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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $384 per month in Manali vs $449 in Shillong, rent included.

A couple spends around $610 per month in Manali vs $696 in Shillong, rent included.

A family of three spends $836 per month in Manali vs $944 in Shillong, rent included.

Manali is about 14% cheaper than Shillong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manali and Shillong are more affordable than the global median – Manali 71% lower, Shillong 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.37 ₹226

$1.39 ₹133

70.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.03 ₹670

$10.66 ₹1,016

-34.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.51 ₹334

$4.56 ₹434

-23.03%

Cappuccino

$1.90 ₹181

$1.18 ₹112

61.02%

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

$0.25 ₹23.54

$0.36 ₹34.42

-30.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 ₹19.03

$0.12 ₹11.37

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 ₹143

$1.43 ₹136

4.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ₹192

$3.29 ₹313

-38.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 ₹68.3

$0.65 ₹61.9

10.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 ₹54.6

$0.37 ₹34.80

54.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 ₹85.0

$0.52 ₹49.58

71.15%

Eggs

$0.82 ₹78.3

$0.85 ₹81.2

-3.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.33 ₹507

$4.41 ₹420

20.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.91 ₹277

$3.32 ₹316

-12.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₹187

$1.85 ₹176

6.49%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ₹75.8

$0.75 ₹71.9

6.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 ₹88.3

$0.92 ₹87.6

1.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹54.8

$0.60 ₹57.3

-3.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 ₹35.00

$0.31 ₹29.61

19.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ₹43.43

$0.36 ₹34.14

27.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 ₹43.47

$0.37 ₹35.09

24.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₹30.43

$0.17 ₹15.80

88.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 ₹385

$4.08 ₹389

-0.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.78 ₹932

$4.63 ₹441

111.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ₹166

$1.53 ₹146

13.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ₹267

$2.81 ₹267

-0.36%

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

$5.22 ₹498

$4.21 ₹401

23.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₹26.34

$0.30 ₹28.77

-6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.76 ₹834

$8.88 ₹846

-1.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₹79.3

$0.76 ₹72.8

9.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₹22.92

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 ₹125

$1.48 ₹141

-11.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₹110

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

$14.7K ₹1.4M

$13.9K ₹1.3M

5.25%

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

$28.7K ₹2.7M

$18.0K ₹1.7M

59.78%

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

$48.32 ₹4,602

$39.75 ₹3,786

21.56%

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

$3.36 ₹320

$3.31 ₹315

1.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.94 ₹661

$5.70 ₹543

21.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.04 ₹1,528

$4.59 ₹437

249.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.89 ₹657

$5.93 ₹565

16.19%

Cinema Ticket

$2.87 ₹274

$2.98 ₹284

-3.69%

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

$60.2 ₹5,733

$32.18 ₹3,065

87.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,007 ₹191.2K

$1,908 ₹181.7K

5.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.87 ₹2,369

$25.38 ₹2,418

-2.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.27 ₹2,312

$35.62 ₹3,393

-31.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.78 ₹4,646

$45.79 ₹4,361

6.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.04 ₹3,147

$42.26 ₹4,025

-21.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.0 ₹8,763

$254 ₹24.2K

-63.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$53.1 ₹5,053

$158 ₹15.0K

-66.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 ₹21.8K

$466 ₹44.4K

-50.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 ₹16.6K

$319 ₹30.4K

-45.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$523 ₹49.8K

$438 ₹41.7K

19.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.3

7.38

12.47%

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

Last update for Manali: June 2, 2026

Last update for Shillong: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $92.0 in Manali versus $254 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 reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $7.00 in Manali versus $11.00 in Shillong. Groceries tell a different story – $113 in Manali vs $94.0 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: $384 in Manali, $449 in Shillong – roughly 17% apart. Shillong costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $576 per month in Manali and $673 in Shillong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manali, 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 $384 in Manali and $449 in Shillong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Manali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $384 in Manali and $449 in Shillong, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Manali – 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 Manali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shillong makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.