For one person, living is cheaper in India: $391 a month against $1,754 in Spain, rent and utilities included – about $16,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Spain and in India actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,754 in Spain versus $391 in India.
Spain $1,754
India $391
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,570 in Spain versus $620 in India.
Spain $2,570
India $620
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,386 in Spain versus $849 in India.
Spain $3,386
India $849
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $928 to $2,590, compared to $228–$812 in India. City choice carries more weight in Spain.
🌍
Living in Spain is roughly 349% more expensive than in India on average.
📊
Spain (30% above) and India (71% below) straddle the global median.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
India
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.56€14.73
$2.14₹203
673.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.6€50.4
$10.52₹999
438.12%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.24€10.00
$3.58₹340
213.97%
Cappuccino
$2.32€2.07
$1.67₹158
38.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57€2.28
$0.37₹35.48
594.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86€1.66
$0.15₹14.18
1140.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.34€2.97
$1.84₹175
81.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.02€3.58
$3.07₹292
30.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
India
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.21€1.08
$0.62₹58.8
95.16%
White Bread(500g)
$1.54€1.37
$0.49₹46.73
214.29%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63€1.45
$0.63₹60.1
158.73%
Eggs
$3.30€2.93
$0.96₹90.7
243.75%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.35€12.76
$4.71₹447
204.67%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.54€7.60
$2.92₹277
192.47%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.09€14.31
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.45€2.18
$1.98₹188
23.74%
Banana(1kg)
$2.02€1.79
$0.68₹64.4
197.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.07€1.85
$1.02₹97.2
102.94%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.44€2.17
$0.46₹43.78
430.43%
Potato(1kg)
$1.78€1.58
$0.34₹32.20
423.53%
Onion(1kg)
$2.01€1.78
$0.41₹39.00
390.24%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.29€1.15
$0.43₹40.66
200.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.75€0.66
$0.31₹29.73
141.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.42€5.71
$4.89₹464
31.29%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.71€5.08
$7.25₹688
-21.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.30€1.15
$1.71₹162
-23.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99€1.77
$2.74₹260
-27.37%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$5.25₹499
-
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
India
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.70€1.51
$0.27₹25.86
529.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$33.97€30.22
$8.39₹797
304.89%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.58€4.07
$1.03₹97.8
344.66%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.48€1.32
$0.25₹23.49
492.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$24.59€21.87
$1.60₹152
1436.87%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.74€1.55
$1.13₹107
53.98%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.9K€31.0K
$12.6K₹1.2M
175.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.7K€26.4K
$20.1K₹1.9M
47.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$147€131
$37.55₹3,566
291.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.90€15.92
$3.47₹330
415.85%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.21€27.76
$7.15₹679
336.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
India
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.57€39.65
$14.58₹1,385
205.69%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.01€13.35
$7.21₹684
108.18%
Cinema Ticket
$9.24€8.22
$3.18₹302
190.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$529€470
$56.8₹5,391
831.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.4K€9,212
$1,651₹156.7K
527.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
India
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.8€75.5
$22.55₹2,141
276.14%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.80€32.73
$24.54₹2,330
49.96%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$89.7€79.7
$39.69₹3,769
125.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107€94.8
$29.84₹2,833
257.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$988€879
$141₹13.4K
601.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$791€703
$89.7₹8,515
781.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,580€1,405
$325₹30.9K
385.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,196€1,064
$207₹19.7K
476.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,059€3,610
$1,214₹115.3K
234.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,615€2,326
$638₹60.6K
309.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,923€1,711
$434₹41.2K
343.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.3
8.92
-63.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Spain: October 13, 2026
Last update for India: October 10, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Spain
$791 45.1%
India
$90 23% ↓ 88.7%$701
🛒Groceries & Markets
Spain
$272 15.5%
India
$102 26.2% ↓ 62.3%$169
🍽Eating Out
Spain
$237 13.5%
India
$65 16.7% ↓ 72.4%$171
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
$196 11.2%
India
$48 12.3% ↓ 75.4%$148
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Spain
$143 8.2%
India
$52 13.4% ↓ 63.3%$91
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Spain
$63 3.6%
India
$21 5.4% ↓ 66.8%$42
🚌Getting Around
Spain
$53 3%
India
$12 3% ↓ 77.7%$41
🏠Accommodation & Living
Spain
$1.2K 35.3%
India
$207 24.4% ↓ 82.7%$988
🛒Groceries & Markets
Spain
$646 19.1%
India
$221 26% ↓ 65.9%$425
🍽Eating Out
Spain
$763 22.5%
India
$179 21.1% ↓ 76.5%$583
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
$214 6.3%
India
$52 6.1% ↓ 75.8%$162
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Spain
$318 9.4%
India
$117 13.7% ↓ 63.3%$201
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Spain
$141 4.2%
India
$49 5.8% ↓ 65.2%$92
🚌Getting Around
Spain
$109 3.2%
India
$24 2.8% ↓ 77.9%$85
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $908 in Spain, $119 in India. Capital cities: $1,506 in Madrid vs $267 in Delhi.
💰National salary averages: $1,972 in Spain, $411 in India. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 663% higher in Spain.
⭐Dining out costs 470% more in Spain.
⭐Public transport is 314% more expensive in Spain.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Spain vs India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between India and Spain?
At $391 per month in India and $1,754 in Spain, there's a 349% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in India: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $908 in Spain and $119 in India. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in India or in Spain?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Spain it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to India or to Spain?
It depends on what you're after: India wins on affordability; Spain may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.