Cost of Living Comparison Between Shijiazhuang and Kottayam Cost of Living Comparison Between Shijiazhuang and Kottayam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $677 per month in Shijiazhuang vs $265 in Kottayam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,023 per month in Shijiazhuang vs $429 in Kottayam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,369 per month in Shijiazhuang vs $594 in Kottayam, rent included.

Shijiazhuang costs about 155% more than Kottayam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shijiazhuang and Kottayam are more affordable than the global median – Shijiazhuang 51% lower, Kottayam 81% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.74 ¥11.67

$1.04 ₹98.1

67.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.51 ¥124

$10.53 ₹995

75.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥36.77

$4.26 ₹403

28.64%

Cappuccino

$3.22 ¥21.63

$0.78 ₹73.2

312.82%

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

$0.47 ¥3.12

$0.33 ₹31.27

42.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ¥1.66

$0.14 ₹13.10

78.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.83 ¥5.60

$1.28 ₹121

-35.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.19

$2.61 ₹247

-36.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥8.56

$0.57 ₹53.6

124.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 ¥7.58

$0.37 ₹35.37

205.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.85

$0.71 ₹66.8

1.41%

Eggs

$1.23 ¥8.22

$0.80 ₹76.0

53.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.15 ¥108

$2.07 ₹196

680.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.66 ¥17.86

$2.95 ₹279

-9.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.41 ¥63.2

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.84

$2.40 ₹226

-32.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 ¥7.81

$0.60 ₹56.3

93.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.08

$1.16 ₹109

-34.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 ¥8.11

$0.41 ₹38.39

195.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$0.43 ₹41.08

39.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.61 ¥4.10

$0.42 ₹39.55

45.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ¥4.09

$0.35 ₹33.38

74.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ¥2.91

$0.29 ₹27.37

48.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 ¥24.32

$5.10 ₹481

-28.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.74 ¥25.10

$4.02 ₹380

-6.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.20

$1.54 ₹145

-49.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥5.12

$3.04 ₹287

-75.00%

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

$4.35 ₹411

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ¥2.08

$0.31 ₹29.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.86 ¥120

$8.98 ₹848

98.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ¥7.87

$1.07 ₹101

9.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.52

$0.28 ₹26.71

35.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ¥23.33

$1.59 ₹150

118.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥8.23

$1.08 ₹102

13.89%

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

$18.9K ¥127.0K

$9,612 ₹908.1K

96.92%

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

$16.9K ¥113.3K

$14.3K ₹1.3M

18.41%

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

$94.5 ¥634

$20.96 ₹1,980

350.95%

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

$4.20 ¥28.15

$3.50 ₹331

20.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.77 ¥45.41

$6.74 ₹637

0.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.45 ¥90.3

$6.18 ₹584

117.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.65 ¥98.3

$8.89 ₹840

64.79%

Cinema Ticket

$5.52 ¥37.03

$1.70 ₹160

224.71%

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

$371 ¥2,492

$10.54 ₹996

3424.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,269 ¥35.4K

$1,322 ₹124.9K

298.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.12 ¥330

$18.55 ₹1,753

164.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.91 ¥174

$15.49 ₹1,464

67.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.2 ¥491

$21.10 ₹1,994

247.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.1 ¥363

$12.10 ₹1,143

347.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 ¥1,914

$125 ₹11.8K

128.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 ¥1,235

$53.0 ₹5,010

247.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,757

$261 ₹24.6K

57.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$278 ¥1,866

$114 ₹10.7K

144.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,452 ¥16.5K

$951 ₹89.8K

157.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,699 ¥11.4K

$557 ₹52.6K

204.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$823 ¥5,520

$290 ₹27.4K

183.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.31

-63.22%

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

Last update for Shijiazhuang: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kottayam: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $285 in Shijiazhuang versus $125 in Kottayam. 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 184% higher in Shijiazhuang, 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 $19.00 in Shijiazhuang versus $11.00 in Kottayam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $88.0 – making Kottayam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Shijiazhuang vs Kottayam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shijiazhuang costs about 155% more than Kottayam, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,015 per month in Shijiazhuang and $397 in Kottayam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kottayam, 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 $677 in Shijiazhuang and $265 in Kottayam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 99% less in Kottayam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $677 in Shijiazhuang and $265 in Kottayam, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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

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