Cost of Living Comparison Between Manali and Shillong Cost of Living Comparison Between Manali and Shillong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $427 per month in Manali vs $399 in Shillong, rent included.

A couple spends around $649 per month in Manali vs $642 in Shillong, rent included.

A family of three spends $872 per month in Manali vs $884 in Shillong, rent included.

Manali costs about 7% more than Shillong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manali and Shillong are more affordable than the global median – Manali 69% lower, Shillong 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.11 ₹202

$2.83 ₹270

-25.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$6.23 ₹595

$11.76 ₹1,123

-47.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.13 ₹394

$4.88 ₹466

-15.37%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₹249

$1.70 ₹163

52.94%

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

$0.23 ₹21.93

$0.44 ₹41.84

-47.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.79

$0.15 ₹14.24

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 ₹134

$1.24 ₹119

12.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₹176

$3.51 ₹336

-47.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹70.1

$0.65 ₹62.2

12.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₹52.1

$0.31 ₹30.03

74.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 ₹80.4

$0.57 ₹54.0

47.37%

Eggs

$0.99 ₹94.3

$0.91 ₹86.8

8.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.98 ₹476

$4.02 ₹384

23.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.86 ₹273

$2.45 ₹234

16.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ₹172

$2.17 ₹207

-17.05%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 ₹71.3

$0.67 ₹64.3

11.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 ₹105

$0.95 ₹91.2

15.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.62 ₹59.6

$0.56 ₹53.5

10.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 ₹29.47

$0.33 ₹31.80

-6.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₹35.72

$0.38 ₹35.85

-2.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ₹62.0

$0.20 ₹19.09

225.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₹28.47

$0.25 ₹23.80

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.01 ₹478

$5.06 ₹484

-0.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.34 ₹1,084

$4.80 ₹459

136.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₹166

$1.25 ₹120

38.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 ₹254

$1.99 ₹190

33.67%

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

$6.74 ₹644

$4.88 ₹467

38.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₹23.82

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.01 ₹670

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 ₹98.1

$0.70 ₹66.4

47.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₹23.91

$0.30 ₹29.00

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 ₹157

$1.30 ₹124

26.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ₹102

$1.03 ₹98.7

3.88%

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

$12.5K ₹1.2M

$12.6K ₹1.2M

-0.65%

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

$24.6K ₹2.4M

$16.2K ₹1.5M

52.09%

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

$45.87 ₹4,383

$35.31 ₹3,374

29.91%

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

$4.73 ₹452

$3.31 ₹317

42.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.93 ₹662

$6.45 ₹616

7.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.05 ₹1,342

$10.24 ₹978

37.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.43 ₹615

$5.16 ₹493

24.61%

Cinema Ticket

$3.22 ₹308

$3.16 ₹302

1.90%

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

$59.2 ₹5,658

$28.30 ₹2,703

109.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,485 ₹237.4K

$1,204 ₹115.1K

106.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.77 ₹2,653

$17.06 ₹1,630

62.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.33 ₹2,420

$22.13 ₹2,114

14.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.0 ₹5,353

$38.08 ₹3,638

47.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.28 ₹4,230

$27.10 ₹2,589

63.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$124 ₹11.8K

$211 ₹20.2K

-41.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.8 ₹7,146

$135 ₹12.9K

-44.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 ₹25.3K

$722 ₹69.0K

-63.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 ₹16.5K

$278 ₹26.6K

-37.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$961 ₹91.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$507 ₹48.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$530 ₹50.6K

$446 ₹42.6K

18.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.38

8.40%

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

Last update for Manali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Shillong: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $124 in Manali versus $211 in Shillong. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 19% higher in Manali, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $6.00 in Manali versus $12.00 in Shillong. Groceries tell a different story – $115 in Manali vs $87.0 in Shillong – so Shillong wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Manali vs Shillong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $427 in Manali, $399 in Shillong – roughly 7% apart. Manali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $640 per month in Manali and $599 in Shillong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shillong, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $427 in Manali and $399 in Shillong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $59.2 per month in Manali and $28.30 in Shillong. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $427 in Manali and $399 in Shillong, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Shillong – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Shillong. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.