Cost of Living Comparison Between Shillong and Kanpur Cost of Living Comparison Between Shillong and Kanpur

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $443 in Shillong versus $364 in Kanpur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $684 in Shillong versus $565 in Kanpur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $924 in Shillong versus $765 in Kanpur.

Living in Shillong is roughly 22% more expensive than in Kanpur, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shillong 67% lower, Kanpur 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.43 ₹138

$2.07 ₹200

-30.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.30 ₹992

$11.66 ₹1,123

-11.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 ₹454

$4.12 ₹396

14.32%

Cappuccino

$1.22 ₹118

$1.49 ₹144

-18.12%

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

$0.36 ₹34.74

$0.29 ₹28.03

24.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.19

$0.13 ₹12.73

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ₹138

$1.47 ₹141

-2.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 ₹316

$2.25 ₹216

45.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 ₹58.7

$0.73 ₹70.1

-16.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.36 ₹35.09

$0.40 ₹38.10

-10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.52 ₹50.1

$0.68 ₹65.2

-23.53%

Eggs

$0.82 ₹79.2

$0.97 ₹93.4

-15.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.43 ₹427

$4.20 ₹405

5.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 ₹319

$2.79 ₹269

18.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 ₹186

$1.59 ₹153

21.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 ₹71.8

$0.55 ₹53.1

36.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 ₹93.5

$1.00 ₹96.1

-3.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 ₹53.3

$0.58 ₹55.4

-5.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 ₹27.52

$0.26 ₹25.10

11.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 ₹34.64

$0.43 ₹41.38

-16.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 ₹35.51

$0.63 ₹60.8

-41.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.18 ₹17.51

$0.34 ₹33.13

-47.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ₹398

$4.00 ₹385

3.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 ₹457

$5.96 ₹574

-20.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₹143

$1.67 ₹161

-10.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ₹267

$3.46 ₹333

-19.65%

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

$4.36 ₹419

$5.55 ₹534

-21.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₹29.21

$0.40 ₹38.24

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.48 ₹816

$6.79 ₹654

24.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 ₹77.1

$0.55 ₹53.3

45.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹29.13

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ₹138

$1.18 ₹114

21.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹115

$1.14 ₹110

4.39%

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

$13.7K ₹1.3M

$11.8K ₹1.1M

16.09%

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

$17.7K ₹1.7M

$16.8K ₹1.6M

5.59%

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

$40.08 ₹3,859

$51.8 ₹4,982

-22.55%

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

$3.44 ₹331

$3.16 ₹305

8.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.68 ₹547

$5.43 ₹523

4.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$4.53 ₹436

$14.17 ₹1,365

-68.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.89 ₹567

$6.84 ₹659

-13.89%

Cinema Ticket

$2.87 ₹276

$2.87 ₹277

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

$32.21 ₹3,101

$35.76 ₹3,443

-9.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,919 ₹184.8K

$1,530 ₹147.3K

25.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.14 ₹2,420

$23.13 ₹2,227

8.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.50 ₹3,418

$30.78 ₹2,963

15.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.95 ₹4,520

$39.05 ₹3,759

20.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.64 ₹4,105

$18.76 ₹1,807

127.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$253 ₹24.4K

$117 ₹11.3K

115.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 ₹15.0K

$64.5 ₹6,207

142.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 ₹44.7K

$235 ₹22.6K

97.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 ₹30.6K

$146 ₹14.1K

117.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,168 ₹112.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$498 ₹48.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$441 ₹42.5K

$306 ₹29.5K

44.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.38

8.49

-13.07%

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

Last update for Shillong: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kanpur: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $253 in Shillong and $117 in Kanpur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shillong pays 44% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $10.00 in Shillong vs $12.00 in Kanpur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $93.0 vs $98.0 per month, with Shillong 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

Shillong vs Kanpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kanpur is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 44% higher in Shillong, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $253 in Shillong versus $117 in Kanpur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $32.21 in Shillong versus $35.76 in Kanpur. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Shillong pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Kanpur 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.

Expats usually find Kanpur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Shillong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.