Cost of Living Comparison Between Shimla and Rajshahi Cost of Living Comparison Between Shimla and Rajshahi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $306 per month in Shimla vs $321 in Rajshahi, rent included.

A couple spends around $507 per month in Shimla vs $513 in Rajshahi, rent included.

A family of three spends $709 per month in Shimla vs $704 in Rajshahi, rent included.

Shimla is about 5% cheaper than Rajshahi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shimla and Rajshahi are more affordable than the global median – Shimla 78% lower, Rajshahi 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.54 ₹147

$0.84 ৳104

83.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$5.41 ₹517

$8.10 ৳995

-33.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.23 ₹309

$2.80 ৳344

15.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.91 ৳603

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ৳281

Cappuccino

$0.90 ₹86.2

$1.35 ৳166

-33.33%

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

$0.38 ₹36.62

$0.31 ৳37.55

22.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 ₹10.96

$0.16 ৳20.13

-31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 ₹156

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₹205

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 ₹66.1

$0.70 ৳85.4

-1.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 ₹37.37

$0.63 ৳77.0

-38.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.6

$0.64 ৳78.4

-1.56%

Eggs

$0.84 ₹80.0

$1.14 ৳140

-26.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 ₹413

$8.67 ৳1,066

-50.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 ₹312

$3.26 ৳400

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.71 ৳825

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ₹174

$2.70 ৳331

-32.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.9

$0.95 ৳116

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 ₹66.1

$2.35 ৳288

-70.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 ₹45.29

$0.44 ৳54.0

6.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 ₹29.08

$0.23 ৳28.02

30.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.34 ₹32.05

$0.48 ৳58.5

-29.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.20 ₹19.07

$0.32 ৳38.91

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹28.00

$0.30 ৳37.18

-3.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.29 ৳1,510

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ৳198

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ৳253

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.55 ₹339

$3.25 ৳399

9.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.49 ₹811

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₹142

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₹194

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

$3.79 ₹362

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹21.03

$0.09 ৳10.98

144.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.02 ₹767

$12.13 ৳1,490

-33.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 ₹97.4

$1.20 ৳147

-15.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.91

$0.31 ৳38.54

6.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 ₹97.6

$1.02 ৳126

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ₹99.6

$1.07 ৳131

-2.80%

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

$8,394 ₹802.0K

$30.3K ৳3.7M

-72.28%

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

$17.7K ₹1.7M

$31.9K ৳3.9M

-44.50%

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

$18.70 ₹1,786

$44.55 ৳5,472

-58.02%

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

$3.10 ₹296

$3.99 ৳490

-22.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.78 ₹648

$11.39 ৳1,400

-40.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.99 ₹1,337

$6.01 ৳739

132.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.38 ₹992

Cinema Ticket

$3.17 ₹303

$4.04 ৳496

-21.53%

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

$41.83 ₹3,997

$13.37 ৳1,643

212.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,179 ₹208.2K

$673 ৳82.7K

223.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.20 ₹2,408

$7.22 ৳887

249.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.70 ₹2,073

$15.12 ৳1,858

43.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.02 ₹3,728

$25.92 ৳3,184

50.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.03 ₹2,487

$21.12 ৳2,594

23.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$87.2 ₹8,331

$73.4 ৳9,021

18.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.5 ₹5,012

$45.75 ৳5,621

14.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$196 ₹18.7K

$135 ৳16.5K

45.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 ₹16.1K

$98.9 ৳12.2K

69.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$974 ₹93.1K

$487 ৳59.9K

99.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$517 ₹49.4K

$2,322 ৳285.2K

-77.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$609 ₹58.2K

$218 ৳26.7K

180.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

10.48

-21.28%

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

Last update for Shimla: September 5, 2026

Last update for Rajshahi: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $87.2 in Shimla versus $73.4 in Rajshahi. 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 180% 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 $5.00 in Shimla versus $8.00 in Rajshahi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $99.0 vs $120 – 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 Rajshahi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Rajshahi is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $458 per month in Shimla and $482 in Rajshahi. 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.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Rajshahi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $5.00 in Shimla and $8.00 in Rajshahi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $306 in Shimla and $321 in Rajshahi, 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, Rajshahi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.