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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $449 per month in Shillong vs $384 in Manali, rent included.

A couple spends around $696 per month in Shillong vs $610 in Manali, rent included.

A family of three spends $944 per month in Shillong vs $836 in Manali, rent included.

Shillong costs about 17% more than Manali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shillong and Manali are more affordable than the global median – Shillong 67% lower, Manali 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.39 ₹133

$2.37 ₹226

-41.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.66 ₹1,016

$7.03 ₹670

51.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.56 ₹434

$3.51 ₹334

29.91%

Cappuccino

$1.18 ₹112

$1.90 ₹181

-37.89%

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

$0.36 ₹34.42

$0.25 ₹23.54

44.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 ₹11.37

$0.20 ₹19.03

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ₹136

$1.50 ₹143

-4.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 ₹313

$2.01 ₹192

63.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.65 ₹61.9

$0.72 ₹68.3

-9.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 ₹34.80

$0.57 ₹54.6

-35.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.52 ₹49.58

$0.89 ₹85.0

-41.57%

Eggs

$0.85 ₹81.2

$0.82 ₹78.3

3.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 ₹420

$5.33 ₹507

-17.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 ₹316

$2.91 ₹277

14.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 ₹176

$1.97 ₹187

-6.09%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 ₹71.9

$0.80 ₹75.8

-6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 ₹87.6

$0.93 ₹88.3

-1.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 ₹57.3

$0.58 ₹54.8

3.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 ₹29.61

$0.37 ₹35.00

-16.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 ₹34.14

$0.46 ₹43.43

-21.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 ₹35.09

$0.46 ₹43.47

-19.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹15.80

$0.32 ₹30.43

-46.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 ₹389

$4.05 ₹385

0.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.63 ₹441

$9.78 ₹932

-52.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₹146

$1.74 ₹166

-12.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₹267

$2.80 ₹267

0.36%

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

$4.21 ₹401

$5.22 ₹498

-19.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₹28.77

$0.28 ₹26.34

7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.88 ₹846

$8.76 ₹834

1.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₹72.8

$0.83 ₹79.3

-8.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₹22.92

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₹141

$1.31 ₹125

12.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₹110

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

$13.9K ₹1.3M

$14.7K ₹1.4M

-4.99%

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

$18.0K ₹1.7M

$28.7K ₹2.7M

-37.42%

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

$39.75 ₹3,786

$48.32 ₹4,602

-17.74%

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

$3.31 ₹315

$3.36 ₹320

-1.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.70 ₹543

$6.94 ₹661

-17.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$4.59 ₹437

$16.04 ₹1,528

-71.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.93 ₹565

$6.89 ₹657

-13.93%

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 ₹284

$2.87 ₹274

3.83%

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

$32.18 ₹3,065

$60.2 ₹5,733

-46.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,908 ₹181.7K

$2,007 ₹191.2K

-4.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.38 ₹2,418

$24.87 ₹2,369

2.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₹3,393

$24.27 ₹2,312

46.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.79 ₹4,361

$48.78 ₹4,646

-6.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.26 ₹4,025

$33.04 ₹3,147

27.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 ₹24.2K

$92.0 ₹8,763

175.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 ₹15.0K

$53.1 ₹5,053

197.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ₹44.4K

$229 ₹21.8K

103.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 ₹30.4K

$175 ₹16.6K

82.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$438 ₹41.7K

$523 ₹49.8K

-16.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.38

8.3

-11.08%

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

Last update for Shillong: May 31, 2026

Last update for Manali: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $254 in Shillong versus $92.0 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 19% higher in Manali, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Shillong versus $7.00 in Manali. Groceries tell a different story – $94.0 in Shillong vs $113 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: $449 in Shillong, $384 in Manali – roughly 17% apart. Shillong costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $673 per month in Shillong and $576 in Manali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manali, 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 $449 in Shillong and $384 in Manali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Manali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $449 in Shillong and $384 in Manali, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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