Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Varanasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Varanasi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $546 per month in Delhi vs $306 in Varanasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $861 per month in Delhi vs $516 in Varanasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,176 per month in Delhi vs $725 in Varanasi, rent included.

Delhi costs about 78% more than Varanasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Delhi and Varanasi are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 59% lower, Varanasi 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.75 ₹453

$2.30 ₹219

106.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.98 ₹1,903

$8.54 ₹813

133.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.97 ₹378

$3.43 ₹327

15.74%

Cappuccino

$2.05 ₹195

$1.55 ₹147

32.26%

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

$0.47 ₹45.06

$0.33 ₹31.48

42.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.59

$0.13 ₹12.48

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 ₹196

$1.75 ₹167

17.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ₹323

$2.31 ₹220

46.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.4

$0.69 ₹65.5

8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 ₹53.3

$0.36 ₹34.75

55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₹87.0

$0.55 ₹52.6

65.45%

Eggs

$1.12 ₹107

$0.89 ₹84.9

25.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.55 ₹433

$3.56 ₹340

27.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 ₹338

$2.48 ₹236

43.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ₹192

$1.52 ₹145

32.24%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 ₹80.3

$0.64 ₹61.4

31.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 ₹94.5

$0.88 ₹83.9

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 ₹56.3

$0.39 ₹36.95

51.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.06

$0.27 ₹25.55

44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ₹51.7

$0.25 ₹23.79

116.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ₹57.8

$0.38 ₹35.78

60.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₹34.97

$0.31 ₹29.87

19.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 ₹396

$2.79 ₹266

49.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.18 ₹874

$5.84 ₹556

57.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₹177

$1.66 ₹158

12.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₹274

$2.61 ₹249

10.34%

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

$5.57 ₹530

$4.41 ₹420

26.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₹50.5

$0.57 ₹54.3

-7.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 ₹1,106

$10.38 ₹989

11.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 ₹53.7

$0.20 ₹19.04

180.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ₹26.45

$0.10 ₹9.43

180.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 ₹124

$1.14 ₹108

14.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₹112

$1.21 ₹115

-3.31%

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

$17.7K ₹1.7M

$14.2K ₹1.4M

24.86%

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

$23.9K ₹2.3M

$21.3K ₹2.0M

12.29%

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

$66.4 ₹6,322

$13.80 ₹1,314

380.94%

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

$4.31 ₹411

$3.52 ₹335

22.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.99 ₹761

$5.47 ₹521

46.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.25 ₹1,929

$12.20 ₹1,162

65.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.15 ₹967

$5.75 ₹548

76.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.61 ₹439

$2.93 ₹279

57.34%

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

$78.5 ₹7,480

$58.1 ₹5,532

35.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,010 ₹191.5K

$913 ₹86.9K

120.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.20 ₹2,591

$23.25 ₹2,215

16.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.17 ₹2,969

$24.94 ₹2,376

24.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.50 ₹4,620

$40.78 ₹3,885

18.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.01 ₹3,431

$24.61 ₹2,344

46.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 ₹22.8K

$126 ₹12.0K

89.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 ₹12.9K

$51.6 ₹4,915

161.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 ₹55.6K

$247 ₹23.6K

136.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 ₹30.7K

$153 ₹14.6K

110.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,503 ₹238.4K

$573 ₹54.6K

336.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$931 ₹88.7K

$343 ₹32.6K

171.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$531 ₹50.5K

$568 ₹54.1K

-6.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.72

3.21%

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

Last update for Delhi: June 1, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $239 in Delhi versus $126 in Varanasi. 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 7% higher in Varanasi, 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 $20.00 in Delhi versus $9.00 in Varanasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $117 vs $88.0 – making Varanasi 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 Varanasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $546 in Delhi, $306 in Varanasi – roughly 78% 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 $460 in Varanasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Varanasi, 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 $9.00 in Varanasi. 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 $306 in Varanasi. 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 $546 in Delhi and $306 in Varanasi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Varanasi – 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 Varanasi. 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.