Cost of Living Comparison Between Hyderabad and Shillong Cost of Living Comparison Between Hyderabad and Shillong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $500 per month in Hyderabad vs $406 in Shillong, rent included.

A couple spends around $801 per month in Hyderabad vs $645 in Shillong, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,102 per month in Hyderabad vs $884 in Shillong, rent included.

Hyderabad costs about 23% more than Shillong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hyderabad and Shillong are more affordable than the global median – Hyderabad 64% lower, Shillong 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.60 ₹247

$2.91 ₹277

-10.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.02 ₹1,521

$11.38 ₹1,080

40.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 ₹490

$4.76 ₹452

8.40%

Cappuccino

$2.27 ₹216

$1.60 ₹152

41.87%

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

$0.46 ₹43.41

$0.44 ₹41.45

4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹15.73

$0.17 ₹16.40

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₹202

$1.25 ₹118

70.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 ₹501

$3.37 ₹319

56.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 ₹76.1

$0.66 ₹62.5

21.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₹51.2

$0.35 ₹32.82

54.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.67 ₹63.9

$0.60 ₹56.8

11.67%

Eggs

$0.99 ₹94.4

$0.92 ₹87.5

7.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 ₹648

$4.01 ₹381

70.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 ₹312

$2.42 ₹229

35.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₹217

$2.12 ₹201

8.02%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 ₹63.5

$0.66 ₹62.5

1.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 ₹106

$0.90 ₹85.2

24.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 ₹45.33

$0.55 ₹52.3

-12.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 ₹39.31

$0.33 ₹31.44

24.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 ₹32.76

$0.38 ₹35.80

-7.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 ₹42.55

$0.20 ₹18.98

125.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₹28.45

$0.25 ₹23.57

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 ₹484

$4.97 ₹472

2.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.13 ₹867

$4.59 ₹436

98.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₹160

$1.24 ₹117

35.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 ₹258

$1.99 ₹189

36.68%

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

$5.84 ₹555

$4.93 ₹468

18.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₹48.48

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.00 ₹1,519

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₹77.3

$0.68 ₹65.0

19.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₹51.3

$0.30 ₹28.87

80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₹112

$1.30 ₹123

-9.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₹110

$1.03 ₹98.2

12.62%

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

$15.4K ₹1.5M

$12.6K ₹1.2M

22.18%

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

$23.2K ₹2.2M

$16.2K ₹1.5M

42.99%

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

$39.96 ₹3,794

$34.28 ₹3,255

16.57%

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

$4.12 ₹391

$3.18 ₹302

29.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.66 ₹728

$6.17 ₹585

24.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.46 ₹2,322

$10.12 ₹961

141.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.59 ₹720

$5.30 ₹503

43.21%

Cinema Ticket

$3.22 ₹305

$3.08 ₹293

4.55%

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

$105 ₹9,944

$27.60 ₹2,620

279.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,881 ₹273.5K

$1,168 ₹110.8K

146.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.96 ₹2,085

$17.42 ₹1,654

26.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.84 ₹1,979

$21.65 ₹2,055

-3.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.86 ₹4,069

$37.08 ₹3,521

15.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.10 ₹3,428

$27.72 ₹2,632

30.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 ₹22.3K

$213 ₹20.2K

10.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 ₹12.9K

$133 ₹12.7K

1.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 ₹59.1K

$730 ₹69.3K

-14.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 ₹31.2K

$284 ₹27.0K

15.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,378 ₹130.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$757 ₹71.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,178 ₹111.9K

$451 ₹42.8K

161.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.49

7.38

15.04%

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

Last update for Hyderabad: August 31, 2026

Last update for Shillong: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $235 in Hyderabad versus $213 in Shillong. 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 161% 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 Shillong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $119 vs $86.0 – making Shillong 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 Shillong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hyderabad costs about 23% more than Shillong, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $751 per month in Hyderabad and $609 in Shillong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shillong, 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 $500 in Hyderabad and $406 in Shillong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $105 per month in Hyderabad and $27.60 in Shillong. 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 $500 in Hyderabad and $406 in Shillong, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Shillong costs $406 versus $500 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 Shillong. 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.