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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $488 per month in Hyderabad vs $410 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A couple spends around $806 per month in Hyderabad vs $686 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A family of three spends $1,124 per month in Hyderabad vs $961 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

Hyderabad costs about 19% more than Chennai (Madras), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hyderabad and Chennai (Madras) are more affordable than the global median – Hyderabad 64% lower, Chennai (Madras) 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.65 ₹255

$2.05 ₹197

29.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.75 ₹1,511

$12.41 ₹1,190

26.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 ₹491

$4.06 ₹389

25.86%

Cappuccino

$2.24 ₹215

$1.73 ₹166

29.48%

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

$0.49 ₹46.69

$0.37 ₹35.83

32.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.75

$0.16 ₹15.01

-6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ₹202

$1.61 ₹155

31.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 ₹509

$3.14 ₹302

69.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 ₹77.5

$0.57 ₹54.3

42.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 ₹56.2

$0.51 ₹48.59

15.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 ₹65.2

$0.72 ₹69.4

-5.56%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹97.7

$0.89 ₹85.1

14.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.77 ₹650

$5.94 ₹570

13.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ₹326

$3.27 ₹314

3.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 ₹233

$2.79 ₹268

-12.90%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 ₹64.1

$0.83 ₹79.4

-19.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 ₹104

$1.40 ₹134

-22.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 ₹41.08

$0.42 ₹40.20

2.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.42 ₹40.17

$0.47 ₹45.31

-10.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 ₹34.33

$0.43 ₹40.93

-16.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ₹45.78

$0.55 ₹52.3

-12.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.18

$0.29 ₹27.99

13.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₹491

$5.16 ₹495

-0.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.64 ₹829

$7.28 ₹699

18.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₹169

$1.82 ₹175

-3.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₹248

$2.80 ₹269

-7.50%

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

$6.36 ₹610

$6.38 ₹612

-0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ₹47.48

$0.32 ₹30.73

53.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.37 ₹1,474

$10.24 ₹982

50.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₹83.1

$1.05 ₹101

-17.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 ₹48.25

$0.35 ₹33.78

42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ₹112

$2.04 ₹196

-42.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₹111

$1.13 ₹108

1.77%

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

$15.3K ₹1.5M

$15.0K ₹1.4M

1.88%

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

$22.8K ₹2.2M

$19.9K ₹1.9M

14.59%

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

$38.81 ₹3,723

$38.51 ₹3,695

0.78%

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

$4.24 ₹406

$4.09 ₹393

3.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.92 ₹760

$7.76 ₹744

2.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.94 ₹2,297

$14.84 ₹1,423

61.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.32 ₹702

$6.89 ₹661

6.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.08 ₹295

$2.55 ₹245

20.78%

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

$104 ₹9,983

$91.1 ₹8,740

14.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,847 ₹273.1K

$2,133 ₹204.6K

33.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.85 ₹2,097

$19.83 ₹1,903

10.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.89 ₹2,004

$16.95 ₹1,627

23.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.99 ₹4,028

$35.36 ₹3,393

18.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.25 ₹3,382

$29.89 ₹2,867

17.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 ₹22.2K

$181 ₹17.4K

27.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 ₹13.0K

$100 ₹9,634

34.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₹58.8K

$497 ₹47.7K

23.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 ₹31.6K

$307 ₹29.4K

7.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,377 ₹132.1K

$1,971 ₹189.1K

-30.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$758 ₹72.7K

$795 ₹76.3K

-4.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,186 ₹113.8K

$656 ₹62.9K

80.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.46

9.88

-14.37%

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

Last update for Hyderabad: September 12, 2026

Last update for Chennai (Madras): September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $231 in Hyderabad versus $181 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 81% higher in Hyderabad, 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 $16.00 in Hyderabad versus $12.00 in Chennai (Madras). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $120 vs $115 – making Chennai (Madras) the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Hyderabad costs about 19% more than Chennai (Madras), with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $732 per month in Hyderabad and $615 in Chennai (Madras). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chennai (Madras), 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 $488 in Hyderabad and $410 in Chennai (Madras). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 50% less in Chennai (Madras). For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $488 in Hyderabad and $410 in Chennai (Madras), leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chennai (Madras) costs $410 versus $488 in Hyderabad. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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