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 $2,752 per month in Hong Kong (China) vs $388 in India, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,270 per month in Hong Kong (China) vs $617 in India, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,787 per month in Hong Kong (China) vs $846 in India, rent included.

Hong Kong (China) costs about 609% more than India on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Hong Kong (China) sits 105% above the global median, while India is 71% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Hong Kong (China) has a wider regional cost range ($2,752$2,752) than India ($264$888), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Hong Kong (China).

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hong Kong (China)
India
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.99 HK$70.4
$2.49 ₹237
261.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.0 HK$494
$14.20 ₹1,353
343.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.56 HK$51.4
$3.98 ₹379
64.82%
Cappuccino
$4.98 HK$39.04
$1.88 ₹179
164.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30 HK$10.15
$0.44 ₹41.98
195.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 HK$8.55
$0.19 ₹18.57
473.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.85 HK$53.7
$2.02 ₹192
239.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.54 HK$51.3
$3.45 ₹329
89.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hong Kong (China)
India
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.07 HK$24.02
$0.72 ₹68.3
326.39%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 HK$17.43
$0.52 ₹49.26
326.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.96 HK$15.35
$0.72 ₹68.7
172.22%
Eggs
$3.52 HK$27.56
$0.93 ₹88.8
278.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$25.75 HK$202
$5.24 ₹499
391.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.51 HK$82.3
$3.07 ₹292
242.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.77 HK$171
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.62 HK$28.35
$2.17 ₹207
66.82%
Banana (1kg)
$2.31 HK$18.12
$0.76 ₹72.2
203.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.88 HK$30.38
$1.05 ₹100
269.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.08 HK$24.16
$0.53 ₹50.7
481.13%
Potato (1kg)
$2.34 HK$18.31
$0.39 ₹37.53
500.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.22 HK$17.41
$0.49 ₹46.81
353.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.68 HK$13.15
$0.52 ₹49.35
223.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 HK$13.51
$0.33 ₹31.13
421.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.10 HK$103
$4.05 ₹386
223.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.91 HK$148
$7.39 ₹704
155.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83 HK$14.36
$1.84 ₹175
-0.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 HK$20.81
$2.90 ₹277
-8.28%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.65 ₹538
-
🚌 Getting Around
Hong Kong (China)
India
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.68 HK$13.13
$0.36 ₹34.59
366.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$62.5 HK$490
$9.74 ₹928
541.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.59 HK$28.16
$0.95 ₹90.6
277.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.31 HK$10.27
$0.30 ₹28.64
336.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.66 HK$115
$1.73 ₹165
747.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$3.11 HK$24.35
$1.23 ₹117
152.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K HK$299.7K
$13.9K ₹1.3M
176.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K HK$257.5K
$22.6K ₹2.2M
45.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hong Kong (China)
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$235 HK$1,839
$40.88 ₹3,894
474.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.94 HK$141
$3.91 ₹372
358.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.44 HK$176
$7.81 ₹744
187.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hong Kong (China)
India
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.2 HK$597
$16.15 ₹1,538
371.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.51 HK$66.7
$7.49 ₹713
13.62%
Cinema Ticket
$12.82 HK$100
$3.42 ₹326
274.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hong Kong (China)
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$986 HK$7,725
$69.9 ₹6,660
1309.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.4K HK$167.5K
$1,793 ₹170.8K
1092.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hong Kong (China)
India
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.9 HK$571
$25.83 ₹2,460
182.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.60 HK$310
$26.61 ₹2,535
48.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.8 HK$711
$45.24 ₹4,309
100.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143 HK$1,123
$33.68 ₹3,208
325.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hong Kong (China)
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,224 HK$17.4K
$178 ₹17.0K
1148.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,571 HK$12.3K
$115 ₹10.9K
1269.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,893 HK$38.3K
$407 ₹38.8K
1102.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,105 HK$24.3K
$264 ₹25.1K
1078.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$27.4K HK$214.6K
$1,240 ₹118.1K
2109.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$17.0K HK$133.6K
$631 ₹60.1K
2601.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hong Kong (China)
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,187 HK$25.0K
$432 ₹41.2K
637.59%
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): May 31, 2026

Last update for India: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $2,235 in Hong Kong (China) vs $127 in India. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,235 in Hong Kong and $239 in Delhi.

Average salary: $3,166 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 1660% higher in Hong Kong (China).

Dining out costs 491% more in Hong Kong (China).

Public transport is 611% more expensive in Hong Kong (China).

Salaries are 695% higher in Hong Kong (China), giving Hong Kong (China) stronger purchasing power.

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 378% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Is rent more expensive in Hong Kong (China) or 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 378% 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

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