Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Ranchi

For one person, living is cheaper in Kolkata (Calcutta): $434 a month against $446 in Ranchi, rent and utilities included – about $140 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ranchi outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Kolkata (Calcutta)
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Kolkata (Calcutta) Living Index
21

Cost of Living Index in Ranchi
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Ranchi Living Index

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Kolkata (Calcutta)

🇮🇳 India

$434

/mo nomad

Ranchi

🇮🇳 India

$446

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Ranchi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $434 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $446 in Ranchi.

Kolkata (Calcutta) $434
Ranchi $446

Estimated couple costs with rent: $691 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $666 in Ranchi.

Kolkata (Calcutta) $691
Ranchi $666

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $948 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $887 in Ranchi.

Kolkata (Calcutta) $948
Ranchi $887

Living in Kolkata (Calcutta) costs roughly 3% less than in Ranchi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kolkata (Calcutta) 68% lower, Ranchi 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.08 ₹198

$3.13 ₹298

-33.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.98 ₹1,331

$10.42 ₹992

34.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 ₹396

$4.85 ₹462

-14.43%

Cappuccino

$1.66 ₹158

$1.51 ₹143

9.93%

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

$0.45 ₹42.81

$0.44 ₹41.44

2.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 ₹11.15

$0.14 ₹13.40

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 ₹185

$1.76 ₹167

10.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 ₹286

$2.86 ₹272

5.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 ₹63.6

$0.63 ₹59.9

6.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 ₹47.66

$0.41 ₹39.48

21.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 ₹70.4

$0.46 ₹43.96

60.87%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹103

$1.01 ₹96.5

6.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.20 ₹495

$4.73 ₹451

9.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.00 ₹286

$2.22 ₹211

35.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 ₹230

$1.36 ₹130

77.94%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.2

$0.63 ₹60.1

28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ₹130

$0.68 ₹64.4

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 ₹62.7

$0.48 ₹45.49

37.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 ₹28.74

$0.31 ₹29.18

-3.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 ₹44.96

$0.40 ₹38.52

17.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 ₹29.09

$0.30 ₹28.69

3.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₹26.90

$0.27 ₹25.52

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 ₹485

$4.31 ₹410

18.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.36 ₹986

$4.67 ₹445

121.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₹168

$0.92 ₹87.9

91.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₹268

$2.06 ₹196

36.89%

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

$7.01 ₹668

$4.07 ₹387

72.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 ₹16.71

$0.20 ₹19.03

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.12 ₹297

$21.11 ₹2,010

-85.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₹76.9

$1.60 ₹152

-49.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ₹29.28

$0.20 ₹19.03

55.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 ₹153

$0.81 ₹77.5

98.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹105

$1.06 ₹101

3.77%

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

$13.1K ₹1.3M

$11.1K ₹1.1M

18.94%

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

$23.3K ₹2.2M

$17.5K ₹1.7M

33.18%

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

$52.5 ₹5,001

$65.1 ₹6,199

-19.32%

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

$5.16 ₹492

$3.37 ₹321

53.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.36 ₹701

$6.88 ₹656

6.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.76 ₹1,500

$22.01 ₹2,095

-28.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.45 ₹1,091

$13.56 ₹1,291

-15.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.19 ₹304

$2.97 ₹283

7.41%

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

$43.26 ₹4,119

$58.7 ₹5,585

-26.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,997 ₹190.2K

$1,312 ₹124.9K

52.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.19 ₹2,589

$22.88 ₹2,179

18.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.01 ₹2,477

$25.84 ₹2,461

0.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$35.95 ₹3,423

$42.96 ₹4,091

-16.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.01 ₹2,762

$31.84 ₹3,032

-8.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 ₹15.9K

$139 ₹13.2K

20.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$103 ₹9,830

$106 ₹10.1K

-2.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 ₹37.3K

$255 ₹24.3K

53.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 ₹22.9K

$187 ₹17.8K

28.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,097 ₹104.5K

$789 ₹75.2K

38.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$612 ₹58.2K

$543 ₹51.7K

12.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$379 ₹36.1K

$568 ₹54.1K

-33.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.08

14.92

-39.14%

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

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

Last update for Ranchi: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$117 27%

Ranchi

$82 18.3% 30.2% $35

Accommodation & Living

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$103 23.8%

Ranchi

$106 23.8% 2.8% $2.9

Eating Out

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$67 15.5%

Ranchi

$74 16.7% 11% $7.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$65 15%

Ranchi

$75 16.9% 15.9% $10

Clothing & Footwear

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$53 12.3%

Ranchi

$56 12.5% 4.6% $2.4

Sport & Entertainment

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$22 5.1%

Ranchi

$28 6.3% 26.2% $5.8

Getting Around

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$6.2 1.4%

Ranchi

$25 5.5% 297% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $167 in Kolkata (Calcutta) and $139 in Ranchi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ranchi pays 50% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $14 in Kolkata (Calcutta) vs $10 in Ranchi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $117 vs $82 per month, with Ranchi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇳 Kolkata (Calcutta)

🇮🇳 Ranchi

🕒 Local time

03:34 3:34 AM

Same time as Kolkata (Calcutta)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

4,486,679

1,074,000

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.5 USD

1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.5 USD

1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Kolkata (Calcutta) Ranchi 320 km

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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 Ranchi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kolkata (Calcutta) wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Ranchi. 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, salaries run 33% lower in Kolkata (Calcutta). 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: $167 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $139 in Ranchi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $434 per month in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $446 in Ranchi – Kolkata (Calcutta) is about 3% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Kolkata (Calcutta) runs roughly 85% less than in Ranchi. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

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, Ranchi on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.