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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $513 per month in Hyderabad vs $326 in Karnataka, rent included.

A couple spends around $844 per month in Hyderabad vs $541 in Karnataka, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,175 per month in Hyderabad vs $755 in Karnataka, rent included.

Hyderabad costs about 57% more than Karnataka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hyderabad and Karnataka are more affordable than the global median – Hyderabad 61% lower, Karnataka 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.39 ₹323

$1.13 ₹108

200.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.61 ₹1,679

$6.78 ₹646

159.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 ₹510

$3.52 ₹336

51.99%

Cappuccino

$1.96 ₹187

$1.19 ₹114

64.71%

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

$0.41 ₹39.04

$0.45 ₹42.92

-8.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹17.65

$0.17 ₹15.76

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 ₹202

$1.72 ₹164

23.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 ₹330

$2.35 ₹224

47.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 ₹81.4

$0.43 ₹40.92

97.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ₹57.5

$0.39 ₹37.58

53.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.5

$0.59 ₹56.7

28.81%

Eggs

$1.03 ₹98.6

$0.71 ₹68.1

45.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 ₹604

$7.94 ₹757

-20.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.82 ₹364

$3.29 ₹314

16.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ₹259

$2.40 ₹228

13.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 ₹73.9

$0.78 ₹74.6

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 ₹102

$0.83 ₹79.6

28.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 ₹45.77

$0.52 ₹49.99

-7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ₹47.78

$0.34 ₹32.01

47.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 ₹49.01

$0.44 ₹41.96

15.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₹63.5

$0.49 ₹46.61

36.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₹32.42

$0.33 ₹31.90

3.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ₹394

$3.34 ₹318

23.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.83 ₹842

$4.52 ₹431

95.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₹196

$1.61 ₹153

27.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₹278

$2.93 ₹279

-0.34%

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

$6.59 ₹628

$4.74 ₹452

39.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₹52.6

$0.30 ₹28.84

83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.25 ₹1,455

$8.53 ₹814

78.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 ₹107

$0.36 ₹34.74

213.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₹33.49

$0.37 ₹35.00

-5.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ₹146

$1.48 ₹141

3.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₹118

$0.90 ₹85.7

36.67%

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

$17.5K ₹1.7M

$12.6K ₹1.2M

38.69%

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

$24.6K ₹2.4M

$21.9K ₹2.1M

12.38%

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

$38.42 ₹3,664

$17.47 ₹1,667

119.92%

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

$4.45 ₹425

$3.44 ₹328

29.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.22 ₹784

$2.31 ₹221

255.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.98 ₹2,001

$15.96 ₹1,522

31.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.87 ₹750

$7.21 ₹688

9.15%

Cinema Ticket

$3.96 ₹378

$2.87 ₹274

37.98%

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

$117 ₹11.1K

$36.53 ₹3,484

219.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,597 ₹247.6K

$1,011 ₹96.4K

156.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.10 ₹2,966

$20.49 ₹1,955

51.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.28 ₹2,316

$17.66 ₹1,685

37.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.14 ₹4,591

$33.27 ₹3,173

44.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.59 ₹3,680

$26.79 ₹2,555

44.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 ₹22.8K

$124 ₹11.8K

92.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 ₹12.9K

$76.1 ₹7,256

77.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₹60.3K

$279 ₹26.6K

126.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 ₹31.7K

$177 ₹16.9K

87.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,331 ₹126.9K

$978 ₹93.3K

36.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$777 ₹74.1K

$520 ₹49.6K

49.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,249 ₹119.1K

$528 ₹50.4K

136.51%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Karnataka: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $239 in Hyderabad versus $124 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 137% 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 $7.00 in Karnataka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $128 vs $107 – 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 57% 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 $769 per month in Hyderabad and $489 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 79% less in Karnataka. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $117 per month in Hyderabad and $36.53 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 $513 in Hyderabad and $326 in Karnataka, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Karnataka costs $326 versus $513 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.