Cost of Living Comparison Between Hyderabad and Ernakulam Cost of Living Comparison Between Hyderabad and Ernakulam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $520 per month in Hyderabad vs $408 in Ernakulam, rent included.

A couple spends around $856 per month in Hyderabad vs $655 in Ernakulam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,191 per month in Hyderabad vs $903 in Ernakulam, rent included.

Hyderabad costs about 28% more than Ernakulam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hyderabad and Ernakulam are more affordable than the global median – Hyderabad 61% lower, Ernakulam 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.39 ₹326

$1.78 ₹172

90.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.77 ₹1,711

$9.57 ₹921

85.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.29 ₹509

$4.72 ₹454

12.08%

Cappuccino

$2.00 ₹192

$1.46 ₹140

36.99%

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

$0.42 ₹40.20

$0.53 ₹50.6

-20.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ₹17.16

$0.19 ₹18.09

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₹205

$1.69 ₹163

26.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ₹332

$2.86 ₹275

20.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 ₹83.2

$0.70 ₹67.1

22.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 ₹54.4

$0.58 ₹55.6

-3.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.71 ₹68.8

$0.59 ₹57.2

20.34%

Eggs

$1.03 ₹99.6

$0.93 ₹89.6

10.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 ₹610

$7.00 ₹674

-9.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₹375

$3.64 ₹351

6.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ₹267

$2.34 ₹225

18.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 ₹69.2

$0.61 ₹58.8

18.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 ₹99.4

$1.09 ₹104

-5.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 ₹45.55

$0.57 ₹54.9

-17.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 ₹44.07

$0.50 ₹47.87

-8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 ₹49.79

$0.56 ₹53.6

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ₹68.1

$0.68 ₹65.9

4.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹32.19

$0.33 ₹32.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ₹403

$3.18 ₹306

31.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.00 ₹867

$5.26 ₹506

71.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₹190

$1.77 ₹170

11.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ₹285

$2.50 ₹240

18.40%

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

$6.65 ₹641

$4.24 ₹408

56.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ₹57.1

$0.30 ₹29.14

96.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.83 ₹1,428

$8.74 ₹841

69.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 ₹109

$1.04 ₹99.7

8.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₹34.16

$0.30 ₹28.78

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 ₹155

$1.15 ₹110

40.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ₹124

$1.20 ₹116

7.50%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$16.3K ₹1.6M

6.64%

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

$24.5K ₹2.4M

$22.8K ₹2.2M

7.19%

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

$39.58 ₹3,811

$37.50 ₹3,610

5.55%

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

$4.51 ₹435

$3.14 ₹302

43.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.45 ₹813

$7.02 ₹675

20.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.27 ₹2,048

$16.86 ₹1,623

26.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.68 ₹739

$7.16 ₹689

7.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 ₹399

$2.35 ₹226

76.60%

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

$114 ₹10.9K

$74.8 ₹7,198

52.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,568 ₹247.2K

$2,393 ₹230.4K

7.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.43 ₹2,930

$26.55 ₹2,556

14.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.00 ₹2,310

$21.61 ₹2,080

11.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.58 ₹4,580

$36.92 ₹3,554

28.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.43 ₹3,603

$25.65 ₹2,469

45.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 ₹22.6K

$162 ₹15.6K

44.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 ₹13.3K

$102 ₹9,812

35.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₹60.6K

$418 ₹40.2K

50.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 ₹31.9K

$252 ₹24.2K

31.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,384 ₹133.2K

$1,081 ₹104.1K

27.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$772 ₹74.3K

$1,185 ₹114.1K

-34.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,252 ₹120.5K

$338 ₹32.6K

270.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.19

9.36

-1.82%

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

Last update for Hyderabad: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ernakulam: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $234 in Hyderabad versus $162 in Ernakulam. 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 270% 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 $10.00 in Ernakulam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $127 vs $114 – making Ernakulam 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 Ernakulam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hyderabad is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $780 per month in Hyderabad and $612 in Ernakulam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ernakulam, 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 $408 in Ernakulam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 70% less in Ernakulam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $520 in Hyderabad and $408 in Ernakulam, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ernakulam – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ernakulam. 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.