Cost of Living Comparison Between Hyderabad and Shimla Cost of Living Comparison Between Hyderabad and Shimla

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $524 per month in Hyderabad vs $337 in Shimla, rent included.

A couple spends around $848 per month in Hyderabad vs $539 in Shimla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,172 per month in Hyderabad vs $742 in Shimla, rent included.

Hyderabad costs about 55% more than Shimla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.54 ₹332

$1.78 ₹167

98.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.35 ₹1,628

$5.90 ₹554

194.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ₹481

$3.56 ₹334

44.10%

Cappuccino

$1.96 ₹184

$0.93 ₹87.2

110.75%

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

$0.45 ₹41.83

$0.31 ₹29.53

45.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.46

$0.15 ₹14.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ₹198

$1.62 ₹152

30.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 ₹329

$2.30 ₹216

52.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 ₹75.1

$0.75 ₹70.7

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 ₹54.1

$0.44 ₹41.38

31.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 ₹73.8

$0.64 ₹59.8

23.44%

Eggs

$1.03 ₹97.0

$0.86 ₹80.3

19.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.29 ₹591

$4.36 ₹409

44.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 ₹349

$3.70 ₹347

0.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ₹255

$1.97 ₹185

38.07%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 ₹72.1

$0.70 ₹65.5

10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 ₹96.9

$0.82 ₹76.7

25.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 ₹44.59

$0.56 ₹52.3

-14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ₹47.15

$0.35 ₹32.54

42.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 ₹45.40

$0.44 ₹41.34

9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ₹65.8

$0.22 ₹20.63

218.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₹34.21

$0.34 ₹31.54

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 ₹378

$4.46 ₹418

-9.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.79 ₹825

$5.26 ₹494

67.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₹191

$1.69 ₹159

20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ₹268

$2.25 ₹211

26.67%

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

$6.35 ₹596

$5.91 ₹555

7.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 ₹52.3

$0.22 ₹20.53

154.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.13 ₹1,420

$8.78 ₹824

72.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ₹112

$0.83 ₹77.8

43.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ₹33.49

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 ₹146

$1.18 ₹110

31.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₹120

$1.19 ₹111

7.56%

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

$17.2K ₹1.6M

$15.0K ₹1.4M

15.09%

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

$24.1K ₹2.3M

$19.7K ₹1.8M

22.63%

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

$39.07 ₹3,668

$19.05 ₹1,788

105.09%

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

$4.44 ₹417

$3.45 ₹324

28.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.15 ₹765

$7.69 ₹721

5.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.57 ₹2,024

$14.60 ₹1,370

47.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.92 ₹744

$7.20 ₹676

10.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 ₹391

$3.44 ₹323

20.93%

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

$118 ₹11.1K

$46.07 ₹4,324

156.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,587 ₹242.8K

$2,352 ₹220.8K

10.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.16 ₹2,925

$33.31 ₹3,127

-6.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.71 ₹2,319

$28.80 ₹2,704

-14.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.27 ₹4,625

$46.18 ₹4,334

6.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.97 ₹3,564

$29.10 ₹2,731

30.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 ₹22.2K

$94.6 ₹8,878

149.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 ₹12.9K

$58.3 ₹5,467

135.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 ₹57.7K

$223 ₹20.9K

176.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 ₹31.2K

$138 ₹13.0K

140.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,372 ₹128.7K

$955 ₹89.6K

43.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$768 ₹72.1K

$515 ₹48.3K

49.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,208 ₹113.4K

$577 ₹54.1K

109.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.19

8.25

11.39%

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

Last update for Hyderabad: April 20, 2026

Last update for Shimla: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $236 in Hyderabad versus $95 in Shimla. 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 109% 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 in Hyderabad versus $6 in Shimla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $126 vs $100 – making Shimla 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 Shimla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hyderabad costs about 55% more than Shimla, 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 $786 per month in Hyderabad and $506 in Shimla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shimla, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 72% less in Shimla. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $118 per month in Hyderabad and $46.07 in Shimla. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $524 in Hyderabad and $337 in Shimla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Shimla costs $337 versus $524 in Hyderabad. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Shimla. 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.