Cost of Living Comparison Between India and China Cost of Living Comparison Between India and China

🙂 Solo nomad: India is 39.5% cheaper than China without rent, and 44.7% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: India is 41.8% cheaper than China without rent, and 44.7% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
India
China
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.49 ₹213
$2.85 ¥20.46
-12.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$14.06 ₹1,202
$23.97 ¥172
-41.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.1 ₹351
$4.96 ¥35.61
-17.34%
Cappuccino
$1.82 ₹156
$3.13 ¥22.47
-41.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44 ₹37.72
$0.44 ¥3.18
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.17 ₹14.36
$0.29 ¥2.1
-41.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.94 ₹166
$0.95 ¥6.83
104.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.53 ₹302
$2.14 ¥15.32
64.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
India
China
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.73 ₹62.1
$1.85 ¥13.23
-60.54%
White Bread (500g)
$0.48 ₹41.19
$1.68 ¥12.06
-71.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.72 ₹61.4
$0.95 ¥6.81
-24.21%
Eggs
$0.94 ₹80.1
$1.55 ¥11.11
-39.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.23 ₹448
$13.25 ¥95.1
-60.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.14 ₹269
$3.28 ¥23.52
-4.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$10.85 ¥77.8
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.2 ₹188
$1.77 ¥12.66
24.29%
Banana (1kg)
$0.72 ₹61.2
$1.26 ¥9.01
-42.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.09 ₹93.2
$1.5 ¥10.73
-27.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.57 ₹49.11
$1.19 ¥8.5
-52.10%
Potato (1kg)
$0.42 ₹36.21
$0.75 ¥5.4
-44.00%
Onion (1kg)
$0.45 ₹38.73
$0.86 ¥6.15
-47.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.55 ₹46.97
$0.61 ¥4.37
-9.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.33 ₹27.96
$0.58 ¥4.14
-43.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.08 ₹349
$3.45 ¥24.74
18.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.99 ₹683
$11.3 ¥81.1
-29.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.92 ₹164
$0.84 ¥6
128.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89 ₹248
$1.68 ¥12.05
72.02%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$5.92 ₹506
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
India
China
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 ₹28.83
$0.4 ¥2.86
-15.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$10.01 ₹856
$20.83 ¥149
-51.94%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.97 ₹83
$1.36 ¥9.74
-28.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.28 ₹23.62
$0.35 ¥2.55
-20.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.77 ₹151
$6.8 ¥48.75
-73.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.24 ₹106
$1.12 ¥8.05
10.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$14K ₹1.2M
$19.2K ¥137.7K
-26.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.2K ₹1.9M
$16.7K ¥119.8K
32.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
China
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$40.79 ₹3,489
$51.4 ¥369
-20.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.79 ₹324
$9.77 ¥70.1
-61.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.13 ₹695
$11.34 ¥81.3
-28.31%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
India
China
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$16 ₹1,368
$39.55 ¥284
-59.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.59 ₹649
$14.89 ¥107
-49.03%
Cinema Ticket
$3.45 ₹295
$6.23 ¥44.71
-44.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
India
China
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$69.7 ₹5,958
$417 ¥2,989
-83.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,847 ₹158K
$17.7K ¥126.8K
-89.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
India
China
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.29 ₹2,163
$45.65 ¥327
-44.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.99 ₹2,309
$33.49 ¥240
-19.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$44.67 ₹3,821
$71.8 ¥515
-37.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$33.23 ₹2,842
$72.9 ¥523
-54.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
India
China
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$179 ₹15.3K
$445 ¥3,194
-59.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$114 ₹9,770
$255 ¥1,830
-55.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$414 ₹35.4K
$915 ¥6,566
-54.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$260 ₹22.2K
$543 ¥3,895
-52.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,499 ₹128.2K
$6,142 ¥44.1K
-75.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$830 ₹71K
$2,860 ¥20.5K
-70.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
India
China
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$500 ₹42.8K
$942 ¥6,755
-46.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.02
4.06
122.17%

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

Last update for India: October 29, 2025

Last update for China: October 29, 2025

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