Cost of Living Comparison Between Shimla and Bangalore Cost of Living Comparison Between Shimla and Bangalore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $337 in Shimla versus $567 in Bangalore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $539 in Shimla versus $958 in Bangalore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $742 in Shimla versus $1,349 in Bangalore.

Living in Shimla costs roughly 41% less than in Bangalore, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shimla 75% lower, Bangalore 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 ₹167

$3.48 ₹326

-48.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$5.90 ₹554

$17.26 ₹1,620

-65.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.56 ₹334

$4.14 ₹388

-14.01%

Cappuccino

$0.93 ₹87.2

$2.28 ₹214

-59.21%

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

$0.31 ₹29.53

$0.45 ₹42.50

-31.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.11

$0.15 ₹13.72

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 ₹152

$2.27 ₹213

-28.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₹216

$4.08 ₹383

-43.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹70.7

$0.64 ₹60.2

17.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 ₹41.38

$0.62 ₹57.8

-29.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 ₹59.8

$0.82 ₹76.8

-21.95%

Eggs

$0.86 ₹80.3

$1.02 ₹95.6

-15.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.36 ₹409

$7.64 ₹717

-42.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 ₹347

$3.89 ₹365

-4.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₹185

$2.62 ₹246

-24.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.70 ₹65.5

$0.80 ₹74.7

-12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 ₹76.7

$1.14 ₹107

-28.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 ₹52.3

$0.43 ₹40.63

30.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 ₹32.54

$0.48 ₹44.58

-27.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 ₹41.34

$0.53 ₹49.79

-16.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.22 ₹20.63

$0.44 ₹41.09

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₹31.54

$0.33 ₹30.65

3.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 ₹418

$4.02 ₹377

10.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.26 ₹494

$10.86 ₹1,019

-51.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₹159

$2.17 ₹204

-22.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₹211

$3.24 ₹304

-30.56%

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

$5.91 ₹555

$7.56 ₹709

-21.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹20.53

$0.55 ₹51.9

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.78 ₹824

$14.78 ₹1,387

-40.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₹77.8

$1.19 ₹111

-30.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ₹33.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₹110

$2.39 ₹224

-50.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹111

$1.22 ₹115

-2.46%

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

$15.0K ₹1.4M

$14.2K ₹1.3M

5.43%

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

$19.7K ₹1.8M

$24.9K ₹2.3M

-20.98%

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

$19.05 ₹1,788

$35.01 ₹3,286

-45.59%

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

$3.45 ₹324

$5.09 ₹478

-32.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.69 ₹721

$10.63 ₹997

-27.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.60 ₹1,370

$17.97 ₹1,687

-18.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.20 ₹676

$6.22 ₹584

15.76%

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 ₹323

$4.70 ₹441

-26.81%

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

$46.07 ₹4,324

$117 ₹11.0K

-60.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,352 ₹220.8K

$3,342 ₹313.7K

-29.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.31 ₹3,127

$27.65 ₹2,596

20.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.80 ₹2,704

$30.30 ₹2,844

-4.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.18 ₹4,334

$53.5 ₹5,020

-13.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.10 ₹2,731

$40.37 ₹3,789

-27.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$94.6 ₹8,878

$300 ₹28.2K

-68.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.3 ₹5,467

$180 ₹16.9K

-67.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 ₹20.9K

$844 ₹79.2K

-73.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 ₹13.0K

$476 ₹44.7K

-71.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$955 ₹89.6K

$1,797 ₹168.7K

-46.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$515 ₹48.3K

$924 ₹86.7K

-44.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$577 ₹54.1K

$932 ₹87.5K

-38.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

9.19

-10.23%

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

Last update for Shimla: April 20, 2026

Last update for Bangalore: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $95 in Shimla and $300 in Bangalore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 62% 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: $6 in Shimla vs $17 in Bangalore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $100 vs $134 per month, with Shimla 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

Shimla vs Bangalore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shimla wins on cost – living expenses run 68% lower than in Bangalore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Shimla the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Bangalore earns 62% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $94.6 in Shimla versus $300 in Bangalore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Shimla runs roughly 68% less than in Bangalore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $46.07 in Shimla versus $117 in Bangalore. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Shimla gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Shimla delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $337 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Shimla hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Shimla and Bangalore are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Shimla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.