Cost of Living Comparison Between Varanasi and Kanpur Cost of Living Comparison Between Varanasi and Kanpur

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $286 in Varanasi versus $344 in Kanpur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $482 in Varanasi versus $554 in Kanpur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $678 in Varanasi versus $764 in Kanpur.

Living in Varanasi costs roughly 17% less than in Kanpur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Varanasi 79% lower, Kanpur 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.84 ₹176

$2.07 ₹198

-11.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.11 ₹774

$9.78 ₹935

-17.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.23 ₹308

$3.21 ₹307

0.62%

Cappuccino

$1.60 ₹153

$1.57 ₹150

1.91%

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

$0.38 ₹35.97

$0.32 ₹30.82

18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 ₹11.75

$0.11 ₹10.57

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 ₹153

$1.35 ₹129

18.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 ₹200

$2.68 ₹256

-22.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.65 ₹62.3

$0.68 ₹64.7

-4.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.29 ₹27.43

$0.47 ₹45.22

-38.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.57 ₹54.5

$0.81 ₹77.5

-29.63%

Eggs

$0.81 ₹77.7

$0.92 ₹88.2

-11.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.18 ₹304

$3.74 ₹357

-14.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.26 ₹216

$2.46 ₹235

-8.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 ₹136

$1.49 ₹143

-4.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 ₹63.1

$0.65 ₹62.2

1.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 ₹84.5

$0.98 ₹93.5

-10.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.34 ₹32.70

$0.51 ₹48.67

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 ₹22.92

$0.24 ₹22.87

Onion (1kg)

$0.26 ₹25.07

$0.38 ₹36.73

-31.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 ₹41.06

$0.48 ₹45.85

-10.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.26 ₹24.55

$0.30 ₹29.04

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 ₹305

$4.67 ₹446

-31.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.66 ₹541

$7.60 ₹727

-25.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₹161

$1.58 ₹151

6.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 ₹233

$2.46 ₹235

-0.81%

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

$4.06 ₹388

$6.22 ₹594

-34.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₹52.9

$0.44 ₹41.65

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.35 ₹893

$6.27 ₹599

49.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.20 ₹19.17

$0.66 ₹63.3

-69.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.10 ₹9.64

$0.26 ₹24.58

-61.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 ₹99.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₹104

$1.07 ₹102

1.87%

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

$12.6K ₹1.2M

$9,585 ₹915.7K

31.39%

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

$18.9K ₹1.8M

$20.4K ₹1.9M

-7.06%

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

$12.58 ₹1,201

$42.54 ₹4,064

-70.43%

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

$3.66 ₹350

$3.10 ₹296

18.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.75 ₹645

$5.16 ₹493

30.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$11.21 ₹1,071

$13.50 ₹1,290

-16.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.37 ₹513

$6.44 ₹615

-16.61%

Cinema Ticket

$2.93 ₹280

$3.21 ₹307

-8.72%

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

$39.67 ₹3,790

$49.26 ₹4,706

-19.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,003 ₹95.8K

$6,330 ₹604.8K

-84.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.50 ₹2,054

$25.48 ₹2,434

-15.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.06 ₹2,394

$28.63 ₹2,735

-12.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.26 ₹3,560

$37.20 ₹3,554

0.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.46 ₹2,433

$15.63 ₹1,493

62.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$114 ₹10.9K

$107 ₹10.2K

6.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$47.40 ₹4,529

$56.9 ₹5,439

-16.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$197 ₹18.9K

$322 ₹30.8K

-38.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 ₹13.5K

$157 ₹15.0K

-10.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$577 ₹55.1K

$1,178 ₹112.5K

-51.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$345 ₹32.9K

$508 ₹48.5K

-32.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$575 ₹54.9K

$303 ₹28.9K

89.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.53

8.64

-1.27%

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

Last update for Varanasi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Kanpur: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $114 in Varanasi and $107 in Kanpur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Varanasi pays 90% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $8.00 in Varanasi vs $10.00 in Kanpur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $83.0 vs $95.0 per month, with Varanasi 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

Varanasi vs Kanpur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varanasi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 90% higher in Varanasi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $114 in Varanasi versus $107 in Kanpur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $39.67 in Varanasi versus $49.26 in Kanpur. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Kanpur. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Varanasi 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 Varanasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Kanpur. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.