For one person, living is cheaper in Hubli: $384 a month against $416 in Chennai (Madras), rent and utilities included – about $380 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
How much you'll spend in Hubli and in Chennai (Madras)
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hubli and in Chennai (Madras) actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $384 per month in Hubli vs $416 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.
Hubli $384
Chennai (Madras) $416
A couple spends around $625 per month in Hubli vs $701 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.
Hubli $625
Chennai (Madras) $701
A family of three spends $866 per month in Hubli vs $987 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.
Hubli $866
Chennai (Madras) $987
🙂
Hubli is about 8% cheaper than Chennai (Madras), and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Both Hubli and Chennai (Madras) are more affordable than the global median – Hubli72% lower, Chennai (Madras)69% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Hubli
Chennai (Madras)
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.02₹477
$2.13₹202
135.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.83₹1,408
$12.49₹1,186
18.73%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.02₹287
$4.31₹410
-29.93%
Cappuccino
$1.50₹142
$1.86₹177
-19.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39₹37.08
$0.37₹34.78
5.41%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.10₹9.66
$0.19₹17.86
-47.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.85₹175
$1.62₹154
14.20%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92₹277
$3.07₹291
-4.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hubli
Chennai (Madras)
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.61₹58.3
$0.56₹53.4
8.93%
White Bread(500g)
$0.41₹38.47
$0.56₹52.8
-26.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.76₹72.6
$0.74₹70.1
2.70%
Eggs
$0.92₹87.5
$0.91₹86.2
1.10%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.49₹711
$6.06₹575
23.60%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.18₹397
$3.12₹296
33.97%
Apples(1kg)
$2.26₹214
$2.92₹278
-22.60%
Banana(1kg)
$0.56₹53.3
$0.82₹78.2
-31.71%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.31₹124
$1.45₹138
-9.66%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.23₹21.84
$0.46₹43.23
-50.00%
Potato(1kg)
$0.36₹34.50
$0.44₹41.94
-18.18%
Onion(1kg)
$0.38₹36.41
$0.40₹37.59
-5.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.58₹55.0
$0.51₹48.13
13.73%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.29₹27.57
$0.28₹26.27
3.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.99₹474
$5.12₹486
-2.54%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$7.57₹719
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77₹168
$1.87₹178
-5.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11₹200
$2.79₹265
-24.37%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
$4.61₹438
$6.73₹639
-31.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Hubli
Chennai (Madras)
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.27₹25.74
$0.33₹31.60
-18.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$10.48₹995
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
-
$1.04₹98.6
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$0.31₹29.25
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$0.83₹78.5
$2.08₹197
-60.10%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.05₹99.5
$1.13₹108
-7.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$11.3K₹1.1M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$20.3K₹1.9M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hubli
Chennai (Madras)
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$33.57₹3,188
$38.97₹3,701
-13.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.25₹308
$3.92₹373
-17.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.35₹982
$8.01₹760
29.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hubli
Chennai (Madras)
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$26.76₹2,542
$12.53₹1,189
113.57%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$2.16₹205
$6.76₹642
-68.05%
Cinema Ticket
-
$2.50₹238
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hubli
Chennai (Madras)
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$52.8₹5,012
$89.4₹8,491
-40.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$701₹66.5K
$2,131₹202.4K
-67.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hubli
Chennai (Madras)
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$12.41₹1,179
$20.32₹1,930
-38.93%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$20.87₹1,981
$17.00₹1,614
22.76%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$32.12₹3,050
$35.93₹3,412
-10.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$31.56₹2,997
$30.04₹2,853
5.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hubli
Chennai (Madras)
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$112₹10.7K
$179₹17.0K
-37.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$79.4₹7,539
$101₹9,577
-21.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$231₹21.9K
$496₹47.1K
-53.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$183₹17.4K
$308₹29.3K
-40.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$471₹44.7K
$2,068₹196.4K
-77.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$256₹24.3K
$782₹74.3K
-67.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hubli
Chennai (Madras)
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$405₹38.5K
$674₹64.0K
-39.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.75
9.99
-22.42%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Hubli: October 18, 2026
Last update for Chennai (Madras): October 20, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Hubli
$102 * 26.6%
Chennai (Madras)
$117 28.1% ↑ 14.3%$15
🍽Eating Out
Hubli
$84 21.9%
Chennai (Madras)
$69 16.5% ↓ 18.4%$16
🏠Accommodation & Living
Hubli
$79 20.7%
Chennai (Madras)
$101 24.3% ↑ 27%$21
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hubli
$47 12.3%
Chennai (Madras)
$51 12.3% ↑ 7.9%$3.7
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Hubli
$44 11.4%
Chennai (Madras)
$46 11.2% ↑ 6.5%$2.8
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Hubli
$27 * 7%
Chennai (Madras)
$18 4.2% ↓ 34.5%$9.2
🚌Getting Around
Hubli
$1.1 * 0.3%
Chennai (Madras)
$14 3.5% ↑ 1232%$13
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Hubli
$232 * 26.8%
Chennai (Madras)
$254 25.7% ↑ 9.4%$22
🍽Eating Out
Hubli
$245 28.3%
Chennai (Madras)
$196 19.8% ↓ 20.2%$49
🏠Accommodation & Living
Hubli
$183 21.2%
Chennai (Madras)
$308 31.3% ↑ 68.3%$125
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hubli
$50 5.8%
Chennai (Madras)
$55 5.6% ↑ 8.8%$4.4
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Hubli
$97 11.2%
Chennai (Madras)
$103 10.5% ↑ 6.5%$6.3
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Hubli
$56 * 6.4%
Chennai (Madras)
$42 4.2% ↓ 24.9%$14
🚌Getting Around
Hubli
$2.7 * 0.3%
Chennai (Madras)
$29 3% ↑ 986%$27
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $112 in Hubli versus $179 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 66% 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 $15.00 in Hubli versus $12.00 in Chennai (Madras). Groceries tell a different story – $102 in Hubli vs $117 in Chennai (Madras) – so Hubli wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
Hubli→Chennai (Madras)610 km≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
Hubli
Chennai (Madras)
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Hubli vs Chennai (Madras): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Hubli or Chennai (Madras)?
Chennai (Madras) costs about 8% more than Hubli, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Hubli and in Chennai (Madras)?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $577 per month in Hubli and $623 in Chennai (Madras). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Hubli or Chennai (Madras)?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Hubli, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Hubli compared to Chennai (Madras)?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $384 in Hubli and $416 in Chennai (Madras). That's a gap of about 8%.
How do childcare costs compare in Hubli and in Chennai (Madras)?
Kindergarten costs $52.8 per month in Hubli and $89.4 in Chennai (Madras). For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Hubli or in Chennai (Madras)?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $384 in Hubli and $416 in Chennai (Madras), leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Hubli or Chennai (Madras)?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hubli costs $384 versus $416 in Chennai (Madras). Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Hubli or to Chennai (Madras)?
If budget matters most, go with Hubli. 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.