Cost of Living Comparison Between Hyderabad and Karnataka Cost of Living Comparison Between Hyderabad and Karnataka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $488 per month in Hyderabad vs $293 in Karnataka, rent included.

A couple spends around $806 per month in Hyderabad vs $519 in Karnataka, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,124 per month in Hyderabad vs $744 in Karnataka, rent included.

Hyderabad costs about 66% more than Karnataka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hyderabad and Karnataka are more affordable than the global median – Hyderabad 64% lower, Karnataka 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.65 ₹255

$1.02 ₹98.3

159.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.75 ₹1,511

$10.90 ₹1,045

44.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 ₹491

$3.58 ₹343

42.74%

Cappuccino

$2.24 ₹215

$0.89 ₹85.8

151.69%

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

$0.49 ₹46.69

$0.44 ₹42.38

11.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.75

$0.17 ₹16.26

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ₹202

$1.85 ₹177

14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 ₹509

$2.08 ₹199

155.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 ₹77.5

$0.52 ₹50.3

55.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 ₹56.2

$0.45 ₹43.07

31.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 ₹65.2

$0.82 ₹79.1

-17.07%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹97.7

$0.81 ₹77.8

25.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.77 ₹650

$5.55 ₹533

21.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ₹326

$3.24 ₹311

4.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 ₹233

$1.74 ₹167

39.66%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 ₹64.1

$0.48 ₹46.45

39.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 ₹104

$0.86 ₹82.9

26.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 ₹41.08

$0.32 ₹30.97

34.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.42 ₹40.17

$0.36 ₹34.91

16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 ₹34.33

$0.44 ₹41.75

-18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ₹45.78

$0.27 ₹26.04

77.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.18

$0.29 ₹27.97

13.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 ₹491

$2.39 ₹230

114.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.64 ₹829

$4.33 ₹415

99.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₹169

$1.81 ₹174

-2.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 ₹248

$2.38 ₹229

8.82%

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

$6.36 ₹610

$4.63 ₹444

37.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ₹47.48

$0.27 ₹26.08

81.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.37 ₹1,474

$10.63 ₹1,020

44.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 ₹83.1

$0.53 ₹51.2

64.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 ₹48.25

$0.32 ₹31.09

56.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ₹112

$2.11 ₹202

-44.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₹111

$0.96 ₹92.1

19.79%

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

$15.3K ₹1.5M

$6,381 ₹612.2K

139.46%

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

$22.8K ₹2.2M

$12.4K ₹1.2M

83.92%

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

$38.81 ₹3,723

$18.08 ₹1,734

114.66%

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

$4.24 ₹406

$3.57 ₹343

18.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.92 ₹760

$3.15 ₹302

151.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.94 ₹2,297

$12.86 ₹1,233

86.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.32 ₹702

$5.32 ₹510

37.59%

Cinema Ticket

$3.08 ₹295

$2.62 ₹251

17.56%

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

$104 ₹9,983

$43.12 ₹4,137

141.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,847 ₹273.1K

$1,170 ₹112.2K

143.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.85 ₹2,097

$18.54 ₹1,779

17.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.89 ₹2,004

$18.60 ₹1,784

12.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.99 ₹4,028

$51.5 ₹4,937

-18.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.25 ₹3,382

$20.46 ₹1,963

72.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 ₹22.2K

$74.4 ₹7,142

210.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 ₹13.0K

$51.8 ₹4,966

161.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$612 ₹58.8K

$225 ₹21.6K

172.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 ₹31.6K

$202 ₹19.4K

62.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,377 ₹132.1K

$367 ₹35.2K

274.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$758 ₹72.7K

$228 ₹21.9K

231.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,186 ₹113.8K

$527 ₹50.6K

125.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.46

7.9

7.09%

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

Last update for Hyderabad: September 12, 2026

Last update for Karnataka: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $231 in Hyderabad versus $74.4 in Karnataka. 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 125% 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 $11.00 in Karnataka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $120 vs $95.0 – making Karnataka 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 Karnataka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hyderabad costs about 66% more than Karnataka, 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 $732 per month in Hyderabad and $440 in Karnataka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karnataka, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 45% less in Karnataka. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $104 per month in Hyderabad and $43.12 in Karnataka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $488 in Hyderabad and $293 in Karnataka, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Karnataka costs $293 versus $488 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 Karnataka. 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.