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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $520 per month in Hyderabad vs $443 in Shillong, rent included.

A couple spends around $856 per month in Hyderabad vs $684 in Shillong, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,191 per month in Hyderabad vs $924 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

$3.39 ₹326

$1.43 ₹138

137.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.77 ₹1,711

$10.30 ₹992

72.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.29 ₹509

$4.71 ₹454

12.31%

Cappuccino

$2.00 ₹192

$1.22 ₹118

63.93%

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

$0.42 ₹40.20

$0.36 ₹34.74

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 ₹17.16

$0.14 ₹13.19

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₹205

$1.43 ₹138

48.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 ₹332

$3.28 ₹316

5.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 ₹83.2

$0.61 ₹58.7

40.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 ₹54.4

$0.36 ₹35.09

55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.71 ₹68.8

$0.52 ₹50.1

36.54%

Eggs

$1.03 ₹99.6

$0.82 ₹79.2

25.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 ₹610

$4.43 ₹427

42.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₹375

$3.31 ₹319

17.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 ₹267

$1.93 ₹186

43.52%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 ₹69.2

$0.75 ₹71.8

-4.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 ₹99.4

$0.97 ₹93.5

6.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 ₹45.55

$0.55 ₹53.3

-14.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 ₹44.07

$0.29 ₹27.52

58.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 ₹49.79

$0.36 ₹34.64

44.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ₹68.1

$0.37 ₹35.51

91.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹32.19

$0.18 ₹17.51

83.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ₹403

$4.13 ₹398

1.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.00 ₹867

$4.75 ₹457

89.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₹190

$1.49 ₹143

32.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 ₹285

$2.78 ₹267

6.47%

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

$6.65 ₹641

$4.36 ₹419

52.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ₹57.1

$0.30 ₹29.21

96.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.83 ₹1,428

$8.48 ₹816

74.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 ₹109

$0.80 ₹77.1

41.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₹34.17

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 ₹155

$1.43 ₹138

12.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ₹124

$1.19 ₹115

8.40%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$13.7K ₹1.3M

27.12%

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

$24.5K ₹2.4M

$17.7K ₹1.7M

38.00%

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

$39.58 ₹3,811

$40.08 ₹3,859

-1.25%

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

$4.51 ₹435

$3.44 ₹331

31.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.45 ₹813

$5.68 ₹547

48.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.27 ₹2,048

$4.53 ₹436

369.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.68 ₹739

$5.89 ₹567

30.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 ₹399

$2.87 ₹276

44.60%

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

$114 ₹10.9K

$32.21 ₹3,101

253.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,568 ₹247.3K

$1,919 ₹184.8K

33.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.43 ₹2,930

$25.14 ₹2,420

21.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.00 ₹2,311

$35.50 ₹3,418

-32.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.58 ₹4,581

$46.95 ₹4,520

1.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.43 ₹3,604

$42.64 ₹4,105

-12.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 ₹22.6K

$253 ₹24.4K

-7.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 ₹13.3K

$156 ₹15.0K

-11.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₹60.6K

$464 ₹44.7K

35.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 ₹31.9K

$318 ₹30.6K

4.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,384 ₹133.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$772 ₹74.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,252 ₹120.6K

$441 ₹42.5K

183.69%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Shillong: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $234 in Hyderabad versus $253 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 184% 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 $10.00 in Shillong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $127 vs $93.0 – 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 $780 per month in Hyderabad and $664 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 75% less in Shillong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $114 per month in Hyderabad and $32.21 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 $520 in Hyderabad and $443 in Shillong, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Shillong costs $443 versus $520 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.