For one person, living is cheaper in India: $391 a month against $1,754 in Spain, rent and utilities included – about $16,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in India and in Spain actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $391 in India versus $1,754 in Spain.
India $391
Spain $1,754
Estimated couple costs with rent: $620 in India versus $2,570 in Spain.
India $620
Spain $2,570
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $849 in India versus $3,386 in Spain.
India $849
Spain $3,386
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $928 to $2,590, compared to $228–$812 in India. City choice carries more weight in Spain.
🌍
Living in India costs about 78% less than in Spain on average.
📊
India (71% below) and Spain (30% above) straddle the global median.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
India
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.14₹203
$16.56€14.73
-87.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.52₹999
$56.6€50.4
-81.42%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.58₹340
$11.24€10.00
-68.15%
Cappuccino
$1.67₹158
$2.32€2.07
-28.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37₹35.48
$2.57€2.28
-85.60%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15₹14.18
$1.86€1.66
-91.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.84₹175
$3.34€2.97
-44.91%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07₹292
$4.02€3.58
-23.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
India
Spain
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.62₹58.8
$1.21€1.08
-48.76%
White Bread(500g)
$0.49₹46.73
$1.54€1.37
-68.18%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.63₹60.1
$1.63€1.45
-61.35%
Eggs
$0.96₹90.7
$3.30€2.93
-70.91%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.71₹447
$14.35€12.76
-67.18%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.92₹277
$8.54€7.60
-65.81%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$16.09€14.31
-
Apples(1kg)
$1.98₹188
$2.45€2.18
-19.18%
Banana(1kg)
$0.68₹64.4
$2.02€1.79
-66.34%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.02₹97.2
$2.07€1.85
-50.72%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.46₹43.78
$2.44€2.17
-81.15%
Potato(1kg)
$0.34₹32.20
$1.78€1.58
-80.90%
Onion(1kg)
$0.41₹39.00
$2.01€1.78
-79.60%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.43₹40.66
$1.29€1.15
-66.67%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31₹29.73
$0.75€0.66
-58.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.89₹464
$6.42€5.71
-23.83%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.25₹688
$5.71€5.08
26.97%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71₹162
$1.30€1.15
31.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74₹260
$1.99€1.77
37.69%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
$5.25₹499
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
India
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.27₹25.86
$1.70€1.51
-84.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.39₹797
$33.97€30.22
-75.30%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.03₹97.8
$4.58€4.07
-77.51%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.25₹23.49
$1.48€1.32
-83.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.60₹152
$24.59€21.87
-93.49%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.13₹107
$1.74€1.55
-35.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.6K₹1.2M
$34.9K€31.0K
-63.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.1K₹1.9M
$29.7K€26.4K
-32.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$37.55₹3,566
$147€131
-74.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.47₹330
$17.90€15.92
-80.61%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.15₹679
$31.21€27.76
-77.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
India
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$14.58₹1,385
$44.57€39.65
-67.29%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.21₹684
$15.01€13.35
-51.97%
Cinema Ticket
$3.18₹302
$9.24€8.22
-65.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
India
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$56.8₹5,391
$529€470
-89.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,651₹156.7K
$10.4K€9,212
-84.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
India
Spain
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.55₹2,141
$84.8€75.5
-73.41%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.54₹2,330
$36.80€32.73
-33.32%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$39.69₹3,769
$89.7€79.7
-55.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$29.84₹2,833
$107€94.8
-72.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
India
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$141₹13.4K
$988€879
-85.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$89.7₹8,515
$791€703
-88.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$325₹30.9K
$1,580€1,405
-79.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$207₹19.7K
$1,196€1,064
-82.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,214₹115.3K
$4,059€3,610
-70.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$638₹60.6K
$2,615€2,326
-75.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
India
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$434₹41.2K
$1,923€1,711
-77.45%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.92
3.3
170.30%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for India: October 10, 2026
Last update for Spain: October 13, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
India
$102 26.2%
Spain
$272 15.5% ↑ 165%$169
🏠Accommodation & Living
India
$90 23%
Spain
$791 45.1% ↑ 782%$701
🍽Eating Out
India
$65 16.7%
Spain
$237 13.5% ↑ 262%$171
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
India
$52 13.4%
Spain
$143 8.2% ↑ 173%$91
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
$48 12.3%
Spain
$196 11.2% ↑ 307%$148
🎉Sport & Entertainment
India
$21 5.4%
Spain
$63 3.6% ↑ 201%$42
🚌Getting Around
India
$12 3%
Spain
$53 3% ↑ 349%$41
🛒Groceries & Markets
India
$221 26%
Spain
$646 19.1% ↑ 193%$425
🏠Accommodation & Living
India
$207 24.4%
Spain
$1.2K 35.3% ↑ 477%$988
🍽Eating Out
India
$179 21.1%
Spain
$763 22.5% ↑ 326%$583
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
India
$117 13.7%
Spain
$318 9.4% ↑ 173%$201
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
$52 6.1%
Spain
$214 6.3% ↑ 314%$162
🎉Sport & Entertainment
India
$49 5.8%
Spain
$141 4.2% ↑ 187%$92
🚌Getting Around
India
$24 2.8%
Spain
$109 3.2% ↑ 353%$85
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $119 in India, $908 in Spain. Capital cities: $267 in Delhi vs $1,506 in Madrid.
💰National salary averages: $411 in India, $1,972 in Spain. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 663% higher in Spain.
⭐Dining out costs 470% more in Spain.
⭐Public transport is 314% more expensive in Spain.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between India and Spain?
At $391 per month in India and $1,754 in Spain, there's a 349% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in India: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $908 in Spain and $119 in India. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in India or in Spain?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Spain it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to India or to Spain?
It depends on what you're after: India wins on affordability; Spain may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.