Cost of Living Comparison Between Shimla and Hyderabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Shimla and Hyderabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $337 per month in Shimla vs $524 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $539 per month in Shimla vs $848 in Hyderabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $742 per month in Shimla vs $1,172 in Hyderabad, rent included.

Shimla is about 36% cheaper than Hyderabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shimla and Hyderabad are more affordable than the global median – Shimla 75% lower, Hyderabad 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 ₹167

$3.54 ₹332

-49.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$5.90 ₹554

$17.35 ₹1,628

-65.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.56 ₹334

$5.13 ₹481

-30.60%

Cappuccino

$0.93 ₹87.2

$1.96 ₹184

-52.55%

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

$0.31 ₹29.53

$0.45 ₹41.83

-31.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.11

$0.15 ₹14.46

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 ₹152

$2.11 ₹198

-23.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₹216

$3.50 ₹329

-34.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹70.7

$0.80 ₹75.1

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 ₹41.38

$0.58 ₹54.1

-24.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 ₹59.8

$0.79 ₹73.8

-18.99%

Eggs

$0.86 ₹80.3

$1.03 ₹97.0

-16.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.36 ₹409

$6.29 ₹591

-30.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 ₹347

$3.71 ₹349

-0.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₹185

$2.72 ₹255

-27.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.70 ₹65.5

$0.77 ₹72.1

-9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 ₹76.7

$1.03 ₹96.9

-20.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 ₹52.3

$0.48 ₹44.59

16.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 ₹32.54

$0.50 ₹47.15

-30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 ₹41.34

$0.48 ₹45.40

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.22 ₹20.63

$0.70 ₹65.8

-68.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₹31.54

$0.36 ₹34.21

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 ₹418

$4.03 ₹378

10.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.26 ₹494

$8.79 ₹825

-40.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₹159

$2.04 ₹191

-17.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₹211

$2.85 ₹268

-21.05%

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

$5.91 ₹555

$6.35 ₹596

-6.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹20.53

$0.56 ₹52.3

-60.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.78 ₹824

$15.13 ₹1,420

-41.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₹77.8

$1.19 ₹112

-30.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ₹33.49

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₹110

$1.55 ₹146

-23.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹111

$1.28 ₹120

-7.03%

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

$15.0K ₹1.4M

$17.2K ₹1.6M

-13.11%

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

$19.7K ₹1.8M

$24.1K ₹2.3M

-18.45%

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

$19.05 ₹1,788

$39.07 ₹3,668

-51.24%

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

$3.45 ₹324

$4.44 ₹417

-22.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.69 ₹721

$8.15 ₹765

-5.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.60 ₹1,370

$21.57 ₹2,024

-32.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.20 ₹676

$7.92 ₹744

-9.09%

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 ₹323

$4.16 ₹391

-17.31%

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

$46.07 ₹4,324

$118 ₹11.1K

-60.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,352 ₹220.8K

$2,587 ₹242.8K

-9.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.31 ₹3,127

$31.16 ₹2,925

6.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.80 ₹2,704

$24.71 ₹2,319

16.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.18 ₹4,334

$49.27 ₹4,625

-6.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.10 ₹2,731

$37.97 ₹3,564

-23.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$94.6 ₹8,878

$236 ₹22.2K

-59.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.3 ₹5,467

$137 ₹12.9K

-57.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 ₹20.9K

$614 ₹57.7K

-63.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 ₹13.0K

$332 ₹31.2K

-58.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$955 ₹89.6K

$1,372 ₹128.7K

-30.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$515 ₹48.3K

$768 ₹72.1K

-33.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$577 ₹54.1K

$1,208 ₹113.4K

-52.26%

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 Hyderabad: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $95 in Shimla versus $236 in Hyderabad. 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 109% higher in Hyderabad, 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 $6 in Shimla versus $17 in Hyderabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $100 vs $126 – 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 Hyderabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hyderabad costs about 55% more than Shimla, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $506 per month in Shimla and $786 in Hyderabad. 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.

Public transport costs about 72% less in Shimla. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $46.07 per month in Shimla and $118 in Hyderabad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $337 in Shimla and $524 in Hyderabad, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Shimla costs $337 versus $524 in Hyderabad. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Hyderabad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.