Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Hong Kong (China) Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Hong Kong (China)

Name: Hong Kong (China)
Address: HK

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $388 per month in India vs $2,848 in Hong Kong (China), rent included.

A couple spends around $617 per month in India vs $4,336 in Hong Kong (China), rent included.

A family of three spends $846 per month in India vs $5,823 in Hong Kong (China), rent included.

The cost of living in India is roughly 86% lower than in Hong Kong (China) on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

India sits 71% below the global median, while Hong Kong (China) is 113% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in India ($265–$913) than in Hong Kong (China) ($2,848–$2,848), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.53 ₹244

$9.01 HK$70.6

-71.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.73 ₹1,322

$64.9 HK$509

-78.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.00 ₹385

$6.24 HK$48.93

-35.90%

Cappuccino

$1.91 ₹184

$5.16 HK$40.46

-62.98%

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

$0.43 ₹41.85

$1.29 HK$10.08

-66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹16.11

$1.08 HK$8.48

-84.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 ₹186

$6.55 HK$51.4

-70.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 ₹341

$6.19 HK$48.50

-42.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹69.9

$2.99 HK$23.43

-75.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 ₹50.1

$2.31 HK$18.12

-77.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ₹69.9

$2.02 HK$15.83

-63.86%

Eggs

$0.95 ₹91.4

$3.45 HK$27.07

-72.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.32 ₹512

$25.07 HK$197

-78.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ₹299

$10.18 HK$79.8

-69.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.12 HK$173

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 ₹208

$3.51 HK$27.48

-38.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.70 ₹67.7

$2.35 HK$18.39

-70.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 ₹101

$3.95 HK$30.97

-73.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 ₹50.8

$2.94 HK$23.02

-81.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.66

$2.32 HK$18.19

-83.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 ₹46.64

$2.23 HK$17.46

-78.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 ₹49.78

$1.74 HK$13.65

-70.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₹34.33

$1.70 HK$13.32

-78.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 ₹387

$13.03 HK$102

-69.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.28 ₹701

$16.89 HK$132

-56.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 ₹183

$1.84 HK$14.45

3.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ₹292

$2.65 HK$20.74

14.34%

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

$5.84 ₹562

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₹34.66

$1.68 HK$13.15

-78.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.84 ₹948

$63.3 HK$496

-84.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 ₹91.8

$3.76 HK$29.48

-74.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹29.03

$1.32 HK$10.33

-77.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 ₹172

$14.94 HK$117

-88.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₹117

$3.05 HK$23.94

-60.33%

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

$13.9K ₹1.3M

$38.7K HK$303.5K

-64.22%

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

$22.4K ₹2.2M

$33.2K HK$260.6K

-32.49%

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

$40.16 ₹3,867

$232 HK$1,819

-82.69%

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

$3.76 ₹362

$17.87 HK$140

-78.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.04 ₹774

$22.38 HK$175

-64.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.25 ₹1,565

$76.2 HK$598

-78.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.56 ₹728

$8.63 HK$67.6

-12.40%

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 ₹330

$12.53 HK$98.2

-72.63%

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

$69.7 ₹6,713

$1,004 HK$7,872

-93.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,852 ₹178.3K

$21.8K HK$170.5K

-91.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.59 ₹2,463

$74.0 HK$580

-65.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.30 ₹2,532

$38.96 HK$305

-32.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.89 ₹4,322

$90.0 HK$706

-50.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.20 ₹3,197

$140 HK$1,101

-76.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₹16.8K

$2,236 HK$17.5K

-92.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ₹10.8K

$1,584 HK$12.4K

-92.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 ₹39.0K

$4,811 HK$37.7K

-91.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 ₹24.8K

$3,083 HK$24.2K

-91.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,263 ₹121.6K

$27.5K HK$215.3K

-95.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$653 ₹62.8K

$17.0K HK$133.3K

-96.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$424 ₹40.8K

$3,220 HK$25.2K

-86.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.02

3.97

127.20%

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

Last update for India: July 12, 2026

Last update for Hong Kong (China): July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $127 in India vs $2,160 in Hong Kong (China). For reference, capital cities sit at $242 in Delhi and $2,160 in Hong Kong.

Average salary: $398 in India vs $3,230 in Hong Kong (China). The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1601% higher in Hong Kong (China).

Dining out costs 482% more in Hong Kong (China).

Public transport is 600% more expensive in Hong Kong (China).

Salaries are 712% higher in Hong Kong (China), and purchasing power comes out stronger in Hong Kong (China).

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 Hong Kong (China): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

India is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 384% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Hong Kong (China), and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Hong Kong (China) consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in India, contributing to the overall 384% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in India, but in Hong Kong (China) it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

India is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.