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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $658 per month in Shijiazhuang vs $296 in Kottayam, rent included.

A couple spends around $957 per month in Shijiazhuang vs $486 in Kottayam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,257 per month in Shijiazhuang vs $676 in Kottayam, rent included.

Shijiazhuang costs about 122% more than Kottayam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shijiazhuang and Kottayam are more affordable than the global median – Shijiazhuang 51% lower, Kottayam 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.64 ¥11.12

$1.18 ₹113

38.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.57 ¥119

$9.68 ₹932

81.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.80

$3.98 ₹384

40.45%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ¥20.70

$0.60 ₹58.2

410.00%

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

$0.42 ¥2.83

$0.37 ₹35.92

13.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 ¥1.55

$0.13 ₹12.62

76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.81 ¥5.47

$1.37 ₹132

-40.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 ¥9.28

$2.96 ₹285

-53.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥8.09

$0.59 ₹57.0

101.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ¥7.37

$0.44 ₹42.29

147.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.67 ¥4.56

$0.77 ₹74.2

-12.99%

Eggs

$1.20 ¥8.09

$0.87 ₹84.1

37.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.55 ¥105

$2.38 ₹229

553.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.46 ¥16.64

$3.03 ₹292

-18.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.45 ¥63.9

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.61

$2.38 ₹229

-46.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$0.61 ₹58.6

80.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.95

$1.14 ₹110

-35.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$0.49 ₹46.83

124.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 ¥3.65

$0.51 ₹48.89

5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.45 ₹43.66

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$0.42 ₹40.84

59.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 ¥2.91

$0.35 ₹34.04

22.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.58 ¥24.20

$4.04 ₹389

-11.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.60 ¥24.33

$3.81 ₹367

-5.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ¥4.93

$1.71 ₹164

-57.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ¥4.63

$3.57 ₹344

-80.95%

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

$4.68 ₹450

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.28 ₹26.82

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.68 ¥113

$8.88 ₹854

87.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 ¥7.33

$1.18 ₹114

-8.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ¥2.15

$0.30 ₹28.42

6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 ¥22.28

$1.64 ₹158

100.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.63

$1.17 ₹112

-3.42%

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

$16.4K ¥111.1K

$9,304 ₹895.7K

76.37%

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

$16.4K ¥110.7K

$15.3K ₹1.5M

6.67%

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

$85.1 ¥576

$27.02 ₹2,601

215.10%

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

$4.00 ¥27.06

$3.43 ₹330

16.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.12 ¥41.40

$8.15 ₹785

-24.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.93 ¥87.5

$8.87 ₹854

45.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.98 ¥94.6

$11.74 ₹1,130

19.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.25 ¥35.50

$2.08 ₹200

152.40%

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

$383 ¥2,592

$57.2 ₹5,509

569.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,818 ¥32.6K

$1,537 ₹147.9K

213.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.20 ¥272

$23.58 ₹2,270

70.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.99 ¥162

$17.57 ₹1,691

36.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 ¥476

$25.53 ₹2,458

175.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.98 ¥338

$17.31 ₹1,666

188.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 ¥1,909

$141 ₹13.6K

99.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 ¥1,279

$58.9 ₹5,672

220.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 ¥2,596

$288 ₹27.8K

33.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 ¥1,743

$161 ₹15.5K

60.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,440 ¥16.5K

$954 ₹91.8K

155.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

$556 ₹53.6K

205.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$792 ¥5,360

$284 ₹27.4K

178.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.42

9.36

-63.46%

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

Last update for Shijiazhuang: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kottayam: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Shijiazhuang versus $141 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 179% 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 $18.00 in Shijiazhuang versus $10.00 in Kottayam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $162 vs $93.0 – 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 122% 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 $987 per month in Shijiazhuang and $444 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 $658 in Shijiazhuang and $296 in Kottayam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 88% 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 $658 in Shijiazhuang and $296 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.