Cost of Living Comparison Between Surat and Chandigarh Cost of Living Comparison Between Surat and Chandigarh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $888 in Surat versus $455 in Chandigarh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $942 in Surat versus $739 in Chandigarh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $996 in Surat versus $1,023 in Chandigarh.

Living in Surat is roughly 95% more expensive than Chandigarh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Surat 34% lower, Chandigarh 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 ₹343

$3.16 ₹303

13.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.41 ₹1,092

$14.21 ₹1,360

-19.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.42 ₹328

$3.41 ₹327

0.29%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ₹166

$2.00 ₹192

-13.00%

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

$0.40 ₹38.00

$0.39 ₹37.50

2.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 ₹19.53

$0.20 ₹19.12

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 ₹299

$1.71 ₹164

83.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ₹378

$2.93 ₹281

34.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹69.9

$0.77 ₹73.9

-5.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 ₹50.6

$0.58 ₹55.9

-8.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.67 ₹64.6

$0.90 ₹85.9

-25.56%

Eggs

$1.03 ₹98.5

$1.06 ₹101

-2.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.13 ₹491

$5.45 ₹522

-5.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.11 ₹297

$3.03 ₹290

2.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 ₹137

$1.99 ₹190

-28.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.3

$0.81 ₹78.0

-20.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 ₹91.2

$0.97 ₹93.1

-2.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.61 ₹58.3

$0.56 ₹54.0

8.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 ₹34.37

$0.40 ₹37.84

-10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 ₹41.89

$0.46 ₹43.88

-4.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ₹57.1

$0.49 ₹46.85

22.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.07

$0.32 ₹30.38

9.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.86 ₹370

$4.01 ₹384

-3.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.56 ₹723

$9.79 ₹936

-22.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 ₹246

$1.72 ₹165

49.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 ₹384

$2.76 ₹264

45.29%

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

$8.42 ₹806

$5.28 ₹506

59.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹22.97

$0.30 ₹28.89

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.65 ₹540

$8.50 ₹814

-33.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 ₹93.2

$0.78 ₹74.6

24.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₹23.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₹113

$1.30 ₹124

-9.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹108

$1.15 ₹110

-1.74%

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

$11.6K ₹1.1M

$14.5K ₹1.4M

-20.15%

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

$21.5K ₹2.1M

$29.0K ₹2.8M

-25.87%

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

$38.31 ₹3,666

$47.95 ₹4,588

-20.10%

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

$3.37 ₹323

$3.47 ₹332

-2.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.72 ₹739

$7.14 ₹683

8.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.76 ₹1,699

$19.33 ₹1,850

-8.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.74 ₹645

$10.12 ₹969

-33.40%

Cinema Ticket

$2.90 ₹277

$2.88 ₹276

0.69%

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

$48.91 ₹4,681

$61.9 ₹5,925

-21.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,294 ₹123.8K

$1,968 ₹188.4K

-34.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.00 ₹2,297

$24.50 ₹2,344

-2.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 ₹2,356

$24.07 ₹2,303

2.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.46 ₹4,064

$48.81 ₹4,671

-13.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.48 ₹4,065

$32.30 ₹3,091

31.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 ₹23.1K

$174 ₹16.7K

38.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 ₹53.3K

$104 ₹9,920

437.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 ₹48.4K

$403 ₹38.5K

25.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 ₹26.3K

$271 ₹25.9K

1.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$693 ₹66.4K

$3,407 ₹326.1K

-79.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$306 ₹29.3K

$2,069 ₹198.0K

-85.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$327 ₹31.3K

$435 ₹41.7K

-24.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.2

8.3

10.84%

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

Last update for Surat: June 1, 2026

Last update for Chandigarh: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Surat and $174 in Chandigarh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chandigarh pays 33% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $11.00 in Surat vs $14.00 in Chandigarh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $113 vs $116 per month, with Surat 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

Surat vs Chandigarh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chandigarh wins on cost – living expenses run 95% lower than in Surat. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chandigarh the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Chandigarh earns 33% 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: $241 in Surat versus $174 in Chandigarh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chandigarh runs roughly 50% less than in Surat. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $48.91 in Surat versus $61.9 in Chandigarh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chandigarh gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Surat and Chandigarh 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 Chandigarh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in Surat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.