Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Surat Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Surat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $537 per month in Delhi vs $810 in Surat, rent included.

A couple spends around $872 per month in Delhi vs $850 in Surat, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,208 per month in Delhi vs $890 in Surat, rent included.

Delhi is about 34% cheaper than Surat, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Delhi and Surat are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 61% lower, Surat 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 ₹376

$3.14 ₹300

25.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.77 ₹1,984

$10.65 ₹1,018

95.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.03 ₹385

$3.24 ₹310

24.38%

Cappuccino

$2.39 ₹228

$1.82 ₹174

31.32%

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

$0.35 ₹33.66

$0.35 ₹33.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹15.81

$0.15 ₹14.72

13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 ₹199

$2.99 ₹286

-30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₹305

$3.12 ₹298

2.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 ₹67.8

$0.70 ₹67.1

1.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 ₹50.5

$0.48 ₹45.51

10.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.5

$0.66 ₹62.7

16.67%

Eggs

$1.07 ₹102

$0.91 ₹87.1

17.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 ₹432

$4.66 ₹445

-3.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 ₹333

$2.87 ₹274

21.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₹196

$1.74 ₹166

17.82%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ₹76.8

$0.63 ₹60.0

26.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 ₹99.5

$0.79 ₹75.3

31.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.56

$0.58 ₹55.0

-12.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 ₹28.63

$0.36 ₹34.33

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ₹39.76

$0.44 ₹41.64

-4.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 ₹43.81

$0.49 ₹46.89

-6.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹27.36

$0.30 ₹28.57

-3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.23 ₹500

$5.15 ₹492

1.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.56 ₹818

$7.52 ₹718

13.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ₹155

$1.84 ₹176

-11.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₹262

$3.16 ₹302

-13.29%

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

$6.41 ₹613

$6.10 ₹583

5.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₹38.52

$0.25 ₹23.93

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.80 ₹1,510

$5.43 ₹518

190.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 ₹98.0

$0.51 ₹48.79

101.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₹23.78

$0.20 ₹19.10

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 ₹156

$1.08 ₹103

51.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹105

$1.12 ₹107

-1.79%

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

$11.5K ₹1.1M

$12.0K ₹1.1M

-3.93%

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

$19.7K ₹1.9M

$18.9K ₹1.8M

4.27%

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

$42.17 ₹4,029

$37.30 ₹3,564

13.06%

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

$4.16 ₹397

$3.69 ₹353

12.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.85 ₹655

$7.26 ₹694

-5.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.21 ₹1,931

$18.83 ₹1,799

7.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.52 ₹814

$5.23 ₹499

62.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 ₹491

$2.98 ₹285

72.48%

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

$97.6 ₹9,328

$33.20 ₹3,172

194.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,100 ₹200.6K

$902 ₹86.2K

132.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.69 ₹2,359

$22.84 ₹2,182

8.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.78 ₹2,845

$25.27 ₹2,414

17.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.9 ₹5,153

$40.92 ₹3,910

31.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.00 ₹4,586

$32.45 ₹3,100

47.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$272 ₹26.0K

$225 ₹21.5K

21.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 ₹15.2K

$511 ₹48.8K

-68.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₹67.7K

$385 ₹36.8K

84.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 ₹36.7K

$202 ₹19.3K

89.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,528 ₹241.5K

$670 ₹64.0K

277.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$970 ₹92.6K

$311 ₹29.7K

211.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$605 ₹57.8K

$314 ₹30.0K

92.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.6

9.17

-6.22%

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

Last update for Delhi: September 8, 2026

Last update for Surat: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $272 in Delhi versus $225 in Surat. 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 93% higher in Delhi, 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 $11.00 in Surat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $110 vs $103 – making Surat 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 Surat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Surat costs about 51% more than Delhi, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $805 per month in Delhi and $1,215 in Surat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Delhi and $11.00 in Surat. 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 $810 in Surat. 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 $810 in Surat, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.

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 Delhi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Surat makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.