Cost of Living Comparison Between Patna and Kolkata (Calcutta) Cost of Living Comparison Between Patna and Kolkata (Calcutta)

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $423 in Patna versus $422 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $656 in Patna versus $674 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $890 in Patna versus $926 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Monthly costs are close between Patna and Kolkata (Calcutta); which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Patna 68% lower, Kolkata (Calcutta) 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.32 ₹222

$3.26 ₹312

-28.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.00 ₹957

$11.67 ₹1,117

-14.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.54 ₹339

$4.96 ₹475

-28.63%

Cappuccino

$1.40 ₹134

$1.78 ₹170

-21.35%

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

$0.37 ₹35.24

$0.37 ₹35.62

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.11

$0.12 ₹11.96

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ₹223

$1.79 ₹171

30.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.20 ₹880

$2.84 ₹272

223.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.65 ₹61.9

$0.68 ₹64.8

-4.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 ₹43.09

$0.40 ₹38.11

12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.58 ₹55.1

$0.65 ₹62.2

-10.77%

Eggs

$1.15 ₹110

$1.02 ₹97.3

12.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.90 ₹660

$5.36 ₹513

28.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.66 ₹255

$2.83 ₹271

-6.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 ₹128

$2.42 ₹232

-44.63%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 ₹78.2

$0.80 ₹77.0

2.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 ₹106

$1.29 ₹123

-13.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 ₹52.9

$0.66 ₹63.0

-16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 ₹33.67

$0.41 ₹38.97

-14.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 ₹49.16

$0.60 ₹57.3

-15.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ₹45.55

$0.45 ₹43.17

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₹32.82

$0.34 ₹32.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.59 ₹248

$3.91 ₹374

-33.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 ₹596

$8.45 ₹809

-26.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 ₹192

$1.73 ₹166

15.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₹222

$2.51 ₹240

-7.57%

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

$6.66 ₹638

$7.31 ₹700

-8.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₹35.01

$0.22 ₹21.00

68.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.71 ₹451

$2.93 ₹280

60.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ₹112

$0.60 ₹57.7

95.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.34

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 ₹217

$2.01 ₹192

12.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₹117

$1.24 ₹118

-0.81%

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

$15.3K ₹1.5M

$16.0K ₹1.5M

-4.10%

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

$32.9K ₹3.2M

$23.0K ₹2.2M

43.57%

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

$44.20 ₹4,230

$41.72 ₹3,992

5.94%

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

$3.17 ₹303

$3.84 ₹367

-17.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.23 ₹692

$7.12 ₹681

1.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.34 ₹2,617

$16.01 ₹1,532

70.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.58 ₹726

$11.45 ₹1,096

-33.80%

Cinema Ticket

$3.86 ₹370

$4.13 ₹396

-6.54%

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

$49.99 ₹4,784

$43.06 ₹4,121

16.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,834 ₹175.5K

$1,560 ₹149.3K

17.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.50 ₹2,536

$27.84 ₹2,664

-4.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.64 ₹2,645

$29.87 ₹2,859

-7.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.94 ₹4,014

$49.50 ₹4,737

-15.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.02 ₹3,543

$31.81 ₹3,044

16.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$123 ₹11.8K

$157 ₹15.0K

-21.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$75.0 ₹7,180

$88.0 ₹8,425

-14.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$295 ₹28.3K

$377 ₹36.1K

-21.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 ₹17.3K

$194 ₹18.6K

-6.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,289 ₹123.4K

$1,164 ₹111.4K

10.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$504 ₹48.2K

$588 ₹56.2K

-14.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$356 ₹34.0K

$426 ₹40.8K

-16.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.05

9.9

-8.59%

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

Last update for Patna: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $123 in Patna and $157 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kolkata (Calcutta) pays 20% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $10.00 in Patna vs $12.00 in Kolkata (Calcutta) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $106 vs $112 per month, with Patna 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

Patna vs Kolkata (Calcutta): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, Kolkata (Calcutta) earns 20% less. 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: $123 in Patna versus $157 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kolkata (Calcutta) runs roughly 61% less than in Patna. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Patna 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 Kolkata (Calcutta) 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.

It comes down to priorities – Kolkata (Calcutta) wins on affordability, Patna on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.