Cost of Living Comparison Between Shimla and Delhi Cost of Living Comparison Between Shimla and Delhi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $336 per month in Shimla vs $540 in Delhi, rent included.

A couple spends around $540 per month in Shimla vs $865 in Delhi, rent included.

A family of three spends $744 per month in Shimla vs $1,190 in Delhi, rent included.

Shimla is about 38% cheaper than Delhi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shimla and Delhi are more affordable than the global median – Shimla 75% lower, Delhi 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.69 ₹161

$4.62 ₹439

-63.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$5.85 ₹556

$19.58 ₹1,862

-70.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.44 ₹327

$3.97 ₹378

-13.35%

Cappuccino

$0.95 ₹90.8

$2.09 ₹199

-54.55%

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

$0.31 ₹29.95

$0.44 ₹41.91

-29.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹15.75

$0.15 ₹14.33

13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₹151

$2.07 ₹197

-23.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₹224

$3.51 ₹333

-33.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 ₹66.1

$0.79 ₹74.8

-11.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 ₹39.39

$0.55 ₹52.6

-25.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 ₹64.4

$0.87 ₹83.1

-21.84%

Eggs

$0.93 ₹88.5

$1.17 ₹111

-20.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.38 ₹417

$4.71 ₹448

-7.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 ₹352

$3.54 ₹337

4.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 ₹188

$2.05 ₹195

-3.41%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 ₹71.7

$0.84 ₹79.9

-10.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.8

$0.96 ₹91.6

-20.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 ₹52.9

$0.64 ₹61.1

-12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 ₹35.35

$0.41 ₹39.30

-9.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 ₹41.53

$0.51 ₹48.41

-13.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.22 ₹20.81

$0.56 ₹52.8

-60.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₹32.12

$0.36 ₹34.68

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ₹423

$3.97 ₹378

12.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.73 ₹640

$9.20 ₹875

-26.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₹166

$1.79 ₹171

-2.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₹221

$2.85 ₹272

-18.60%

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

$5.86 ₹558

$5.62 ₹534

4.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹22.89

$0.51 ₹48.36

-52.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.93 ₹849

$11.76 ₹1,118

-24.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₹75.2

$0.61 ₹57.8

29.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.87

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ₹113

$1.26 ₹120

-5.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹113

$1.18 ₹113

0.85%

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

$15.0K ₹1.4M

$17.1K ₹1.6M

-12.10%

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

$19.7K ₹1.9M

$24.4K ₹2.3M

-19.37%

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

$19.70 ₹1,874

$67.9 ₹6,454

-70.97%

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

$3.54 ₹337

$4.33 ₹412

-18.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.79 ₹740

$7.93 ₹754

-1.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.61 ₹1,389

$20.19 ₹1,920

-27.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ₹669

$10.14 ₹965

-30.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.45 ₹328

$4.69 ₹446

-26.44%

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

$46.45 ₹4,418

$78.7 ₹7,479

-40.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,348 ₹223.3K

$2,045 ₹194.5K

14.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.14 ₹3,247

$27.58 ₹2,623

23.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.64 ₹2,723

$31.66 ₹3,011

-9.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.27 ₹4,496

$50.0 ₹4,758

-5.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.50 ₹2,805

$35.96 ₹3,420

-17.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$93.2 ₹8,865

$236 ₹22.4K

-60.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$57.5 ₹5,464

$138 ₹13.1K

-58.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 ₹21.4K

$584 ₹55.5K

-61.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 ₹13.2K

$326 ₹31.0K

-57.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$958 ₹91.1K

$2,453 ₹233.3K

-60.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$522 ₹49.7K

$932 ₹88.6K

-43.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 ₹51.9K

$529 ₹50.3K

3.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

-8.33%

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

Last update for Shimla: June 9, 2026

Last update for Delhi: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $93.2 in Shimla versus $236 in Delhi. 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 3% higher in Shimla, 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 $6.00 in Shimla versus $20.00 in Delhi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $103 vs $118 – making Shimla 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

Shimla vs Delhi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $336 in Shimla, $540 in Delhi – roughly 61% apart. Delhi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $504 per month in Shimla and $809 in Delhi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shimla, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $6.00 in Shimla and $20.00 in Delhi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $336 in Shimla and $540 in Delhi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $336 in Shimla and $540 in Delhi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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