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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $512 per month in Hyderabad vs $335 in Karnataka, rent included.

A couple spends around $836 per month in Hyderabad vs $543 in Karnataka, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,160 per month in Hyderabad vs $752 in Karnataka, rent included.

Hyderabad costs about 53% more than Karnataka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hyderabad and Karnataka are more affordable than the global median – Hyderabad 62% lower, Karnataka 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 ₹331

$1.18 ₹111

197.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.14 ₹1,617

$7.00 ₹660

144.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.19 ₹489

$3.52 ₹332

47.44%

Cappuccino

$2.00 ₹189

$1.13 ₹107

76.99%

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

$0.45 ₹41.98

$0.45 ₹42.84

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹17.53

$0.14 ₹12.97

35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₹202

$1.75 ₹165

22.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 ₹326

$2.27 ₹215

52.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 ₹81.4

$0.39 ₹36.80

120.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 ₹53.9

$0.39 ₹37.02

46.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 ₹68.1

$0.61 ₹57.5

18.03%

Eggs

$1.03 ₹97.2

$0.72 ₹68.4

43.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 ₹573

$7.96 ₹751

-23.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.81 ₹360

$3.21 ₹303

18.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 ₹265

$2.37 ₹224

18.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 ₹72.3

$0.81 ₹76.5

-4.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 ₹98.5

$0.85 ₹79.7

22.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 ₹44.93

$0.52 ₹49.36

-7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 ₹43.21

$0.34 ₹31.70

35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 ₹49.48

$0.44 ₹41.65

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ₹66.5

$0.48 ₹45.57

45.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₹34.59

$0.33 ₹31.50

12.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ₹381

$3.39 ₹320

19.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.48 ₹800

$4.46 ₹420

90.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₹192

$1.65 ₹155

23.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₹269

$2.83 ₹267

1.06%

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

$6.63 ₹626

$4.74 ₹447

39.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 ₹53.0

$0.28 ₹26.33

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.33 ₹1,446

$8.54 ₹806

79.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₹112

$0.34 ₹31.78

247.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.11

$0.33 ₹31.40

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 ₹147

$1.43 ₹135

9.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₹120

$0.84 ₹79.3

52.38%

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

$17.2K ₹1.6M

$12.9K ₹1.2M

33.56%

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

$23.8K ₹2.2M

$21.2K ₹2.0M

12.51%

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

$38.85 ₹3,665

$17.62 ₹1,662

120.49%

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

$4.43 ₹418

$3.56 ₹336

24.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.60 ₹811

$2.30 ₹217

273.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.91 ₹1,973

$16.13 ₹1,521

29.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.59 ₹716

$6.90 ₹651

10.00%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 ₹376

$2.86 ₹270

39.51%

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

$115 ₹10.8K

$36.32 ₹3,426

215.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,567 ₹242.2K

$988 ₹93.2K

159.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.58 ₹2,884

$20.66 ₹1,949

48.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.68 ₹2,328

$17.27 ₹1,629

42.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.02 ₹4,529

$33.60 ₹3,169

42.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.93 ₹3,578

$26.98 ₹2,545

40.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 ₹22.2K

$126 ₹11.8K

87.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 ₹13.0K

$77.3 ₹7,290

77.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 ₹59.7K

$279 ₹26.3K

126.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 ₹31.5K

$181 ₹17.1K

84.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,331 ₹125.6K

$960 ₹90.6K

38.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$784 ₹74.0K

$519 ₹48.9K

51.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,220 ₹115.1K

$521 ₹49.2K

134.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.19

8.38

9.67%

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

Last update for Hyderabad: June 14, 2026

Last update for Karnataka: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $235 in Hyderabad versus $126 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 134% 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 $7.00 in Karnataka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $126 vs $106 – 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 53% 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 $768 per month in Hyderabad and $502 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 80% less in Karnataka. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $115 per month in Hyderabad and $36.32 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 $512 in Hyderabad and $335 in Karnataka, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Karnataka costs $335 versus $512 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.