Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Hyderabad

For one person, living is cheaper in Kolkata (Calcutta): $434 a month against $491 in Hyderabad, rent and utilities included – about $680 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Kolkata (Calcutta), India
Hyderabad, India
Kolkata (Calcutta)
🇮🇳 India
$434
/mo nomad
Hyderabad
🇮🇳 India
$491
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kolkata (Calcutta) and in Hyderabad

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kolkata (Calcutta) and in Hyderabad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $434 per month in Kolkata (Calcutta) vs $491 in Hyderabad, rent included.

  • Kolkata (Calcutta) $434
  • Hyderabad $491

A couple spends around $691 per month in Kolkata (Calcutta) vs $809 in Hyderabad, rent included.

  • Kolkata (Calcutta) $691
  • Hyderabad $809

A family of three spends $948 per month in Kolkata (Calcutta) vs $1,127 in Hyderabad, rent included.

  • Kolkata (Calcutta) $948
  • Hyderabad $1,127

Kolkata (Calcutta) is about 12% cheaper than Hyderabad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Kolkata (Calcutta) and Hyderabad are more affordable than the global median – Kolkata (Calcutta) 68% lower, Hyderabad 64% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kolkata (Calcutta)
Hyderabad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.08 ₹198
$2.58 ₹246
-19.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.98 ₹1,331
$15.95 ₹1,519
-12.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.15 ₹396
$5.10 ₹486
-18.63%
Cappuccino
$1.66 ₹158
$2.27 ₹217
-26.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45 ₹42.81
$0.45 ₹42.56
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.12 ₹11.15
$0.15 ₹14.13
-20.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.95 ₹185
$2.12 ₹202
-8.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 ₹286
$4.29 ₹409
-29.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kolkata (Calcutta)
Hyderabad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.67 ₹63.6
$0.83 ₹79.2
-19.28%
White Bread (500g)
$0.50 ₹47.66
$0.58 ₹55.7
-13.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.74 ₹70.4
$0.70 ₹66.3
5.71%
Eggs
$1.08 ₹103
$0.99 ₹94.5
9.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.20 ₹495
$7.10 ₹676
-26.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.00 ₹286
$3.38 ₹322
-11.24%
Apples (1kg)
$2.42 ₹230
$2.34 ₹223
3.42%
Banana (1kg)
$0.81 ₹77.2
$0.68 ₹65.2
19.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.36 ₹130
$1.14 ₹109
19.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.66 ₹62.7
$0.44 ₹42.17
50.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.30 ₹28.74
$0.43 ₹40.47
-30.23%
Onion (1kg)
$0.47 ₹44.96
$0.39 ₹37.58
20.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.31 ₹29.09
$0.51 ₹48.79
-39.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.28 ₹26.90
$0.32 ₹30.91
-12.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.10 ₹485
$5.18 ₹493
-1.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.36 ₹986
$8.37 ₹797
23.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 ₹168
$1.82 ₹173
-3.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 ₹268
$2.72 ₹259
3.68%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$7.01 ₹668
$6.16 ₹586
13.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Kolkata (Calcutta)
Hyderabad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.18 ₹16.71
$0.54 ₹51.5
-66.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$3.12 ₹297
$14.95 ₹1,423
-79.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.81 ₹76.9
$0.92 ₹87.2
-11.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 ₹29.28
$0.55 ₹52.3
-43.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.61 ₹153
$1.19 ₹113
35.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 ₹105
$1.12 ₹106
-1.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$13.1K ₹1.3M
$11.4K ₹1.1M
15.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3K ₹2.2M
$22.7K ₹2.2M
2.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kolkata (Calcutta)
Hyderabad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$52.5 ₹5,001
$35.06 ₹3,339
49.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.16 ₹492
$4.30 ₹409
20.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.36 ₹701
$7.89 ₹751
-6.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kolkata (Calcutta)
Hyderabad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$15.76 ₹1,500
$24.12 ₹2,297
-34.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.45 ₹1,091
$7.43 ₹708
54.10%
Cinema Ticket
$3.19 ₹304
$3.07 ₹292
3.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kolkata (Calcutta)
Hyderabad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$43.26 ₹4,119
$145 ₹13.8K
-70.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,997 ₹190.2K
$2,836 ₹270.0K
-29.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kolkata (Calcutta)
Hyderabad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$27.19 ₹2,589
$21.57 ₹2,054
26.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.01 ₹2,477
$21.03 ₹2,003
23.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$35.95 ₹3,423
$42.00 ₹3,999
-14.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$29.01 ₹2,762
$34.78 ₹3,312
-16.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kolkata (Calcutta)
Hyderabad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$167 ₹15.9K
$231 ₹22.0K
-27.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$103 ₹9,830
$133 ₹12.7K
-22.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$392 ₹37.3K
$624 ₹59.4K
-37.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$241 ₹22.9K
$339 ₹32.3K
-29.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,097 ₹104.5K
$1,354 ₹128.9K
-18.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$612 ₹58.2K
$776 ₹73.9K
-21.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kolkata (Calcutta)
Hyderabad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$379 ₹36.1K
$1,260 ₹120.0K
-69.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.08
8.55
6.20%

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

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): October 26, 2026

Last update for Hyderabad: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Kolkata (Calcutta)
$117
Hyderabad
$121 3.6% $4.2
Accommodation & Living
Kolkata (Calcutta)
$103
Hyderabad
$133 28.9% $30
Eating Out
Kolkata (Calcutta)
$67
Hyderabad
$85 26.4% $18
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kolkata (Calcutta)
$65
Hyderabad
$47 27.4% $18
Clothing & Footwear
Kolkata (Calcutta)
$53
Hyderabad
$54 1% $0.5
Sport & Entertainment
Kolkata (Calcutta)
$22
Hyderabad
$30 36.7% $8.1
Getting Around
Kolkata (Calcutta)
$6.2
Hyderabad
$21 237% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $167 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $231 in Hyderabad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Hyderabad are about 3.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $16 in Hyderabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $117 vs $121 – making Kolkata (Calcutta) the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇳 Kolkata (Calcutta)
🇮🇳 Hyderabad
🕒 Local time
03:05 3:05 AM
03:05 3:05 AM
Same time as Kolkata (Calcutta)
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
4,486,679
6,809,970
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 95.22 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kolkata (Calcutta) Hyderabad 1,180 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kolkata (Calcutta)
  • Hyderabad

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
Kolkata (Calcutta) vs Hyderabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kolkata (Calcutta) or Hyderabad?
Hyderabad costs about 13% more than Kolkata (Calcutta), and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Kolkata (Calcutta) and in Hyderabad?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $651 per month in Kolkata (Calcutta) and $736 in Hyderabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Kolkata (Calcutta) or Hyderabad?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kolkata (Calcutta), especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $167 there versus $231 in Hyderabad.
How expensive is transport in Kolkata (Calcutta) compared to Hyderabad?
Public transport costs about 79% less in Kolkata (Calcutta). For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Kolkata (Calcutta) and in Hyderabad?
Kindergarten costs $43 per month in Kolkata (Calcutta) and $145 in Hyderabad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $800/month in Kolkata (Calcutta) or in Hyderabad?
$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $434 in Kolkata (Calcutta) and $491 in Hyderabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Kolkata (Calcutta) – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Kolkata (Calcutta) or to Hyderabad?
If budget matters most, go with Kolkata (Calcutta). If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hyderabad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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