Cost of Living Comparison Between Kanpur and Shillong Cost of Living Comparison Between Kanpur and Shillong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $364 in Kanpur versus $443 in Shillong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $565 in Kanpur versus $684 in Shillong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $765 in Kanpur versus $924 in Shillong.

Living in Kanpur costs roughly 18% less than in Shillong, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kanpur 73% lower, Shillong 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.07 ₹200

$1.43 ₹138

44.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.66 ₹1,123

$10.30 ₹992

13.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.12 ₹396

$4.71 ₹454

-12.53%

Cappuccino

$1.49 ₹144

$1.22 ₹118

22.13%

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

$0.29 ₹28.03

$0.36 ₹34.74

-19.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ₹12.73

$0.14 ₹13.19

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ₹141

$1.43 ₹138

2.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₹216

$3.28 ₹316

-31.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹70.1

$0.61 ₹58.7

19.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 ₹38.10

$0.36 ₹35.09

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 ₹65.2

$0.52 ₹50.1

30.77%

Eggs

$0.97 ₹93.4

$0.82 ₹79.2

18.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.20 ₹405

$4.43 ₹427

-5.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.79 ₹269

$3.31 ₹319

-15.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 ₹153

$1.93 ₹186

-17.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 ₹53.1

$0.75 ₹71.8

-26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 ₹96.1

$0.97 ₹93.5

3.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹55.4

$0.55 ₹53.3

5.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.26 ₹25.10

$0.29 ₹27.52

-10.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 ₹41.38

$0.36 ₹34.64

19.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ₹60.8

$0.37 ₹35.51

70.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₹33.13

$0.18 ₹17.51

88.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ₹385

$4.13 ₹398

-3.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.96 ₹574

$4.75 ₹457

25.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₹161

$1.49 ₹143

12.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 ₹333

$2.78 ₹267

24.46%

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

$5.55 ₹534

$4.36 ₹419

27.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₹38.24

$0.30 ₹29.21

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.79 ₹654

$8.48 ₹816

-19.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 ₹53.3

$0.80 ₹77.1

-31.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹29.13

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₹114

$1.43 ₹138

-17.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₹110

$1.19 ₹115

-4.20%

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

$11.8K ₹1.1M

$13.7K ₹1.3M

-13.86%

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

$16.8K ₹1.6M

$17.7K ₹1.7M

-5.29%

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

$51.8 ₹4,982

$40.08 ₹3,859

29.12%

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

$3.16 ₹305

$3.44 ₹331

-8.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.43 ₹523

$5.68 ₹547

-4.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.17 ₹1,365

$4.53 ₹436

212.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.84 ₹659

$5.89 ₹567

16.13%

Cinema Ticket

$2.87 ₹277

$2.87 ₹276

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

$35.76 ₹3,443

$32.21 ₹3,101

11.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,530 ₹147.3K

$1,919 ₹184.8K

-20.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.13 ₹2,227

$25.14 ₹2,420

-8.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.78 ₹2,963

$35.50 ₹3,418

-13.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.05 ₹3,759

$46.95 ₹4,520

-16.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.76 ₹1,807

$42.64 ₹4,105

-56.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 ₹11.3K

$253 ₹24.4K

-53.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$64.5 ₹6,207

$156 ₹15.0K

-58.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 ₹22.6K

$464 ₹44.7K

-49.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 ₹14.1K

$318 ₹30.6K

-53.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,168 ₹112.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$498 ₹48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$306 ₹29.5K

$441 ₹42.5K

-30.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.49

7.38

15.04%

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

Last update for Kanpur: July 12, 2026

Last update for Shillong: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $117 in Kanpur and $253 in Shillong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shillong pays 44% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $12.00 in Kanpur vs $10.00 in Shillong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $98.0 vs $93.0 per month, with Shillong cheaper across the board.

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

Kanpur vs Shillong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kanpur is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 44% lower in Shillong. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $117 in Kanpur versus $253 in Shillong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $35.76 in Kanpur versus $32.21 in Shillong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Shillong pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kanpur gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Kanpur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Shillong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.