Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Bangalore Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Bangalore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $431 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $576 in Bangalore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $679 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $947 in Bangalore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $926 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $1,318 in Bangalore.

Living in Kolkata (Calcutta) costs roughly 25% less than in Bangalore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kolkata (Calcutta) 68% lower, Bangalore 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 ₹295

$3.46 ₹328

-10.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.85 ₹1,121

$17.42 ₹1,648

-31.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 ₹477

$4.00 ₹379

26.00%

Cappuccino

$1.82 ₹172

$2.32 ₹220

-21.55%

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

$0.41 ₹38.59

$0.43 ₹40.36

-4.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹14.90

$0.16 ₹15.31

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₹169

$2.29 ₹217

-21.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₹271

$4.14 ₹392

-30.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 ₹68.6

$0.61 ₹57.8

18.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 ₹37.68

$0.57 ₹54.1

-29.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 ₹65.7

$0.82 ₹77.6

-15.85%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹96.3

$1.00 ₹94.5

2.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.33 ₹505

$7.44 ₹704

-28.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ₹279

$3.91 ₹370

-24.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 ₹230

$2.61 ₹247

-6.90%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹76.2

$0.76 ₹72.1

6.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹120

$1.10 ₹104

14.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₹61.5

$0.41 ₹38.68

58.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.15

$0.48 ₹45.02

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₹56.5

$0.50 ₹47.65

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 ₹42.43

$0.48 ₹45.36

-6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₹28.80

$0.35 ₹33.22

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 ₹365

$4.13 ₹391

-6.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.30 ₹880

$10.46 ₹989

-11.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₹158

$2.07 ₹196

-19.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₹230

$3.30 ₹312

-26.36%

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

$7.42 ₹702

$7.54 ₹714

-1.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹22.83

$0.61 ₹57.3

-60.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$2.82 ₹267

$14.28 ₹1,351

-80.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 ₹56.7

$1.14 ₹108

-47.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₹30.53

$0.36 ₹33.77

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 ₹197

$2.28 ₹216

-8.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₹117

$1.22 ₹116

1.64%

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

$15.4K ₹1.5M

$14.1K ₹1.3M

9.16%

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

$22.3K ₹2.1M

$24.3K ₹2.3M

-8.15%

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

$41.22 ₹3,900

$35.03 ₹3,315

17.67%

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

$3.96 ₹375

$5.19 ₹491

-23.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.35 ₹695

$10.70 ₹1,012

-31.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.12 ₹1,525

$18.18 ₹1,720

-11.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.59 ₹1,097

$6.06 ₹573

91.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 ₹392

$4.69 ₹443

-11.73%

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

$43.87 ₹4,151

$114 ₹10.8K

-61.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,598 ₹151.2K

$3,285 ₹310.8K

-51.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.71 ₹2,717

$28.11 ₹2,660

2.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.95 ₹2,834

$30.30 ₹2,867

-1.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.2 ₹4,749

$54.0 ₹5,113

-7.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.26 ₹2,958

$40.14 ₹3,798

-22.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$162 ₹15.3K

$306 ₹28.9K

-47.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.7 ₹8,299

$180 ₹17.0K

-51.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 ₹36.2K

$819 ₹77.5K

-53.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 ₹18.4K

$477 ₹45.1K

-59.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,159 ₹109.7K

$1,796 ₹169.9K

-35.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$564 ₹53.3K

$926 ₹87.6K

-39.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$421 ₹39.9K

$931 ₹88.1K

-54.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.9

9.19

7.73%

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

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): April 27, 2026

Last update for Bangalore: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $162 in Kolkata (Calcutta) and $306 in Bangalore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 121% 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 Kolkata (Calcutta) vs $17.00 in Bangalore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $114 vs $131 per month, with Kolkata (Calcutta) 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

Kolkata (Calcutta) vs Bangalore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kolkata (Calcutta) wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Bangalore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kolkata (Calcutta) the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Bangalore earns 121% 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: $162 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $306 in Bangalore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kolkata (Calcutta) runs roughly 406% less than in Bangalore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $43.87 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $114 in Bangalore. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Kolkata (Calcutta) gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kolkata (Calcutta) delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $431 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kolkata (Calcutta) hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kolkata (Calcutta) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.