Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Shimla Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Shimla

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $537 per month in Delhi vs $306 in Shimla, rent included.

A couple spends around $872 per month in Delhi vs $507 in Shimla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,208 per month in Delhi vs $709 in Shimla, rent included.

Delhi costs about 76% more than Shimla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Delhi and Shimla are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 61% lower, Shimla 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 ₹376

$1.54 ₹147

155.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.77 ₹1,984

$5.41 ₹517

283.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.03 ₹385

$3.23 ₹309

24.77%

Cappuccino

$2.39 ₹228

$0.90 ₹86.2

165.56%

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

$0.35 ₹33.66

$0.38 ₹36.62

-7.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹15.81

$0.11 ₹10.96

54.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 ₹199

$1.63 ₹156

27.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₹305

$2.14 ₹205

49.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 ₹67.8

$0.69 ₹66.1

2.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 ₹50.5

$0.39 ₹37.37

35.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.5

$0.63 ₹60.6

22.22%

Eggs

$1.07 ₹102

$0.84 ₹80.0

27.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 ₹432

$4.33 ₹413

4.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 ₹333

$3.26 ₹312

7.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₹196

$1.82 ₹174

12.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ₹76.8

$0.76 ₹72.9

5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 ₹99.5

$0.69 ₹66.1

50.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.56

$0.47 ₹45.29

8.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 ₹28.63

$0.30 ₹29.08

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ₹39.76

$0.34 ₹32.05

23.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 ₹43.81

$0.20 ₹19.07

130.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹27.36

$0.29 ₹28.00

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.23 ₹500

$3.55 ₹339

47.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.56 ₹818

$8.49 ₹811

0.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ₹155

$1.49 ₹142

9.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₹262

$2.03 ₹194

34.98%

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

$6.41 ₹613

$3.79 ₹362

69.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₹38.52

$0.22 ₹21.03

81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.80 ₹1,510

$8.02 ₹767

97.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 ₹98.0

$1.02 ₹97.4

0.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₹23.78

$0.33 ₹31.91

-24.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 ₹156

$1.02 ₹97.6

60.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹105

$1.04 ₹99.6

5.77%

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

$11.5K ₹1.1M

$8,394 ₹802.0K

37.10%

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

$19.7K ₹1.9M

$17.7K ₹1.7M

11.52%

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

$42.17 ₹4,029

$18.70 ₹1,786

125.51%

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

$4.16 ₹397

$3.10 ₹296

34.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.85 ₹655

$6.78 ₹648

1.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.21 ₹1,931

$13.99 ₹1,337

44.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.52 ₹814

$10.38 ₹992

-17.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 ₹491

$3.17 ₹303

62.15%

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

$97.6 ₹9,328

$41.83 ₹3,997

133.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,100 ₹200.6K

$2,179 ₹208.2K

-3.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.69 ₹2,359

$25.20 ₹2,408

-2.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.78 ₹2,845

$21.70 ₹2,073

37.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 ₹5,153

$39.02 ₹3,728

38.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.00 ₹4,586

$26.03 ₹2,487

84.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 ₹26.0K

$87.2 ₹8,331

212.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 ₹15.2K

$52.5 ₹5,012

202.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₹67.7K

$196 ₹18.7K

262.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 ₹36.7K

$168 ₹16.1K

128.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,528 ₹241.5K

$974 ₹93.1K

159.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$970 ₹92.6K

$517 ₹49.4K

87.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ₹57.8K

$609 ₹58.2K

-0.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.6

8.25

4.24%

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

Last update for Delhi: September 8, 2026

Last update for Shimla: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $272 in Delhi versus $87.2 in Shimla. 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 1% higher in Shimla, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Delhi versus $5.00 in Shimla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $110 vs $99.0 – making Shimla 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 Shimla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $537 in Delhi, $306 in Shimla – roughly 76% apart. Delhi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $805 per month in Delhi and $458 in Shimla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shimla, 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 $5.00 in Shimla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $537 in Delhi and $306 in Shimla. 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 $537 in Delhi and $306 in Shimla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Shimla – 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 Shimla. 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.