Cost of Living Comparison Between Tumkur and Malda Cost of Living Comparison Between Tumkur and Malda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $377 in Tumkur versus $526 in Malda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $597 in Tumkur versus $668 in Malda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $818 in Tumkur versus $810 in Malda.

Living in Tumkur costs roughly 28% less than in Malda, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tumkur 72% lower, Malda 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.29 ₹219

$3.27 ₹313

-29.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.35 ₹799

$11.77 ₹1,127

-29.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.52 ₹337

Cappuccino

$1.25 ₹120

$1.80 ₹172

-30.56%

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

$0.49 ₹47.36

$0.40 ₹38.54

22.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.09

$0.14 ₹13.03

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 ₹217

$1.79 ₹172

26.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₹164

$2.89 ₹277

-40.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 ₹56.7

$0.59 ₹56.3

White Bread (500g)

$0.32 ₹30.53

$0.39 ₹37.72

-17.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.67 ₹63.8

$0.49 ₹46.52

36.73%

Eggs

$0.83 ₹79.4

$0.82 ₹78.9

1.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.99 ₹861

$5.55 ₹532

61.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 ₹271

$2.49 ₹238

13.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 ₹194

$2.46 ₹236

-17.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.71 ₹68.1

$0.84 ₹80.0

-15.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 ₹149

$1.27 ₹121

22.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.45 ₹43.56

$0.66 ₹63.1

-31.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 ₹46.81

$0.28 ₹26.69

75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.30 ₹28.90

$0.31 ₹29.64

-3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.22 ₹21.02

$0.45 ₹43.02

-51.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 ₹39.10

$0.18 ₹17.19

127.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₹285

$3.99 ₹382

-25.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 ₹554

$8.16 ₹781

-29.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₹172

$1.72 ₹165

4.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ₹262

$2.39 ₹229

14.64%

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

$5.46 ₹523

$2.38 ₹228

129.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₹28.83

$0.30 ₹29.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.58 ₹822

$8.92 ₹854

-3.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.59 ₹56.6

$0.56 ₹54.1

5.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ₹26.62

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ₹114

$2.08 ₹199

-42.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 ₹74.8

$1.19 ₹114

-34.45%

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

$16.9K ₹1.6M

$15.6K ₹1.5M

8.48%

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

$28.8K ₹2.8M

$22.7K ₹2.2M

26.67%

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

$34.40 ₹3,295

$42.68 ₹4,088

-19.40%

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

$3.45 ₹330

$4.00 ₹383

-13.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.80 ₹555

$5.72 ₹547

1.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.94 ₹1,527

$16.17 ₹1,549

-1.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.08 ₹678

$7.12 ₹682

-0.56%

Cinema Ticket

$2.29 ₹219

$4.08 ₹391

-43.87%

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

$31.78 ₹3,044

$43.65 ₹4,181

-27.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,307 ₹125.2K

$1,579 ₹151.3K

-17.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.63 ₹2,072

$8.04 ₹770

169.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.43 ₹2,244

$8.36 ₹801

180.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.27 ₹3,857

$49.30 ₹4,721

-18.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.07 ₹2,689

$9.05 ₹867

210.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$122 ₹11.7K

$289 ₹27.7K

-57.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.6 ₹7,431

$231 ₹22.1K

-66.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 ₹26.4K

$407 ₹39.0K

-32.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ₹17.6K

$181 ₹17.4K

1.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$986 ₹94.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$514 ₹49.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.47

9.9

-4.34%

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

Last update for Tumkur: May 30, 2026

Last update for Malda: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $122 in Tumkur and $289 in Malda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $8.00 in Tumkur vs $12.00 in Malda. Groceries flip the comparison at $113 vs $105, with Malda cheaper for home cooking.

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

Tumkur vs Malda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tumkur is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $565 in Tumkur and $789 in Malda to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $122 in Tumkur versus $289 in Malda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Malda pay roughly 8% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Tumkur – a meal for two runs $8.00 versus $12.00 in Malda. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Tumkur 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.

Expats usually find Tumkur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Malda. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.