Cost of Living Comparison Between Kottayam and Bhilai Cost of Living Comparison Between Kottayam and Bhilai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $297 in Kottayam versus $307 in Bhilai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $486 in Kottayam versus $501 in Bhilai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $676 in Kottayam versus $696 in Bhilai.

Living in Kottayam costs roughly 3% less than in Bhilai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kottayam 78% lower, Bhilai 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.17 ₹111

$2.68 ₹255

-56.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.70 ₹921

$7.93 ₹753

22.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 ₹383

$3.22 ₹306

25.47%

Cappuccino

$0.59 ₹56.2

$1.80 ₹171

-67.22%

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

$0.38 ₹36.04

$0.30 ₹28.80

26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.27

$0.18 ₹17.53

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 ₹134

$1.52 ₹144

-7.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ₹280

$3.11 ₹295

-5.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 ₹56.2

$0.69 ₹65.2

-14.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 ₹44.67

$0.32 ₹30.77

46.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 ₹73.7

$0.69 ₹65.7

13.04%

Eggs

$0.82 ₹78.2

$0.88 ₹83.7

-6.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.35 ₹223

$4.75 ₹451

-50.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.05 ₹289

$2.71 ₹258

12.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 ₹224

$2.14 ₹203

10.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 ₹63.5

$0.60 ₹57.1

11.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 ₹107

$0.62 ₹58.7

82.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 ₹45.66

$0.40 ₹37.66

20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 ₹45.09

$0.43 ₹40.45

9.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 ₹42.90

$0.46 ₹43.99

-2.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 ₹37.80

$0.24 ₹22.80

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₹33.79

$0.27 ₹25.58

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 ₹396

$2.27 ₹216

83.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.05 ₹385

$4.75 ₹451

-14.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₹161

$1.01 ₹96.0

68.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 ₹326

$2.39 ₹227

43.93%

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

$4.65 ₹441

$4.12 ₹391

12.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₹26.40

$0.22 ₹20.85

27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.48 ₹805

$2.88 ₹274

194.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 ₹107

$1.13 ₹108

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.18

$0.24 ₹22.91

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 ₹158

$1.70 ₹161

-1.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₹111

$1.16 ₹110

0.86%

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

$9,235 ₹876.7K

$11.8K ₹1.1M

-21.89%

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

$15.2K ₹1.4M

$19.8K ₹1.9M

-23.27%

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

$27.01 ₹2,564

$23.49 ₹2,230

14.99%

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

$3.38 ₹321

$3.87 ₹368

-12.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.59 ₹816

$6.08 ₹577

41.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.86 ₹841

$3.59 ₹341

146.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.46 ₹1,088

$6.82 ₹648

68.04%

Cinema Ticket

$1.99 ₹189

$1.69 ₹161

17.75%

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

$58.7 ₹5,576

$57.6 ₹5,469

1.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,538 ₹146.1K

$1,520 ₹144.3K

1.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.81 ₹2,166

$17.33 ₹1,645

31.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.55 ₹1,666

$17.62 ₹1,673

-0.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.40 ₹2,411

$17.15 ₹1,628

48.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.53 ₹1,664

$28.00 ₹2,659

-37.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$137 ₹13.0K

$125 ₹11.9K

9.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$57.4 ₹5,453

$68.7 ₹6,526

-16.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$296 ₹28.1K

$270 ₹25.7K

9.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 ₹15.7K

$178 ₹16.9K

-6.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$948 ₹90.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$555 ₹52.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$265 ₹25.1K

$657 ₹62.4K

-59.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.36

17.00%

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

Last update for Kottayam: April 28, 2026

Last update for Bhilai: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $137 in Kottayam and $125 in Bhilai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bhilai pays 148% 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: $10.00 in Kottayam vs $8.00 in Bhilai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $94.0 vs $89.0 per month, with Bhilai 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

Kottayam vs Bhilai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kottayam and Bhilai differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($297 vs $307 including rent). Kottayam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bhilai earns 148% 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: $137 in Kottayam versus $125 in Bhilai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $58.7 in Kottayam versus $57.6 in Bhilai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Bhilai 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 Kottayam 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 Kottayam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Bhilai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.