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 $520 per month in Hyderabad vs $475 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A couple spends around $856 per month in Hyderabad vs $741 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A family of three spends $1,191 per month in Hyderabad vs $1,007 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

Hyderabad costs about 10% more than Chennai (Madras), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hyderabad and Chennai (Madras) are more affordable than the global median – Hyderabad 61% lower, Chennai (Madras) 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.39 ₹326

$2.30 ₹221

47.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.77 ₹1,711

$11.59 ₹1,116

53.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.29 ₹509

$4.10 ₹395

29.02%

Cappuccino

$2.00 ₹192

$2.16 ₹208

-7.41%

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

$0.42 ₹40.20

$0.49 ₹47.17

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ₹17.16

$0.17 ₹16.45

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₹205

$2.07 ₹199

2.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ₹332

$4.08 ₹393

-15.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 ₹83.2

$0.59 ₹56.4

45.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 ₹54.4

$0.50 ₹47.76

12.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.71 ₹68.8

$0.77 ₹74.6

-7.79%

Eggs

$1.03 ₹99.6

$0.87 ₹84.1

18.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 ₹610

$7.08 ₹681

-10.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₹375

$3.57 ₹344

8.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ₹267

$2.84 ₹273

-2.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 ₹69.2

$0.86 ₹82.7

-16.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 ₹99.4

$1.27 ₹122

-18.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 ₹45.55

$0.48 ₹46.34

-2.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 ₹44.07

$0.55 ₹53.0

-16.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 ₹49.79

$0.54 ₹51.7

-3.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ₹68.1

$0.55 ₹52.7

29.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹32.19

$0.33 ₹31.48

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ₹403

$4.06 ₹391

3.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.00 ₹867

$7.14 ₹687

26.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₹190

$1.81 ₹174

9.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ₹285

$3.49 ₹336

-15.19%

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

$6.65 ₹641

$6.08 ₹585

9.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ₹57.1

$0.34 ₹32.57

73.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.83 ₹1,428

$11.59 ₹1,115

27.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 ₹109

$1.54 ₹148

-26.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₹34.16

$0.30 ₹29.18

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 ₹155

$1.70 ₹163

-5.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ₹124

$1.18 ₹113

9.32%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$17.3K ₹1.7M

0.93%

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

$24.5K ₹2.4M

$23.8K ₹2.3M

3.04%

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

$39.58 ₹3,811

$47.66 ₹4,589

-16.95%

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

$4.51 ₹435

$4.90 ₹472

-7.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.45 ₹813

$9.78 ₹941

-13.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.27 ₹2,048

$17.77 ₹1,710

19.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.68 ₹739

$7.12 ₹686

7.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 ₹399

$2.87 ₹276

44.60%

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

$114 ₹10.9K

$79.5 ₹7,652

43.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,568 ₹247.2K

$1,738 ₹167.3K

47.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.43 ₹2,930

$26.12 ₹2,515

16.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.00 ₹2,310

$23.16 ₹2,229

3.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.58 ₹4,580

$49.19 ₹4,736

-3.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.43 ₹3,603

$36.39 ₹3,504

2.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 ₹22.6K

$195 ₹18.8K

20.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 ₹13.3K

$115 ₹11.1K

19.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₹60.6K

$441 ₹42.4K

42.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 ₹31.9K

$260 ₹25.0K

27.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,384 ₹133.2K

$1,817 ₹174.9K

-23.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$772 ₹74.3K

$793 ₹76.3K

-2.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,252 ₹120.5K

$754 ₹72.6K

66.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.19

9.42

-2.44%

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

Last update for Hyderabad: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chennai (Madras): July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $234 in Hyderabad versus $195 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 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 $18.00 in Hyderabad versus $12.00 in Chennai (Madras). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $127 vs $122 – 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 10% 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 $780 per month in Hyderabad and $712 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 $520 in Hyderabad and $475 in Chennai (Madras). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 28% 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 $520 in Hyderabad and $475 in Chennai (Madras), leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chennai (Madras) costs $475 versus $520 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.