Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Varkala Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Varkala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $540 per month in Delhi vs $378 in Varkala, rent included.

A couple spends around $865 per month in Delhi vs $606 in Varkala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,190 per month in Delhi vs $834 in Varkala, rent included.

Delhi costs about 43% more than Varkala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Delhi and Varkala are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 60% lower, Varkala 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.62 ₹440

$2.31 ₹220

100.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.58 ₹1,867

$10.58 ₹1,009

85.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.97 ₹379

$3.46 ₹330

14.74%

Cappuccino

$2.09 ₹199

$1.57 ₹150

33.12%

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

$0.44 ₹42.02

$0.41 ₹38.81

7.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.36

$0.16 ₹15.07

-6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 ₹197

$1.69 ₹161

22.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 ₹334

$3.02 ₹288

16.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 ₹74.9

$0.66 ₹62.7

19.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 ₹52.8

$0.45 ₹42.80

22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 ₹83.3

$0.66 ₹62.9

31.82%

Eggs

$1.17 ₹112

$0.90 ₹85.7

30.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.71 ₹449

$4.86 ₹463

-3.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.54 ₹338

$3.03 ₹289

16.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ₹195

$1.97 ₹188

4.06%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 ₹80.1

$0.69 ₹65.9

21.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 ₹91.9

$0.95 ₹90.2

1.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.2

$0.53 ₹50.9

20.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 ₹39.40

$0.38 ₹36.69

7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.53

$0.46 ₹43.99

10.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ₹52.9

$0.49 ₹47.03

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₹34.77

$0.35 ₹32.99

2.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ₹379

$3.94 ₹375

0.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.20 ₹877

$7.38 ₹704

24.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ₹171

$1.79 ₹170

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ₹272

$2.78 ₹265

2.52%

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

$5.62 ₹536

$5.58 ₹532

0.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₹48.48

$0.30 ₹28.94

70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 ₹1,121

$8.83 ₹842

33.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₹58.0

$0.84 ₹80.1

-27.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.94

$0.25 ₹23.79

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 ₹120

$1.43 ₹136

-11.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹113

$1.22 ₹116

-3.28%

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

$17.1K ₹1.6M

$13.9K ₹1.3M

22.81%

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

$24.4K ₹2.3M

$21.9K ₹2.1M

11.68%

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

$67.9 ₹6,470

$38.78 ₹3,697

74.99%

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

$4.33 ₹413

$3.55 ₹338

21.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.93 ₹756

$7.46 ₹711

6.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.19 ₹1,925

$16.09 ₹1,534

25.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.14 ₹967

$6.98 ₹666

45.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.69 ₹447

$2.97 ₹283

57.91%

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

$78.7 ₹7,498

$52.3 ₹4,989

50.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,045 ₹195.0K

$1,561 ₹148.8K

31.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.58 ₹2,629

$24.20 ₹2,307

13.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.66 ₹3,018

$25.54 ₹2,435

23.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.0 ₹4,770

$42.00 ₹4,004

19.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.96 ₹3,429

$29.96 ₹2,856

20.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 ₹22.5K

$122 ₹11.7K

93.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 ₹13.2K

$77.7 ₹7,408

77.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 ₹55.7K

$274 ₹26.1K

113.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 ₹31.1K

$181 ₹17.3K

79.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,453 ₹233.9K

$1,043 ₹99.4K

135.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$932 ₹88.8K

$604 ₹57.6K

54.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$529 ₹50.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.67

3.81%

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

Last update for Delhi: June 6, 2026

Last update for Varkala: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $236 in Delhi versus $122 in Varkala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Delhi versus $11.00 in Varkala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $118 vs $105 – making Varkala 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 Varkala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $540 in Delhi, $378 in Varkala – roughly 43% apart. Delhi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $809 per month in Delhi and $566 in Varkala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Varkala, 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 $11.00 in Varkala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $540 in Delhi and $378 in Varkala. 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 $540 in Delhi and $378 in Varkala, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Varkala has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $378 in Varkala to $540 in Delhi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Varkala. 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.