Cost of Living Comparison Between Hong Kong (China) and India Cost of Living Comparison Between Hong Kong (China) and India

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,848 per month in Hong Kong (China) vs $388 in India, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,336 per month in Hong Kong (China) vs $617 in India, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,823 per month in Hong Kong (China) vs $846 in India, rent included.

The cost of living in Hong Kong (China) is about 634% higher than in India on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Hong Kong (China) sits 113% above the global median, while India is 71% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Hong Kong (China) ($2,848$2,848) than in India ($265$913), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hong Kong (China)
India
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.01 HK$70.6
$2.53 ₹244
256.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.9 HK$509
$13.73 ₹1,322
372.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.24 HK$48.93
$4.00 ₹385
56.00%
Cappuccino
$5.16 HK$40.46
$1.91 ₹184
170.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 HK$10.08
$0.43 ₹41.85
200.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 HK$8.48
$0.17 ₹16.11
535.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.55 HK$51.4
$1.93 ₹186
239.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.19 HK$48.50
$3.54 ₹341
74.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hong Kong (China)
India
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.99 HK$23.43
$0.73 ₹69.9
309.59%
White Bread (500g)
$2.31 HK$18.12
$0.52 ₹50.1
344.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.02 HK$15.83
$0.73 ₹69.9
176.71%
Eggs
$3.45 HK$27.07
$0.95 ₹91.4
263.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$25.07 HK$197
$5.32 ₹512
371.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.18 HK$79.8
$3.10 ₹299
228.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.12 HK$173
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.51 HK$27.48
$2.16 ₹208
62.50%
Banana (1kg)
$2.35 HK$18.39
$0.70 ₹67.7
235.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.95 HK$30.97
$1.05 ₹101
276.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.94 HK$23.02
$0.53 ₹50.8
454.72%
Potato (1kg)
$2.32 HK$18.19
$0.39 ₹37.66
494.87%
Onion (1kg)
$2.23 HK$17.46
$0.48 ₹46.64
364.58%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.74 HK$13.65
$0.52 ₹49.78
234.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 HK$13.32
$0.36 ₹34.33
372.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.03 HK$102
$4.02 ₹387
224.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.89 HK$132
$7.28 ₹701
132.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 HK$14.45
$1.90 ₹183
-3.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 HK$20.74
$3.03 ₹292
-12.54%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.84 ₹562
-
🚌 Getting Around
Hong Kong (China)
India
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.68 HK$13.15
$0.36 ₹34.66
366.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$63.3 HK$496
$9.84 ₹948
543.09%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.76 HK$29.48
$0.95 ₹91.8
295.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.32 HK$10.33
$0.30 ₹29.03
340.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.94 HK$117
$1.79 ₹172
734.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$3.05 HK$23.94
$1.21 ₹117
152.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.7K HK$303.5K
$13.9K ₹1.3M
179.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K HK$260.6K
$22.4K ₹2.2M
48.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hong Kong (China)
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$232 HK$1,819
$40.16 ₹3,867
477.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.87 HK$140
$3.76 ₹362
375.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.38 HK$175
$8.04 ₹774
178.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hong Kong (China)
India
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.2 HK$598
$16.25 ₹1,565
369.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.63 HK$67.6
$7.56 ₹728
14.15%
Cinema Ticket
$12.53 HK$98.2
$3.43 ₹330
265.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hong Kong (China)
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,004 HK$7,872
$69.7 ₹6,713
1340.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.8K HK$170.5K
$1,852 ₹178.3K
1074.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hong Kong (China)
India
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$74.0 HK$580
$25.59 ₹2,463
189.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.96 HK$305
$26.30 ₹2,532
48.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.0 HK$706
$44.89 ₹4,322
100.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$140 HK$1,101
$33.20 ₹3,197
322.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hong Kong (China)
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,236 HK$17.5K
$174 ₹16.8K
1182.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,584 HK$12.4K
$112 ₹10.8K
1307.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,811 HK$37.7K
$405 ₹39.0K
1089.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,083 HK$24.2K
$258 ₹24.8K
1096.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$27.5K HK$215.3K
$1,263 ₹121.6K
2074.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$17.0K HK$133.3K
$653 ₹62.8K
2503.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hong Kong (China)
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,220 HK$25.2K
$424 ₹40.8K
659.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.97
9.02
-55.99%

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

Last update for Hong Kong (China): July 13, 2026

Last update for India: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $2,160 in Hong Kong (China) vs $127 in India. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,160 in Hong Kong and $242 in Delhi.

Average salary: $3,230 in Hong Kong (China) vs $398 in India. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1601% higher in Hong Kong (China).

Dining out costs 482% more in Hong Kong (China).

Public transport is 600% more expensive in Hong Kong (China).

Salaries are 712% higher in Hong Kong (China), and purchasing power comes out stronger in Hong Kong (China).

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
Hong Kong (China) vs India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Hong Kong (China) or India?
India is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 384% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Hong Kong (China) or in India?
Housing costs more in Hong Kong (China), and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Hong Kong (China) consistently has higher rents.
How do daily expenses compare in Hong Kong (China) vs India?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in India, contributing to the overall 384% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Can you live in both Hong Kong (China) and India on $1,000 per month?
$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in India, but in Hong Kong (China) it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Which country is better for expats: Hong Kong (China) or India?
India is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Hong Kong (China) vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries