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: $431 in Madurai versus $436 in Vijayawada.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $698 in Madurai versus $715 in Vijayawada.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $966 in Madurai versus $994 in Vijayawada.

Living in Madurai costs roughly 1% less than in Vijayawada, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Madurai 68% lower, Vijayawada 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 ₹172

$1.72 ₹166

4.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.45 ₹1,102

$11.54 ₹1,111

-0.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 ₹489

$4.76 ₹458

6.72%

Cappuccino

$1.75 ₹169

$3.73 ₹359

-53.08%

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

$0.68 ₹65.3

$0.48 ₹46.53

41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 ₹19.24

$0.20 ₹19.33

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 ₹176

$2.32 ₹223

-21.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ₹287

$2.53 ₹244

17.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.60 ₹58.2

$0.87 ₹83.7

-31.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 ₹51.2

$0.56 ₹53.9

-5.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 ₹73.0

$0.68 ₹65.2

11.76%

Eggs

$0.89 ₹85.9

$0.84 ₹80.7

5.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.07 ₹680

$6.71 ₹646

5.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.71 ₹357

$2.95 ₹284

25.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ₹314

$2.25 ₹217

44.89%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 ₹76.4

$0.80 ₹77.4

-1.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ₹191

$0.88 ₹84.2

125.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 ₹54.3

$0.46 ₹44.04

21.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ₹78.3

$0.38 ₹36.40

113.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 ₹75.6

$0.39 ₹37.31

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ₹67.7

$0.68 ₹65.2

2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₹50.5

$0.37 ₹35.27

40.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ₹431

$4.03 ₹388

11.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.82 ₹656

$7.41 ₹713

-7.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 ₹213

$2.51 ₹242

-11.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 ₹432

$3.30 ₹318

36.06%

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

$6.63 ₹638

$4.31 ₹415

53.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹21.16

$0.28 ₹26.90

-21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.71 ₹1,127

$7.40 ₹712

58.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ₹103

$1.69 ₹163

-36.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₹21.11

$0.48 ₹46.68

-54.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₹110

$2.36 ₹227

-51.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₹112

$1.27 ₹123

-8.66%

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

$17.8K ₹1.7M

$17.3K ₹1.7M

2.96%

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

$22.8K ₹2.2M

$23.0K ₹2.2M

-1.12%

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

$31.76 ₹3,058

$28.08 ₹2,703

13.11%

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

$3.94 ₹379

$3.76 ₹362

4.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.60 ₹731

$7.98 ₹768

-4.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.43 ₹1,678

$20.06 ₹1,932

-13.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.14 ₹687

$11.96 ₹1,151

-40.30%

Cinema Ticket

$2.69 ₹259

$3.58 ₹345

-24.86%

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

$61.1 ₹5,881

$74.2 ₹7,144

-17.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,921 ₹184.9K

$1,787 ₹172.0K

7.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.64 ₹2,565

$24.33 ₹2,342

9.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.65 ₹2,662

$25.67 ₹2,471

7.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.12 ₹4,729

$40.86 ₹3,934

20.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.08 ₹4,725

$42.90 ₹4,130

14.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 ₹11.2K

$137 ₹13.2K

-15.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.8 ₹7,200

$86.1 ₹8,286

-13.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$325 ₹31.2K

$328 ₹31.6K

-1.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 ₹19.6K

$214 ₹20.6K

-4.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,195 ₹115.1K

$694 ₹66.8K

72.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$473 ₹45.6K

$400 ₹38.5K

18.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$353 ₹34.0K

$299 ₹28.8K

17.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.8

10.8

-9.26%

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

Last update for Madurai: July 12, 2026

Last update for Vijayawada: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $116 in Madurai and $137 in Vijayawada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madurai pays 18% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $11.00 in Madurai vs $12.00 in Vijayawada. Groceries flip the comparison at $136 vs $120, with Vijayawada cheaper for home cooking.

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 1% in total monthly costs ($431 vs $436 including rent). Madurai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 18% 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: $116 in Madurai versus $137 in Vijayawada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Vijayawada pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Madurai – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $12.00 in Vijayawada. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Madurai 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 Madurai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Vijayawada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.