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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $513 per month in Hyderabad vs $332 in Shimla, rent included.

A couple spends around $844 per month in Hyderabad vs $532 in Shimla, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,175 per month in Hyderabad vs $732 in Shimla, rent included.

Hyderabad costs about 54% 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

$3.39 ₹324

$1.77 ₹169

91.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.61 ₹1,684

$5.84 ₹558

201.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 ₹511

$3.51 ₹336

52.42%

Cappuccino

$1.96 ₹187

$1.00 ₹95.8

96.00%

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

$0.41 ₹39.15

$0.34 ₹32.55

20.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹17.70

$0.16 ₹15.75

18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 ₹202

$1.58 ₹151

34.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 ₹331

$2.35 ₹225

47.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 ₹81.6

$0.73 ₹70.2

16.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 ₹57.7

$0.45 ₹42.92

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.7

$0.62 ₹59.3

22.58%

Eggs

$1.03 ₹98.9

$0.92 ₹88.3

11.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 ₹606

$4.31 ₹412

46.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.82 ₹365

$3.59 ₹343

6.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 ₹260

$1.93 ₹184

40.93%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 ₹74.2

$0.69 ₹66.0

13.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 ₹103

$0.79 ₹76.0

35.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 ₹45.90

$0.56 ₹53.4

-14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 ₹47.92

$0.38 ₹36.11

31.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 ₹49.15

$0.43 ₹41.24

18.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₹63.7

$0.24 ₹22.99

179.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₹32.51

$0.37 ₹35.05

-8.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ₹395

$4.46 ₹427

-7.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.83 ₹845

$6.98 ₹667

26.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ₹196

$1.78 ₹170

15.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₹279

$2.25 ₹215

29.78%

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

$6.59 ₹630

$5.68 ₹544

16.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₹52.7

$0.24 ₹23.06

129.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.25 ₹1,459

$8.93 ₹854

70.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 ₹108

$0.83 ₹79.2

36.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₹33.58

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ₹147

$1.18 ₹113

29.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₹118

$1.18 ₹113

4.24%

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

$17.5K ₹1.7M

$15.1K ₹1.4M

16.40%

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

$24.6K ₹2.4M

$20.1K ₹1.9M

22.92%

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

$38.42 ₹3,674

$19.55 ₹1,870

96.52%

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

$4.45 ₹426

$3.54 ₹339

25.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.22 ₹786

$7.68 ₹735

7.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.98 ₹2,006

$14.43 ₹1,380

45.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.87 ₹752

$7.10 ₹679

10.85%

Cinema Ticket

$3.96 ₹379

$3.46 ₹331

14.45%

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

$117 ₹11.2K

$45.25 ₹4,327

157.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,597 ₹248.3K

$2,380 ₹227.6K

9.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.10 ₹2,974

$33.95 ₹3,247

-8.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.28 ₹2,322

$28.04 ₹2,682

-13.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.14 ₹4,604

$47.40 ₹4,533

1.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.59 ₹3,690

$29.42 ₹2,814

31.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 ₹22.8K

$96.7 ₹9,250

146.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 ₹12.9K

$58.7 ₹5,610

130.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$632 ₹60.4K

$225 ₹21.5K

181.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 ₹31.8K

$138 ₹13.2K

140.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,331 ₹127.3K

$980 ₹93.7K

35.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$777 ₹74.3K

$525 ₹50.3K

47.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,249 ₹119.4K

$554 ₹52.9K

125.57%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Shimla: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $239 in Hyderabad versus $96.7 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 126% 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: $128 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 54% 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 $769 per month in Hyderabad and $498 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 71% less in Shimla. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $117 per month in Hyderabad and $45.25 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 $513 in Hyderabad and $332 in Shimla, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Shimla costs $332 versus $513 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.