Cost of Living Comparison Between Kanpur and Varanasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Kanpur and Varanasi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $359 in Kanpur versus $304 in Varanasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $573 in Kanpur versus $512 in Varanasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $788 in Kanpur versus $720 in Varanasi.

Living in Kanpur is roughly 18% more expensive than Varanasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kanpur 73% lower, Varanasi 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.07 ₹197

$2.28 ₹216

-9.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.54 ₹1,095

$8.82 ₹837

30.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.05 ₹384

$3.58 ₹340

13.13%

Cappuccino

$1.48 ₹141

$1.55 ₹148

-4.52%

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

$0.29 ₹27.76

$0.33 ₹31.34

-12.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹12.89

$0.11 ₹10.58

27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ₹139

$1.72 ₹163

-14.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹206

$2.27 ₹216

-4.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹69.7

$0.64 ₹60.6

14.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.43 ₹40.40

$0.37 ₹34.68

16.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 ₹68.6

$0.53 ₹50.3

35.85%

Eggs

$0.96 ₹91.1

$0.95 ₹89.9

1.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.19 ₹398

$3.61 ₹343

16.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.80 ₹266

$2.57 ₹244

8.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 ₹153

$1.50 ₹143

7.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 ₹52.0

$0.66 ₹62.2

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 ₹95.1

$0.87 ₹82.3

14.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 ₹52.0

$0.38 ₹36.12

44.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.26 ₹24.78

$0.27 ₹25.61

-3.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ₹40.06

$0.27 ₹25.73

55.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ₹61.4

$0.35 ₹33.19

85.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₹32.49

$0.31 ₹29.54

9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ₹377

$2.92 ₹277

35.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.99 ₹568

$5.66 ₹537

5.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₹158

$1.72 ₹163

-2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 ₹317

$2.62 ₹249

27.48%

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

$5.43 ₹516

$4.67 ₹443

16.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₹37.81

$0.56 ₹53.6

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.09 ₹673

$10.57 ₹1,004

-32.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 ₹56.6

$0.20 ₹18.97

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.85

$0.12 ₹11.05

150.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ₹113

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹112

$1.16 ₹110

1.72%

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

$11.5K ₹1.1M

$14.0K ₹1.3M

-18.17%

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

$16.4K ₹1.6M

$20.6K ₹2.0M

-20.38%

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

$51.4 ₹4,883

$13.87 ₹1,317

270.87%

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

$3.23 ₹307

$3.71 ₹352

-12.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.49 ₹522

$5.50 ₹523

-0.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.21 ₹1,349

$12.43 ₹1,180

14.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.87 ₹653

$5.83 ₹554

17.84%

Cinema Ticket

$2.85 ₹271

$3.00 ₹285

-5.00%

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

$36.74 ₹3,488

$56.8 ₹5,392

-35.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,543 ₹146.5K

$933 ₹88.6K

65.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.56 ₹2,237

$22.89 ₹2,174

2.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.77 ₹2,921

$24.11 ₹2,289

27.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.32 ₹3,828

$40.07 ₹3,804

0.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.63 ₹1,768

$24.97 ₹2,371

-25.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 ₹11.0K

$130 ₹12.3K

-10.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$63.8 ₹6,057

$53.0 ₹5,033

20.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 ₹22.9K

$244 ₹23.2K

-1.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 ₹13.9K

$154 ₹14.6K

-4.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,113 ₹105.7K

$576 ₹54.7K

93.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$548 ₹52.0K

$337 ₹31.9K

62.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$345 ₹32.7K

$589 ₹56.0K

-41.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.49

8.72

-2.64%

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

Last update for Kanpur: April 27, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $116 in Kanpur and $130 in Varanasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varanasi pays 71% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Kanpur vs $9.00 in Varanasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $98.0 vs $88.0 per month, with Varanasi 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 Varanasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varanasi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Varanasi earns 71% less. 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: $116 in Kanpur versus $130 in Varanasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $36.74 in Kanpur versus $56.8 in Varanasi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Kanpur. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Varanasi 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 Varanasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Kanpur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.