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 $524 per month in Hyderabad vs $484 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A couple spends around $855 per month in Hyderabad vs $754 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A family of three spends $1,187 per month in Hyderabad vs $1,024 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

Hyderabad costs about 8% 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

$3.52 ₹337

$2.23 ₹213

57.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.38 ₹1,663

$11.73 ₹1,123

48.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.22 ₹499

$3.96 ₹379

31.82%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ₹194

$2.11 ₹202

-3.79%

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

$0.42 ₹39.75

$0.49 ₹47.10

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.19

$0.19 ₹18.36

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 ₹196

$2.08 ₹199

-1.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 ₹326

$4.18 ₹400

-18.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 ₹78.8

$0.63 ₹60.1

30.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 ₹59.2

$0.50 ₹47.37

24.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 ₹73.1

$0.77 ₹73.4

-1.30%

Eggs

$0.98 ₹94.1

$0.87 ₹83.5

12.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.21 ₹595

$6.99 ₹669

-11.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.81 ₹365

$3.45 ₹330

10.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 ₹268

$2.94 ₹281

-4.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.3

$0.82 ₹78.1

-7.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 ₹98.8

$1.34 ₹128

-23.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.42

$0.45 ₹42.92

13.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 ₹44.33

$0.55 ₹52.3

-16.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 ₹50.2

$0.54 ₹51.5

-3.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ₹63.6

$0.55 ₹52.3

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₹35.16

$0.33 ₹31.42

12.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ₹401

$4.00 ₹383

4.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.46 ₹810

$7.68 ₹735

10.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₹193

$1.91 ₹183

5.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ₹283

$3.49 ₹334

-15.19%

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

$6.42 ₹614

$6.12 ₹585

4.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 ₹57.3

$0.34 ₹32.26

76.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.39 ₹1,472

$11.49 ₹1,100

33.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ₹112

$1.53 ₹147

-23.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.55

$0.30 ₹28.77

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 ₹149

$1.76 ₹169

-11.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ₹123

$1.16 ₹111

11.21%

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

$17.3K ₹1.7M

$17.2K ₹1.6M

0.47%

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

$24.2K ₹2.3M

$24.5K ₹2.3M

-1.07%

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

$39.20 ₹3,751

$47.37 ₹4,533

-17.25%

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

$4.42 ₹423

$4.73 ₹453

-6.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.41 ₹805

$9.77 ₹935

-13.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.22 ₹2,030

$17.53 ₹1,677

21.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.93 ₹759

$7.26 ₹694

9.23%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 ₹381

$2.84 ₹272

40.14%

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

$116 ₹11.1K

$80.3 ₹7,686

43.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,589 ₹247.8K

$1,756 ₹168.0K

47.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.68 ₹2,936

$25.19 ₹2,410

21.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.17 ₹2,313

$23.56 ₹2,254

2.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.28 ₹4,716

$49.44 ₹4,731

-0.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.37 ₹3,576

$35.35 ₹3,382

5.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 ₹22.9K

$190 ₹18.2K

25.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 ₹13.1K

$117 ₹11.2K

17.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$627 ₹60.0K

$435 ₹41.6K

44.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 ₹32.2K

$263 ₹25.2K

27.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,364 ₹130.5K

$1,736 ₹166.1K

-21.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$753 ₹72.1K

$724 ₹69.3K

4.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,182 ₹113.1K

$718 ₹68.7K

64.60%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chennai (Madras): June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $239 in Hyderabad versus $190 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 65% 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 $17.00 in Hyderabad versus $12.00 in Chennai (Madras). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $127 vs $124 – 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 8% 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 $786 per month in Hyderabad and $726 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 $524 in Hyderabad and $484 in Chennai (Madras). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 34% 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 $524 in Hyderabad and $484 in Chennai (Madras), leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chennai (Madras) costs $484 versus $524 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.