Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Eswatini Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Eswatini

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $389 per month in India vs $239 in Eswatini, rent included.

A couple spends around $618 per month in India vs $383 in Eswatini, rent included.

A family of three spends $846 per month in India vs $527 in Eswatini, rent included.

India costs about 63% more than Eswatini on average โ€” the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both India and Eswatini are more affordable than the global median โ€“ India 71% lower, Eswatini 82% lower.

Both countries show comparable internal variation: India spans $268โ€“$899, Eswatini spans $0โ€“$725. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
India
Eswatini
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.63 โ‚น245
$1.73 SZLย 28.29
52.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.85 โ‚น1,290
$28.47 SZLย 466
-51.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.99 โ‚น372
$2.31 SZLย 37.83
72.73%
Cappuccino
$1.90 โ‚น177
$1.67 SZLย 27.30
13.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 โ‚น37.26
$0.80 SZLย 13.12
-50.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.19 โ‚น17.62
$0.49 SZLย 7.97
-61.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.96 โ‚น183
$1.52 SZLย 24.82
28.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.46 โ‚น323
$1.65 SZLย 27.07
109.70%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
India
Eswatini
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.69 โ‚น63.9
$1.05 SZLย 17.22
-34.29%
White Bread (500g)
$0.51 โ‚น47.79
$0.75 SZLย 12.20
-32.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.73 โ‚น68.0
$1.23 SZLย 20.13
-40.65%
Eggs
$0.98 โ‚น91.4
$1.49 SZLย 24.36
-34.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.43 โ‚น506
$8.79 SZLย 144
-38.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.19 โ‚น297
$4.01 SZLย 65.6
-20.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$4.63 SZLย 75.7
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.12 โ‚น197
$1.33 SZLย 21.75
59.40%
Banana (1kg)
$0.76 โ‚น70.4
$0.79 SZLย 13.01
-3.80%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.04 โ‚น97.3
$1.09 SZLย 17.85
-4.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.52 โ‚น48.81
$1.41 SZLย 23.11
-63.12%
Potato (1kg)
$0.40 โ‚น37.15
$0.96 SZLย 15.77
-58.33%
Onion (1kg)
$0.45 โ‚น42.21
$0.99 SZLย 16.25
-54.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.55 โ‚น51.1
$0.53 SZLย 8.64
3.77%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.35 โ‚น32.81
$0.74 SZLย 12.14
-52.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.99 โ‚น371
$2.66 SZLย 43.47
50.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.55 โ‚น703
$4.91 SZLย 80.3
53.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 โ‚น171
$1.03 SZLย 16.86
78.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 โ‚น284
$1.43 SZLย 23.41
113.29%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$5.81 โ‚น542
-
-
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
India
Eswatini
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 โ‚น31.63
$0.92 SZLย 15.07
-63.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.85 โ‚น918
$29.94 SZLย 490
-67.10%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.97 โ‚น90.1
$3.42 SZLย 56.0
-71.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.28 โ‚น25.71
$2.69 SZLย 44.09
-89.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.69 โ‚น157
$3.37 SZLย 55.2
-49.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.22 โ‚น114
$1.21 SZLย 19.87
0.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$14.2K โ‚น1.3M
$17.1K SZLย 279.8K
-16.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.8K โ‚น2.1M
$18.7K SZLย 305.9K
22.08%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
Eswatini
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$40.60 โ‚น3,783
$75.0 SZLย 1,227
-45.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.75 โ‚น349
$26.78 SZLย 438
-86.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.13 โ‚น757
$28.48 SZLย 466
-71.45%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
India
Eswatini
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$16.08 โ‚น1,498
$27.48 SZLย 450
-41.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.72 โ‚น720
$4.93 SZLย 80.6
56.59%
Cinema Ticket
$3.40 โ‚น316
$3.33 SZLย 54.5
2.10%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
India
Eswatini
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$68.7 โ‚น6,405
$107 SZLย 1,755
-35.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,787 โ‚น166.5K
$4,682 SZLย 76.6K
-61.83%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
India
Eswatini
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.17 โ‚น2,345
$42.09 SZLย 689
-40.20%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.56 โ‚น2,475
$26.58 SZLย 435
-0.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$44.85 โ‚น4,178
$63.7 SZLย 1,042
-29.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$33.83 โ‚น3,152
$73.2 SZLย 1,198
-53.80%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
India
Eswatini
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$177 โ‚น16.5K
$241 SZLย 3,948
-26.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$111 โ‚น10.3K
$140 SZLย 2,296
-21.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$415 โ‚น38.6K
$434 SZLย 7,101
-4.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$256 โ‚น23.9K
$329 SZLย 5,378
-22.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,245 โ‚น116.0K
$342 SZLย 5,589
264.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$636 โ‚น59.2K
$254 SZLย 4,150
150.68%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
India
Eswatini
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$434 โ‚น40.4K
$502 SZLย 8,220
-13.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.02
9.12
-1.10%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for India: April 12, 2026

Last update for Eswatini: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $127 in India vs $82 in Eswatini. For reference, capital cities sit at $237 in Delhi and $260 in Mbabane.

Average salary: $400 in India vs $614 in Eswatini. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 55% higher in India.

Dining out costs 10% more in India.

Public transport is 50% more expensive in India.

Salaries are 54% higher in Eswatini, giving Eswatini stronger purchasing power.

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
India vs Eswatini: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Eswatini and India compare in cost of living?
Eswatini is the cheaper option โ€“ living costs run roughly 61% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
How do rents compare between Eswatini and India?
Housing costs more in India, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but India consistently has higher rents.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Eswatini or India?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Eswatini, contributing to the overall 61% price gap. The savings show up everywhere โ€“ from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $1,200 go in Eswatini vs India?
$1,200 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Eswatini, but in India it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
How do I choose between living in Eswatini and India?
Eswatini is the budget-friendly choice for expats โ€“ lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

India vs other spots: cost of living compared

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