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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $422 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $423 in Patna.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $674 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $656 in Patna.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $926 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $890 in Patna.

Monthly costs are close between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Patna; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kolkata (Calcutta) 69% lower, Patna 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.26 ₹312

$2.32 ₹222

40.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.67 ₹1,117

$10.00 ₹957

16.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 ₹475

$3.54 ₹339

40.11%

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₹170

$1.40 ₹134

27.14%

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

$0.37 ₹35.62

$0.37 ₹35.24

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 ₹11.96

$0.14 ₹13.11

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₹171

$2.33 ₹223

-23.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ₹272

$9.20 ₹880

-69.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.68 ₹64.8

$0.65 ₹61.9

4.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 ₹38.11

$0.45 ₹43.09

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 ₹62.2

$0.58 ₹55.1

12.07%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹97.3

$1.15 ₹110

-11.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.36 ₹513

$6.90 ₹660

-22.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ₹271

$2.66 ₹255

6.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 ₹232

$1.34 ₹128

80.60%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ₹77.0

$0.82 ₹78.2

-2.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ₹123

$1.11 ₹106

16.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 ₹63.0

$0.55 ₹52.9

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 ₹38.97

$0.35 ₹33.67

17.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₹57.3

$0.51 ₹49.16

17.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 ₹43.17

$0.48 ₹45.55

-6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₹32.15

$0.34 ₹32.82

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 ₹374

$2.59 ₹248

50.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.45 ₹809

$6.23 ₹596

35.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₹166

$2.00 ₹192

-13.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 ₹240

$2.32 ₹222

8.19%

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

$7.31 ₹700

$6.66 ₹638

9.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹21.00

$0.37 ₹35.01

-40.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$2.93 ₹280

$4.71 ₹451

-37.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 ₹57.7

$1.17 ₹112

-48.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.34

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 ₹192

$2.27 ₹217

-11.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₹118

$1.23 ₹117

0.81%

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

$16.0K ₹1.5M

$15.3K ₹1.5M

4.27%

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

$23.0K ₹2.2M

$32.9K ₹3.2M

-30.35%

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

$41.72 ₹3,992

$44.20 ₹4,230

-5.61%

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

$3.84 ₹367

$3.17 ₹303

21.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.12 ₹681

$7.23 ₹692

-1.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.01 ₹1,532

$27.34 ₹2,617

-41.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.45 ₹1,096

$7.58 ₹726

51.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 ₹396

$3.86 ₹370

6.99%

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

$43.06 ₹4,121

$49.99 ₹4,784

-13.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,560 ₹149.3K

$1,834 ₹175.5K

-14.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.84 ₹2,664

$26.50 ₹2,536

5.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.87 ₹2,859

$27.64 ₹2,645

8.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.50 ₹4,737

$41.94 ₹4,014

18.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.81 ₹3,044

$37.02 ₹3,543

-14.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$157 ₹15.0K

$123 ₹11.8K

27.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.0 ₹8,425

$75.0 ₹7,180

17.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 ₹36.1K

$295 ₹28.3K

27.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 ₹18.6K

$181 ₹17.3K

7.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,164 ₹111.4K

$1,289 ₹123.4K

-9.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$588 ₹56.2K

$504 ₹48.2K

16.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$426 ₹40.8K

$356 ₹34.0K

19.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.9

9.05

9.39%

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

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): June 1, 2026

Last update for Patna: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $157 in Kolkata (Calcutta) and $123 in Patna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kolkata (Calcutta) pays 20% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $12.00 in Kolkata (Calcutta) vs $10.00 in Patna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $112 vs $106 per month, with Patna 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 Patna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kolkata (Calcutta) pays 20% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $157 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $123 in Patna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kolkata (Calcutta) runs roughly 61% less than in Patna. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Patna pay roughly 6% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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 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.

It comes down to priorities – Kolkata (Calcutta) wins on affordability, Patna on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.