Cost of Living Comparison Between Ghaziabad and Chennai (Madras) Cost of Living Comparison Between Ghaziabad and Chennai (Madras)

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $454 per month in Ghaziabad vs $475 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A couple spends around $742 per month in Ghaziabad vs $741 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A family of three spends $1,029 per month in Ghaziabad vs $1,007 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

Ghaziabad is about 4% cheaper than Chennai (Madras), driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ghaziabad and Chennai (Madras) are more affordable than the global median – Ghaziabad 66% lower, Chennai (Madras) 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.94 ₹283

$2.30 ₹221

27.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.16 ₹1,651

$11.59 ₹1,115

48.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 ₹390

$4.10 ₹395

-0.98%

Cappuccino

$2.07 ₹199

$2.16 ₹208

-4.17%

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

$0.52 ₹50.1

$0.49 ₹47.14

6.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.75

$0.17 ₹16.44

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 ₹228

$2.07 ₹199

14.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ₹327

$4.08 ₹393

-16.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹69.9

$0.59 ₹56.3

23.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 ₹55.8

$0.50 ₹47.74

16.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ₹93.9

$0.77 ₹74.5

27.27%

Eggs

$1.19 ₹114

$0.87 ₹84.0

36.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.75 ₹361

$7.08 ₹681

-47.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 ₹316

$3.57 ₹344

-7.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ₹182

$2.84 ₹273

-33.45%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 ₹78.4

$0.86 ₹82.7

-4.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 ₹64.5

$1.27 ₹122

-47.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.52 ₹50.1

$0.48 ₹46.32

8.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 ₹32.40

$0.55 ₹52.9

-38.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 ₹49.03

$0.54 ₹51.7

-5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 ₹30.85

$0.55 ₹52.7

-41.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₹32.67

$0.33 ₹31.46

3.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ₹385

$4.06 ₹391

-1.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.27 ₹1,085

$7.14 ₹687

57.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₹206

$1.81 ₹174

18.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 ₹418

$3.49 ₹335

24.36%

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

$5.66 ₹545

$6.08 ₹585

-6.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₹52.9

$0.34 ₹32.55

61.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.46 ₹1,680

$11.59 ₹1,115

50.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 ₹57.5

$1.54 ₹148

-61.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.15 ₹14.10

$0.30 ₹29.16

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 ₹286

$1.70 ₹163

74.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹115

$1.18 ₹113

0.85%

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

$14.0K ₹1.4M

$17.3K ₹1.7M

-18.66%

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

$20.8K ₹2.0M

$23.8K ₹2.3M

-12.45%

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

$52.0 ₹4,999

$47.66 ₹4,586

9.00%

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

$3.71 ₹357

$4.90 ₹471

-24.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.32 ₹800

$9.78 ₹941

-14.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.23 ₹2,042

$17.77 ₹1,709

19.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.48 ₹527

$7.12 ₹686

-23.03%

Cinema Ticket

$2.95 ₹284

$2.87 ₹276

2.79%

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

$91.7 ₹8,820

$79.5 ₹7,649

15.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,711 ₹164.6K

$1,738 ₹167.2K

-1.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.94 ₹2,784

$26.12 ₹2,513

10.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.01 ₹2,599

$23.16 ₹2,228

16.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.36 ₹4,365

$49.19 ₹4,733

-7.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.89 ₹2,973

$36.39 ₹3,502

-15.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$144 ₹13.9K

$195 ₹18.8K

-26.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.7 ₹7,576

$115 ₹11.1K

-31.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 ₹29.8K

$441 ₹42.4K

-29.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$233 ₹22.4K

$260 ₹25.0K

-10.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,080 ₹104.0K

$1,817 ₹174.8K

-40.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$736 ₹70.8K

$793 ₹76.3K

-7.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 ₹36.6K

$754 ₹72.5K

-49.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.81

9.42

4.14%

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

Last update for Ghaziabad: July 12, 2026

Last update for Chennai (Madras): July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $144 in Ghaziabad versus $195 in Chennai (Madras). 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 98% higher in Chennai (Madras), which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Ghaziabad versus $12.00 in Chennai (Madras). Groceries tell a different story – $118 in Ghaziabad vs $122 in Chennai (Madras) – so Ghaziabad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Ghaziabad vs Chennai (Madras): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chennai (Madras) costs about 5% more than Ghaziabad, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $680 per month in Ghaziabad and $712 in Chennai (Madras). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ghaziabad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $454 in Ghaziabad and $475 in Chennai (Madras). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 51% less in Ghaziabad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $454 in Ghaziabad and $475 in Chennai (Madras), leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ghaziabad costs $454 versus $475 in Chennai (Madras). Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Ghaziabad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chennai (Madras) makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.