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 $309 in Varanasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $874 per month in Delhi vs $519 in Varanasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,202 per month in Delhi vs $729 in Varanasi, rent included.

Delhi costs about 77% 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

$4.61 ₹443

$2.35 ₹226

96.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.83 ₹1,909

$8.59 ₹827

130.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.16 ₹400

$3.41 ₹328

21.99%

Cappuccino

$2.00 ₹192

$1.53 ₹148

30.72%

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

$0.44 ₹42.25

$0.31 ₹29.58

41.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ₹17.65

$0.12 ₹11.82

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 ₹198

$1.75 ₹169

17.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 ₹328

$2.36 ₹228

44.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹70.3

$0.64 ₹61.5

14.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 ₹53.7

$0.40 ₹38.05

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 ₹82.0

$0.55 ₹53.1

54.55%

Eggs

$1.18 ₹114

$0.96 ₹92.2

22.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.65 ₹448

$3.42 ₹329

35.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ₹329

$2.53 ₹244

35.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ₹204

$1.50 ₹144

41.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 ₹79.0

$0.66 ₹63.2

24.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 ₹95.6

$0.88 ₹84.9

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.8

$0.36 ₹34.46

75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 ₹36.80

$0.27 ₹25.66

40.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 ₹51.2

$0.25 ₹24.07

112.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ₹56.8

$0.37 ₹35.73

59.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₹34.83

$0.29 ₹27.74

24.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.01 ₹386

$2.80 ₹269

43.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.10 ₹877

$5.77 ₹556

57.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ₹173

$1.74 ₹167

2.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ₹273

$2.62 ₹252

8.40%

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

$5.69 ₹547

$4.56 ₹439

24.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₹51.1

$0.56 ₹53.7

-5.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.56 ₹1,113

$10.56 ₹1,016

9.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 ₹54.4

$0.20 ₹19.23

185.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ₹26.60

$0.10 ₹10.00

180.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 ₹127

$1.13 ₹109

16.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹109

$1.15 ₹111

-1.74%

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

$17.8K ₹1.7M

$14.1K ₹1.4M

25.95%

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

$24.2K ₹2.3M

$21.0K ₹2.0M

15.15%

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

$65.7 ₹6,323

$14.01 ₹1,349

368.74%

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

$4.35 ₹419

$3.66 ₹352

18.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.11 ₹781

$5.50 ₹530

47.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.31 ₹1,956

$12.64 ₹1,217

60.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.13 ₹975

$5.79 ₹558

74.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 ₹438

$2.88 ₹278

57.99%

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

$78.9 ₹7,592

$56.8 ₹5,471

38.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,030 ₹195.4K

$949 ₹91.3K

113.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.86 ₹2,682

$23.35 ₹2,249

19.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.02 ₹2,986

$24.61 ₹2,369

26.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.1 ₹4,825

$40.78 ₹3,926

22.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.47 ₹3,415

$24.86 ₹2,393

42.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 ₹23.3K

$128 ₹12.3K

88.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 ₹13.2K

$51.6 ₹4,970

166.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$582 ₹56.1K

$248 ₹23.8K

135.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 ₹31.0K

$156 ₹15.1K

105.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,419 ₹232.9K

$553 ₹53.3K

337.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$975 ₹93.9K

$334 ₹32.1K

192.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 ₹51.0K

$577 ₹55.5K

-8.12%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $242 in Delhi versus $128 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 9% 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: $116 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, $309 in Varanasi – roughly 77% 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 $463 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 $309 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 $309 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.