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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $524 per month in Hyderabad vs $400 in Ernakulam, rent included.

A couple spends around $855 per month in Hyderabad vs $647 in Ernakulam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,187 per month in Hyderabad vs $894 in Ernakulam, rent included.

Hyderabad costs about 31% more than Ernakulam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hyderabad and Ernakulam are more affordable than the global median – Hyderabad 61% lower, Ernakulam 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 ₹337

$1.72 ₹165

104.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.38 ₹1,663

$9.42 ₹902

84.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.22 ₹499

$4.77 ₹457

9.43%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ₹194

$1.41 ₹135

43.97%

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

$0.42 ₹39.75

$0.50 ₹47.73

-16.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.19

$0.23 ₹21.83

-17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 ₹196

$1.69 ₹162

21.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 ₹326

$2.88 ₹275

18.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 ₹78.8

$0.69 ₹66.4

18.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 ₹59.2

$0.53 ₹51.1

16.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 ₹73.1

$0.64 ₹61.5

18.75%

Eggs

$0.98 ₹94.1

$1.00 ₹95.7

-2.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.21 ₹595

$6.84 ₹654

-9.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.81 ₹365

$3.59 ₹343

6.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 ₹268

$2.33 ₹223

20.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.3

$0.62 ₹59.8

22.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 ₹98.8

$1.03 ₹98.6

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.42

$0.58 ₹55.2

-12.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 ₹44.33

$0.53 ₹51.0

-13.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 ₹50.2

$0.55 ₹52.5

-5.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ₹63.6

$0.72 ₹69.2

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₹35.16

$0.37 ₹35.02

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ₹401

$3.23 ₹309

29.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.46 ₹810

$5.13 ₹490

64.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₹193

$1.71 ₹164

18.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ₹283

$2.45 ₹234

20.82%

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

$6.42 ₹614

$4.18 ₹400

53.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 ₹57.3

$0.28 ₹26.55

114.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.39 ₹1,472

$8.85 ₹847

73.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ₹112

$1.02 ₹97.6

14.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.55

$0.30 ₹28.64

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 ₹149

$1.19 ₹113

31.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ₹123

$1.25 ₹120

3.20%

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

$17.3K ₹1.7M

$16.6K ₹1.6M

4.40%

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

$24.2K ₹2.3M

$22.7K ₹2.2M

6.48%

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

$39.20 ₹3,751

$37.55 ₹3,593

4.39%

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

$4.42 ₹423

$3.17 ₹303

39.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.41 ₹805

$6.97 ₹667

20.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.22 ₹2,030

$16.96 ₹1,623

25.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.93 ₹759

$7.30 ₹698

8.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 ₹381

$2.30 ₹220

73.04%

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

$116 ₹11.1K

$73.9 ₹7,070

56.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,589 ₹247.8K

$2,395 ₹229.1K

8.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.68 ₹2,936

$25.98 ₹2,486

18.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.17 ₹2,313

$21.48 ₹2,055

12.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.28 ₹4,716

$36.72 ₹3,514

34.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.37 ₹3,576

$25.08 ₹2,400

49.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 ₹22.9K

$163 ₹15.6K

46.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 ₹13.1K

$102 ₹9,754

34.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$627 ₹60.0K

$423 ₹40.5K

48.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 ₹32.2K

$253 ₹24.2K

32.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,364 ₹130.5K

$925 ₹88.5K

47.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$753 ₹72.1K

$575 ₹55.0K

31.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,182 ₹113.1K

$339 ₹32.4K

248.98%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ernakulam: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $239 in Hyderabad versus $163 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 249% 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 $9.00 in Ernakulam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $127 vs $113 – 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 31%, 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 $786 per month in Hyderabad and $600 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 $524 in Hyderabad and $400 in Ernakulam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 74% 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 $524 in Hyderabad and $400 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.