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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $524 per month in Hyderabad vs $449 in Shillong, rent included.

A couple spends around $855 per month in Hyderabad vs $696 in Shillong, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,187 per month in Hyderabad vs $944 in Shillong, rent included.

Hyderabad costs about 17% more than Shillong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hyderabad and Shillong are more affordable than the global median – Hyderabad 61% lower, Shillong 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 ₹335

$1.39 ₹133

153.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.38 ₹1,655

$10.66 ₹1,016

63.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.22 ₹497

$4.56 ₹434

14.47%

Cappuccino

$2.03 ₹193

$1.18 ₹112

72.03%

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

$0.42 ₹39.56

$0.36 ₹34.42

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.10

$0.12 ₹11.37

58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 ₹195

$1.43 ₹136

43.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 ₹325

$3.29 ₹313

3.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 ₹78.4

$0.65 ₹61.9

26.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 ₹58.9

$0.37 ₹34.80

67.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.7

$0.52 ₹49.58

46.15%

Eggs

$0.98 ₹93.6

$0.85 ₹81.2

15.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.21 ₹592

$4.41 ₹420

40.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.81 ₹363

$3.32 ₹316

14.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 ₹267

$1.85 ₹176

51.35%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.0

$0.75 ₹71.9

1.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 ₹98.3

$0.92 ₹87.6

11.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.19

$0.60 ₹57.3

-15.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 ₹44.12

$0.31 ₹29.61

48.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 ₹49.99

$0.36 ₹34.14

44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ₹63.3

$0.37 ₹35.09

78.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₹35.00

$0.17 ₹15.80

117.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ₹399

$4.08 ₹389

2.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.46 ₹806

$4.63 ₹441

82.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 ₹192

$1.53 ₹146

32.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ₹282

$2.81 ₹267

5.34%

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

$6.42 ₹611

$4.21 ₹401

52.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 ₹57.0

$0.30 ₹28.77

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.39 ₹1,466

$8.88 ₹846

73.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ₹112

$0.76 ₹72.8

53.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 ₹148

$1.48 ₹141

5.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ₹123

$1.15 ₹110

12.17%

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

$17.3K ₹1.6M

$13.9K ₹1.3M

24.00%

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

$24.2K ₹2.3M

$18.0K ₹1.7M

34.66%

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

$39.20 ₹3,734

$39.75 ₹3,786

-1.38%

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

$4.42 ₹421

$3.31 ₹315

33.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.41 ₹801

$5.70 ₹543

47.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.22 ₹2,021

$4.59 ₹437

362.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.93 ₹755

$5.93 ₹565

33.73%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 ₹379

$2.98 ₹284

33.56%

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

$116 ₹11.0K

$32.18 ₹3,065

259.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,589 ₹246.6K

$1,908 ₹181.7K

35.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.68 ₹2,923

$25.38 ₹2,418

20.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.17 ₹2,302

$35.62 ₹3,393

-32.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.28 ₹4,694

$45.79 ₹4,361

7.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.37 ₹3,560

$42.26 ₹4,025

-11.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 ₹22.8K

$254 ₹24.2K

-5.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 ₹13.1K

$158 ₹15.0K

-13.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$627 ₹59.8K

$466 ₹44.4K

34.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 ₹32.0K

$319 ₹30.4K

5.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,364 ₹129.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$753 ₹71.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,182 ₹112.6K

$438 ₹41.7K

169.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.19

7.38

24.53%

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

Last update for Hyderabad: June 2, 2026

Last update for Shillong: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $239 in Hyderabad versus $254 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 170% 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 $11.00 in Shillong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $127 vs $94.0 – 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 17% 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 $786 per month in Hyderabad and $673 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.

Public transport costs about 73% less in Shillong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $116 per month in Hyderabad and $32.18 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 $524 in Hyderabad and $449 in Shillong, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Shillong costs $449 versus $524 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.