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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $406 per month in Shillong vs $423 in Manali, rent included.

A couple spends around $645 per month in Shillong vs $646 in Manali, rent included.

A family of three spends $884 per month in Shillong vs $869 in Manali, rent included.

Shillong is about 4% cheaper than Manali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shillong and Manali are more affordable than the global median – Shillong 70% lower, Manali 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.91 ₹277

$2.12 ₹202

37.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.38 ₹1,080

$6.41 ₹608

77.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 ₹452

$4.22 ₹401

12.80%

Cappuccino

$1.60 ₹152

$2.73 ₹259

-41.39%

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

$0.44 ₹41.45

$0.23 ₹21.77

91.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹16.40

$0.13 ₹12.63

30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 ₹118

$1.39 ₹132

-10.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₹319

$1.77 ₹168

90.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 ₹62.5

$0.68 ₹65.0

-2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.35 ₹32.82

$0.51 ₹48.86

-31.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.60 ₹56.8

$0.89 ₹84.2

-32.58%

Eggs

$0.92 ₹87.5

$0.93 ₹88.1

-1.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.01 ₹381

$4.97 ₹472

-19.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.42 ₹229

$2.96 ₹281

-18.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ₹201

$1.88 ₹179

12.77%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 ₹62.5

$0.79 ₹74.7

-16.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.90 ₹85.2

$1.10 ₹104

-18.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 ₹52.3

$0.63 ₹60.2

-12.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 ₹31.44

$0.31 ₹29.40

6.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 ₹35.80

$0.34 ₹32.74

11.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.20 ₹18.98

$0.66 ₹63.0

-69.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₹23.57

$0.30 ₹28.48

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.97 ₹472

$4.96 ₹471

0.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.59 ₹436

$11.45 ₹1,087

-59.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₹117

$1.71 ₹162

-27.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₹189

$2.77 ₹263

-28.16%

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

$4.93 ₹468

$6.77 ₹643

-27.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 ₹23.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.54 ₹621

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 ₹65.0

$1.04 ₹98.7

-34.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.87

$0.25 ₹23.88

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 ₹123

$1.60 ₹152

-18.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 ₹98.2

$1.06 ₹101

-2.83%

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

$12.6K ₹1.2M

$12.5K ₹1.2M

0.96%

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

$16.2K ₹1.5M

$24.6K ₹2.3M

-33.99%

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

$34.28 ₹3,255

$46.16 ₹4,382

-25.74%

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

$3.18 ₹302

$4.80 ₹456

-33.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.17 ₹585

$7.02 ₹666

-12.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.12 ₹961

$15.22 ₹1,445

-33.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.30 ₹503

$6.09 ₹579

-12.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.08 ₹293

$3.23 ₹307

-4.64%

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

$27.60 ₹2,620

$57.9 ₹5,500

-52.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,168 ₹110.8K

$2,425 ₹230.2K

-51.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.42 ₹1,654

$27.48 ₹2,609

-36.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.65 ₹2,055

$25.29 ₹2,401

-14.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.08 ₹3,521

$57.1 ₹5,422

-35.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.72 ₹2,632

$44.69 ₹4,243

-37.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$213 ₹20.2K

$121 ₹11.5K

75.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 ₹12.7K

$72.8 ₹6,913

83.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ₹69.3K

$268 ₹25.5K

171.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 ₹27.0K

$169 ₹16.1K

67.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$870 ₹82.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$530 ₹50.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$451 ₹42.8K

$525 ₹49.8K

-14.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.38

-7.75%

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

Last update for Shillong: August 30, 2026

Last update for Manali: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $213 in Shillong versus $121 in Manali. 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 16% higher in Manali, 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 $11.00 in Shillong versus $6.00 in Manali. Groceries tell a different story – $86.0 in Shillong vs $116 in Manali – 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

Shillong vs Manali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $406 in Shillong, $423 in Manali – roughly 4% apart. Manali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $609 per month in Shillong and $634 in Manali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shillong, 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 $406 in Shillong and $423 in Manali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $27.60 per month in Shillong and $57.9 in Manali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $406 in Shillong and $423 in Manali, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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