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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $510 per month in Hyderabad vs $336 in Shimla, rent included.

A couple spends around $851 per month in Hyderabad vs $540 in Shimla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,192 per month in Hyderabad vs $744 in Shimla, rent included.

Hyderabad costs about 52% more than Shimla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hyderabad and Shimla are more affordable than the global median – Hyderabad 62% lower, Shimla 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.55 ₹337

$1.69 ₹161

110.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.60 ₹1,674

$5.85 ₹556

200.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ₹505

$3.44 ₹327

54.36%

Cappuccino

$1.99 ₹189

$0.95 ₹90.8

109.47%

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

$0.41 ₹39.10

$0.31 ₹29.95

32.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.58

$0.17 ₹15.75

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 ₹196

$1.59 ₹151

29.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₹341

$2.35 ₹224

52.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 ₹82.9

$0.70 ₹66.1

24.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 ₹53.7

$0.41 ₹39.39

36.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 ₹74.2

$0.68 ₹64.4

14.71%

Eggs

$1.03 ₹98.4

$0.93 ₹88.5

10.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.22 ₹591

$4.38 ₹417

42.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 ₹365

$3.70 ₹352

3.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ₹252

$1.98 ₹188

33.84%

Banana (1kg)

$0.71 ₹67.4

$0.75 ₹71.7

-5.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 ₹99.8

$0.76 ₹72.8

38.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 ₹47.58

$0.56 ₹52.9

-10.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ₹47.83

$0.37 ₹35.35

35.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.80

$0.44 ₹41.53

15.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₹63.3

$0.22 ₹20.81

204.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.74

$0.34 ₹32.12

-2.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 ₹384

$4.45 ₹423

-9.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 ₹808

$6.73 ₹640

26.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 ₹188

$1.75 ₹166

13.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ₹271

$2.32 ₹221

22.84%

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

$6.54 ₹622

$5.86 ₹558

11.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ₹56.5

$0.24 ₹22.89

145.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.08 ₹1,434

$8.93 ₹849

68.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 ₹109

$0.79 ₹75.2

45.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ₹145

$1.19 ₹113

28.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ₹122

$1.19 ₹113

7.56%

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

$17.7K ₹1.7M

$15.0K ₹1.4M

17.88%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$19.7K ₹1.9M

24.27%

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

$39.31 ₹3,738

$19.70 ₹1,874

99.54%

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

$4.46 ₹424

$3.54 ₹337

25.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.62 ₹820

$7.79 ₹740

10.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.47 ₹2,042

$14.61 ₹1,389

46.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.84 ₹745

$7.04 ₹669

11.36%

Cinema Ticket

$3.96 ₹376

$3.45 ₹328

14.78%

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

$116 ₹11.0K

$46.45 ₹4,418

149.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,607 ₹247.9K

$2,348 ₹223.3K

11.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.84 ₹2,933

$34.14 ₹3,247

-9.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.47 ₹2,327

$28.64 ₹2,723

-14.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.15 ₹4,579

$47.27 ₹4,496

1.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.62 ₹3,673

$29.50 ₹2,805

30.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 ₹22.7K

$93.2 ₹8,865

156.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 ₹12.8K

$57.5 ₹5,464

133.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$624 ₹59.3K

$225 ₹21.4K

177.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 ₹31.6K

$139 ₹13.2K

139.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,363 ₹129.6K

$958 ₹91.1K

42.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$779 ₹74.0K

$522 ₹49.7K

49.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,217 ₹115.7K

$546 ₹51.9K

123.00%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Shimla: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $239 in Hyderabad versus $93.2 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 123% 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 $6.00 in Shimla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $125 vs $103 – 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 52% 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 $765 per month in Hyderabad and $504 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 69% less in Shimla. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $116 per month in Hyderabad and $46.45 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 $510 in Hyderabad and $336 in Shimla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Shimla costs $336 versus $510 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.