Cost of Living Comparison Between Vijayawada and Chennai (Madras) Cost of Living Comparison Between Vijayawada and Chennai (Madras)

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $431 per month in Vijayawada vs $487 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A couple spends around $703 per month in Vijayawada vs $765 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A family of three spends $975 per month in Vijayawada vs $1,044 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

Vijayawada is about 11% cheaper than Chennai (Madras), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Vijayawada and Chennai (Madras) are more affordable than the global median – Vijayawada 68% lower, Chennai (Madras) 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.72 ₹163

$2.22 ₹211

-22.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.50 ₹1,092

$11.85 ₹1,125

-2.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.71 ₹447

$4.15 ₹394

13.49%

Cappuccino

$3.77 ₹357

$2.15 ₹204

75.35%

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

$0.45 ₹43.17

$0.48 ₹46.01

-6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 ₹19.20

$0.17 ₹16.48

17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 ₹220

$2.06 ₹196

12.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 ₹244

$4.17 ₹396

-38.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 ₹82.5

$0.62 ₹58.9

40.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹48.74

$0.53 ₹49.90

-3.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 ₹64.6

$0.73 ₹68.9

-6.85%

Eggs

$0.89 ₹84.3

$0.92 ₹87.6

-3.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.53 ₹620

$7.01 ₹666

-6.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.01 ₹285

$3.60 ₹341

-16.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 ₹209

$2.79 ₹265

-20.79%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 ₹82.3

$0.87 ₹82.7

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 ₹88.5

$1.34 ₹127

-30.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 ₹46.30

$0.45 ₹42.51

8.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.13

$0.54 ₹51.3

-25.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.39 ₹36.58

$0.54 ₹51.3

-27.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ₹63.8

$0.56 ₹52.9

19.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₹31.92

$0.33 ₹31.12

3.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 ₹385

$3.97 ₹377

2.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.18 ₹587

$8.07 ₹766

-23.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 ₹238

$1.81 ₹172

38.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 ₹305

$3.39 ₹321

-5.31%

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

$4.32 ₹410

$6.11 ₹580

-29.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₹26.26

$0.37 ₹34.72

-24.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.38 ₹700

$11.51 ₹1,092

-35.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 ₹161

$1.55 ₹148

9.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₹50.6

$0.28 ₹26.25

89.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 ₹216

$1.77 ₹168

28.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₹116

$1.21 ₹115

0.83%

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

$17.6K ₹1.7M

$17.4K ₹1.7M

1.06%

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

$22.6K ₹2.1M

$24.4K ₹2.3M

-7.40%

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

$27.82 ₹2,641

$47.16 ₹4,478

-41.01%

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

$3.63 ₹344

$4.87 ₹462

-25.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.22 ₹780

$9.42 ₹894

-12.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.10 ₹1,908

$17.16 ₹1,629

17.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.95 ₹1,134

$6.93 ₹658

72.44%

Cinema Ticket

$3.54 ₹336

$2.88 ₹273

22.92%

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

$75.9 ₹7,206

$79.7 ₹7,566

-4.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,787 ₹169.6K

$1,731 ₹164.4K

3.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.28 ₹2,305

$26.11 ₹2,479

-7.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.59 ₹2,429

$23.49 ₹2,231

8.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.76 ₹3,965

$49.67 ₹4,715

-15.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.97 ₹4,080

$35.20 ₹3,342

22.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$139 ₹13.2K

$196 ₹18.6K

-29.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.6 ₹8,321

$114 ₹10.8K

-23.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 ₹30.3K

$432 ₹41.0K

-26.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$216 ₹20.5K

$261 ₹24.8K

-17.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$707 ₹67.1K

$1,708 ₹162.1K

-58.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$389 ₹36.9K

$722 ₹68.5K

-46.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$300 ₹28.5K

$711 ₹67.5K

-57.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.8

9.42

14.65%

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

Last update for Vijayawada: April 26, 2026

Last update for Chennai (Madras): April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $139 in Vijayawada versus $196 in Chennai (Madras). 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 137% higher in Chennai (Madras), which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Vijayawada versus $12.00 in Chennai (Madras). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $117 vs $125 – making Vijayawada 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

Vijayawada vs Chennai (Madras): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chennai (Madras) costs about 13% more than Vijayawada, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $646 per month in Vijayawada and $730 in Chennai (Madras). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vijayawada, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $431 in Vijayawada and $487 in Chennai (Madras). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 56% less in Vijayawada. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $431 in Vijayawada and $487 in Chennai (Madras), leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Vijayawada costs $431 versus $487 in Chennai (Madras). Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Vijayawada. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chennai (Madras) makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.