,150

$37.08 ₹3,521

46.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.37 ₹4,498

$27.72 ₹2,632

70.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 ₹25.9K

$213 ₹20.2K

28.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 ₹14.6K

$133 ₹12.7K

15.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 ₹68.3K

$730 ₹69.3K

-1.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 ₹35.3K

$284 ₹27.0K

30.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,550 ₹242.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$962 ₹91.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ₹57.4K

$451 ₹42.8K

34.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.6

7.38

16.53%

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

Last update for Delhi: August 29, 2026

Last update for Shillong: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $272 in Delhi versus $213 in Shillong. 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 34% 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 $11.00 in Shillong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $108 vs $86.0 – making Shillong 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 Shillong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $531 in Delhi, $406 in Shillong – roughly 31% apart. Delhi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $797 per month in Delhi and $609 in Shillong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shillong, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $531 in Delhi and $406 in Shillong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $95.6 per month in Delhi and $27.60 in Shillong. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $531 in Delhi and $406 in Shillong, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Shillong – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Shillong. 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.