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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $546 per month in Delhi vs $443 in Shillong, rent included.

A couple spends around $874 per month in Delhi vs $684 in Shillong, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,202 per month in Delhi vs $924 in Shillong, rent included.

Delhi costs about 23% more than Shillong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Delhi and Shillong are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 59% lower, Shillong 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.61 ₹443

$1.43 ₹138

222.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.83 ₹1,909

$10.30 ₹992

92.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.16 ₹400

$4.71 ₹454

-11.68%

Cappuccino

$2.00 ₹192

$1.22 ₹118

63.93%

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

$0.44 ₹42.25

$0.36 ₹34.74

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ₹17.65

$0.14 ₹13.19

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 ₹198

$1.43 ₹138

44.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 ₹328

$3.28 ₹316

3.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹70.3

$0.61 ₹58.7

19.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 ₹53.7

$0.36 ₹35.09

55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 ₹82.0

$0.52 ₹50.1

63.46%

Eggs

$1.18 ₹114

$0.82 ₹79.2

43.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.65 ₹448

$4.43 ₹427

4.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ₹329

$3.31 ₹319

3.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ₹204

$1.93 ₹186

9.84%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 ₹79.0

$0.75 ₹71.8

9.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 ₹95.6

$0.97 ₹93.5

2.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.8

$0.55 ₹53.3

14.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 ₹36.80

$0.29 ₹27.52

31.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 ₹51.2

$0.36 ₹34.64

47.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ₹56.8

$0.37 ₹35.51

59.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₹34.83

$0.18 ₹17.51

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.01 ₹386

$4.13 ₹398

-2.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.10 ₹877

$4.75 ₹457

91.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ₹173

$1.49 ₹143

20.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ₹273

$2.78 ₹267

2.16%

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

$5.69 ₹547

$4.36 ₹419

30.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₹51.1

$0.30 ₹29.21

76.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 ₹1,113

$8.48 ₹816

36.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 ₹54.4

$0.80 ₹77.1

-28.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ₹26.60

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 ₹127

$1.43 ₹138

-7.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹109

$1.19 ₹115

-5.04%

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

$17.8K ₹1.7M

$13.7K ₹1.3M

29.75%

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

$24.2K ₹2.3M

$17.7K ₹1.7M

36.15%

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

$65.7 ₹6,323

$40.08 ₹3,859

63.85%

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

$4.35 ₹419

$3.44 ₹331

26.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.11 ₹781

$5.68 ₹547

42.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.31 ₹1,956

$4.53 ₹436

348.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.13 ₹975

$5.89 ₹567

71.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 ₹438

$2.87 ₹276

58.54%

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

$78.9 ₹7,592

$32.21 ₹3,101

144.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,030 ₹195.4K

$1,919 ₹184.8K

5.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.86 ₹2,682

$25.14 ₹2,420

10.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.02 ₹2,986

$35.50 ₹3,418

-12.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.1 ₹4,825

$46.95 ₹4,520

6.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.47 ₹3,415

$42.64 ₹4,105

-16.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 ₹23.3K

$253 ₹24.4K

-4.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 ₹13.2K

$156 ₹15.0K

-12.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 ₹56.1K

$464 ₹44.7K

25.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 ₹31.0K

$318 ₹30.6K

1.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,419 ₹232.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$975 ₹93.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 ₹51.0K

$441 ₹42.5K

20.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.38

21.95%

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

Last update for Delhi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Shillong: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $242 in Delhi versus $253 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 20% 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 $10.00 in Shillong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $116 vs $93.0 – 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: $546 in Delhi, $443 in Shillong – roughly 23% 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 $664 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Delhi and $10.00 in Shillong. 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 $443 in Shillong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $546 in Delhi and $443 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.