Cost of Living Comparison Between Madurai and Vijayawada Cost of Living Comparison Between Madurai and Vijayawada

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $412 in Madurai versus $405 in Vijayawada.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $664 in Madurai versus $646 in Vijayawada.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $916 in Madurai versus $888 in Vijayawada.

Living in Madurai is roughly 2% more expensive than in Vijayawada, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Madurai 70% lower, Vijayawada 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.71 ₹165

$1.54 ₹148

11.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.27 ₹985

$8.65 ₹829

18.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.09 ₹392

$4.42 ₹424

-7.47%

Cappuccino

$2.33 ₹223

$3.70 ₹355

-37.03%

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

$0.57 ₹54.8

$0.41 ₹39.13

39.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ₹23.04

$0.12 ₹11.84

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 ₹206

$1.93 ₹185

11.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 ₹372

$2.26 ₹217

71.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.58 ₹55.6

$0.75 ₹71.6

-22.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₹51.7

$0.53 ₹50.9

1.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.4

$0.61 ₹58.1

4.92%

Eggs

$0.80 ₹76.5

$0.77 ₹73.8

3.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.79 ₹555

$6.30 ₹604

-8.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.98 ₹286

$2.56 ₹246

16.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 ₹284

$1.85 ₹178

60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 ₹65.9

$0.68 ₹65.6

1.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ₹160

$0.80 ₹77.2

107.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 ₹47.79

$0.43 ₹41.36

16.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 ₹58.0

$0.40 ₹38.83

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 ₹66.6

$0.44 ₹42.61

56.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₹64.2

$0.65 ₹62.2

3.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.89

$0.28 ₹26.57

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 ₹488

$4.95 ₹475

2.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.51 ₹1,009

$7.35 ₹705

42.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 ₹198

$1.84 ₹177

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 ₹426

$3.13 ₹300

41.85%

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

$9.67 ₹928

$3.30 ₹317

193.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹19.16

$0.31 ₹30.19

-35.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.28 ₹986

$6.67 ₹640

54.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ₹113

$1.55 ₹149

-24.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₹33.76

$0.42 ₹40.11

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 ₹118

$2.10 ₹202

-41.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ₹100

$1.07 ₹103

-2.80%

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

$18.7K ₹1.8M

$15.6K ₹1.5M

19.98%

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

$24.2K ₹2.3M

$20.4K ₹2.0M

18.79%

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

$23.06 ₹2,212

$32.43 ₹3,112

-28.89%

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

$4.79 ₹460

$3.26 ₹312

46.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.54 ₹723

$7.68 ₹737

-1.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.56 ₹1,493

$16.06 ₹1,540

-3.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.59 ₹632

$10.90 ₹1,045

-39.54%

Cinema Ticket

$2.58 ₹247

$3.06 ₹294

-15.69%

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

$41.57 ₹3,988

$68.9 ₹6,608

-39.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,536 ₹147.3K

$1,993 ₹191.2K

-22.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.43 ₹2,439

$18.03 ₹1,730

41.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.87 ₹2,482

$18.47 ₹1,772

40.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.5 ₹5,135

$37.91 ₹3,637

41.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.08 ₹3,077

$35.75 ₹3,430

-10.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 ₹14.1K

$128 ₹12.3K

14.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$81.8 ₹7,843

$76.4 ₹7,331

6.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 ₹29.1K

$286 ₹27.4K

6.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 ₹19.4K

$198 ₹19.0K

2.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,132 ₹108.6K

$690 ₹66.2K

64.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$484 ₹46.4K

$400 ₹38.4K

20.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$355 ₹34.0K

$296 ₹28.4K

19.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.59

10.2

-5.98%

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

Last update for Madurai: September 13, 2026

Last update for Vijayawada: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $147 in Madurai and $128 in Vijayawada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madurai pays 20% 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 Madurai vs $9.00 in Vijayawada for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $127 vs $107 per month, with Vijayawada 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

Madurai vs Vijayawada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Madurai and Vijayawada differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($412 vs $405 including rent). Vijayawada is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 20% higher in Madurai, 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: $147 in Madurai versus $128 in Vijayawada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Madurai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Vijayawada – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $10.00 in Madurai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Vijayawada 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.

Safety-wise, Madurai and Vijayawada are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Vijayawada gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Madurai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.