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 $458 per month in Ghaziabad vs $478 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A couple spends around $733 per month in Ghaziabad vs $752 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A family of three spends $1,008 per month in Ghaziabad vs $1,025 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

Ghaziabad is about 4% cheaper than Chennai (Madras), driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.96 ₹276

$2.27 ₹211

30.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.51 ₹1,631

$11.56 ₹1,077

51.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₹381

$4.18 ₹390

-2.15%

Cappuccino

$2.14 ₹199

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

$0.51 ₹47.89

$0.49 ₹45.60

4.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 ₹18.67

$0.17 ₹16.00

17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ₹219

$2.10 ₹196

11.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 ₹329

$3.98 ₹371

-11.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 ₹67.2

$0.59 ₹55.0

22.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 ₹53.3

$0.53 ₹49.34

7.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₹87.8

$0.74 ₹68.8

27.03%

Eggs

$1.19 ₹111

$0.89 ₹82.8

33.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.88 ₹361

$7.25 ₹675

-46.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 ₹308

$3.43 ₹319

-3.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 ₹178

$2.82 ₹263

-32.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ₹74.9

$0.86 ₹79.8

-6.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 ₹67.6

$1.32 ₹123

-44.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 ₹44.62

$0.49 ₹45.67

-2.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 ₹31.44

$0.51 ₹47.67

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ₹50.7

$0.51 ₹47.37

5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 ₹30.30

$0.59 ₹55.3

-44.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₹31.55

$0.35 ₹32.87

-2.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ₹369

$4.06 ₹378

-2.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.58 ₹1,079

$7.95 ₹740

45.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 ₹195

$1.91 ₹178

9.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 ₹405

$3.43 ₹320

26.82%

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

$5.54 ₹516

$6.20 ₹577

-10.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ₹54.4

$0.34 ₹31.63

70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.68 ₹1,647

$11.65 ₹1,086

51.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 ₹52.8

$1.60 ₹149

-64.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.16 ₹14.60

$0.30 ₹28.34

-46.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 ₹278

$1.77 ₹164

68.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ₹112

$1.17 ₹109

2.56%

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

$14.1K ₹1.3M

$17.1K ₹1.6M

-17.67%

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

$21.2K ₹2.0M

$24.3K ₹2.3M

-12.87%

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

$51.4 ₹4,790

$47.29 ₹4,406

8.73%

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

$3.55 ₹331

$4.88 ₹454

-27.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.33 ₹776

$9.44 ₹879

-11.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.54 ₹1,914

$17.66 ₹1,645

16.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.31 ₹494

$7.01 ₹653

-24.25%

Cinema Ticket

$2.97 ₹277

$2.87 ₹268

3.48%

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

$91.5 ₹8,527

$79.9 ₹7,442

14.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,740 ₹162.1K

$1,766 ₹164.5K

-1.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.33 ₹2,640

$25.27 ₹2,354

12.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.36 ₹2,456

$23.39 ₹2,179

12.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.28 ₹4,218

$49.54 ₹4,616

-8.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.04 ₹2,892

$36.48 ₹3,399

-14.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$141 ₹13.2K

$190 ₹17.7K

-25.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$80.0 ₹7,453

$118 ₹11.0K

-32.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$312 ₹29.1K

$446 ₹41.5K

-30.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$234 ₹21.8K

$260 ₹24.3K

-10.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,120 ₹104.3K

$1,701 ₹158.5K

-34.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$729 ₹67.9K

$708 ₹66.0K

2.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$395 ₹36.8K

$717 ₹66.8K

-44.94%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Chennai (Madras): April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $141 in Ghaziabad versus $190 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 82% 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 $18 in Ghaziabad versus $12 in Chennai (Madras). Groceries tell a different story – $119 in Ghaziabad vs $125 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 4% more than Ghaziabad, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $688 per month in Ghaziabad and $717 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 $458 in Ghaziabad and $478 in Chennai (Madras). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 52% 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 $458 in Ghaziabad and $478 in Chennai (Madras), leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ghaziabad costs $458 versus $478 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.