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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $510 per month in Hyderabad vs $351 in Ernakulam, rent included.

A couple spends around $817 per month in Hyderabad vs $560 in Ernakulam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,125 per month in Hyderabad vs $770 in Ernakulam, rent included.

Hyderabad costs about 45% more than Ernakulam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hyderabad and Ernakulam are more affordable than the global median – Hyderabad 63% lower, Ernakulam 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.71 ₹259

$1.60 ₹153

69.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.76 ₹1,505

$8.27 ₹790

90.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ₹496

$3.80 ₹363

36.58%

Cappuccino

$2.25 ₹215

$1.31 ₹125

71.76%

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

$0.49 ₹47.05

$0.39 ₹37.60

25.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹16.54

$0.13 ₹12.39

30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₹204

$1.68 ₹161

26.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.32 ₹508

$2.06 ₹197

158.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 ₹77.6

$0.63 ₹60.4

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 ₹52.3

$0.50 ₹47.87

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 ₹69.2

$0.65 ₹61.8

10.77%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹97.5

$0.86 ₹82.6

18.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.63 ₹634

$7.12 ₹680

-6.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 ₹318

$2.11 ₹202

57.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 ₹225

$1.57 ₹150

50.32%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 ₹68.8

$0.73 ₹69.7

-1.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 ₹106

$1.00 ₹95.2

11.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.44 ₹42.05

$0.39 ₹37.36

12.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 ₹36.59

$0.40 ₹38.11

-5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.34 ₹32.89

$0.47 ₹44.47

-27.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ₹45.45

$0.57 ₹54.4

-15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₹28.19

$0.33 ₹31.10

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.00 ₹478

$4.67 ₹446

7.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.94 ₹854

$5.43 ₹519

64.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₹167

$1.68 ₹160

4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ₹272

$2.34 ₹224

21.79%

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

$6.13 ₹586

$3.71 ₹354

65.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 ₹49.54

$0.14 ₹13.60

271.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.78 ₹1,507

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₹82.9

$0.70 ₹67.2

24.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 ₹48.52

$0.31 ₹29.28

64.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₹108

$1.28 ₹123

-10.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₹111

$1.08 ₹104

8.33%

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

$15.3K ₹1.5M

$12.4K ₹1.2M

22.75%

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

$23.3K ₹2.2M

$19.8K ₹1.9M

17.35%

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

$39.30 ₹3,755

$33.33 ₹3,184

17.91%

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

$4.13 ₹394

$2.53 ₹241

63.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.02 ₹766

$5.28 ₹504

51.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.50 ₹2,341

$10.91 ₹1,043

124.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.62 ₹728

$9.12 ₹872

-16.45%

Cinema Ticket

$3.23 ₹308

$1.86 ₹178

73.66%

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

$104 ₹9,981

$56.4 ₹5,388

85.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,986 ₹285.3K

$1,915 ₹183.0K

55.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.73 ₹2,172

$16.54 ₹1,580

37.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.07 ₹2,013

$13.83 ₹1,322

52.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.05 ₹4,113

$33.16 ₹3,168

29.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.53 ₹3,394

$26.59 ₹2,541

33.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 ₹22.3K

$149 ₹14.2K

56.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 ₹13.0K

$90.1 ₹8,606

50.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$624 ₹59.6K

$371 ₹35.4K

68.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 ₹32.3K

$225 ₹21.5K

50.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,363 ₹130.2K

$1,091 ₹104.2K

24.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$754 ₹72.0K

$1,186 ₹113.3K

-36.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,229 ₹117.4K

$347 ₹33.2K

253.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.49

8.6

-1.28%

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

Last update for Hyderabad: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ernakulam: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $234 in Hyderabad versus $149 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 254% 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 $8.00 in Ernakulam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $119 vs $100 – 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 45%, 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 $765 per month in Hyderabad and $526 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Hyderabad and $8.00 in Ernakulam. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Hyderabad, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $510 in Hyderabad and $351 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.