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: $301 in Kottayam versus $307 in Bhilai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $498 in Kottayam versus $506 in Bhilai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $695 in Kottayam versus $706 in Bhilai.

Living in Kottayam costs roughly 2% less than in Bhilai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.15 ₹110

$2.55 ₹243

-54.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.67 ₹922

$8.06 ₹769

19.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.04 ₹385

$3.16 ₹301

27.85%

Cappuccino

$0.56 ₹53.2

$1.78 ₹169

-68.54%

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

$0.38 ₹36.08

$0.30 ₹28.70

26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ₹12.56

$0.20 ₹18.63

-35.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ₹130

$1.55 ₹148

-12.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₹280

$3.25 ₹310

-9.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.58 ₹55.3

$0.64 ₹61.0

-9.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 ₹41.62

$0.32 ₹30.56

37.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ₹69.2

$0.70 ₹66.4

4.29%

Eggs

$0.86 ₹82.1

$0.92 ₹88.0

-6.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.36 ₹225

$4.71 ₹450

-49.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 ₹289

$2.70 ₹258

12.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ₹216

$2.04 ₹194

10.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.65 ₹62.4

$0.59 ₹56.4

10.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 ₹109

$0.62 ₹59.4

83.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 ₹46.97

$0.42 ₹40.39

16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.87

$0.40 ₹37.77

27.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ₹43.41

$0.47 ₹44.36

-2.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 ₹37.74

$0.24 ₹23.00

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.67

$0.27 ₹25.74

29.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 ₹404

$2.37 ₹226

78.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.82 ₹364

$4.81 ₹459

-20.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₹161

$1.03 ₹97.8

64.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₹342

$2.28 ₹217

57.46%

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

$4.46 ₹425

$4.14 ₹394

7.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₹28.96

$0.24 ₹23.03

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.58 ₹818

$2.95 ₹281

190.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ₹114

$1.14 ₹108

4.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.45

$0.24 ₹22.98

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ₹151

$1.72 ₹164

-8.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₹116

$1.16 ₹110

5.17%

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

$9,361 ₹892.8K

$11.8K ₹1.1M

-20.45%

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

$15.4K ₹1.5M

$20.0K ₹1.9M

-22.88%

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

$26.75 ₹2,551

$23.12 ₹2,205

15.70%

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

$3.46 ₹330

$3.80 ₹362

-8.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.46 ₹806

$6.18 ₹589

36.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.49 ₹810

$3.47 ₹331

144.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.55 ₹1,102

$6.94 ₹662

66.43%

Cinema Ticket

$1.99 ₹190

$1.76 ₹168

13.07%

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

$58.3 ₹5,558

$56.9 ₹5,423

2.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,559 ₹148.6K

$1,491 ₹142.2K

4.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.87 ₹2,181

$17.66 ₹1,684

29.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.42 ₹1,661

$17.43 ₹1,662

-0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$25.21 ₹2,404

$17.67 ₹1,686

42.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.22 ₹1,643

$28.24 ₹2,693

-39.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$137 ₹13.0K

$122 ₹11.6K

12.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.0 ₹5,627

$69.5 ₹6,630

-15.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$295 ₹28.1K

$272 ₹25.9K

8.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$164 ₹15.7K

$178 ₹16.9K

-7.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$930 ₹88.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$557 ₹53.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$290 ₹27.7K

$670 ₹63.9K

-56.67%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Bhilai: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $137 in Kottayam and $122 in Bhilai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bhilai pays 131% 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 $93.0 vs $88.0 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 2% in total monthly costs ($301 vs $307 including rent). Kottayam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 131% lower in Bhilai. 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 $122 in Bhilai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $58.3 in Kottayam versus $56.9 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 2% less than in Bhilai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.