Cost of Living Comparison Between Vijayawada and Madurai Cost of Living Comparison Between Vijayawada and Madurai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $429 in Vijayawada versus $426 in Madurai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $709 in Vijayawada versus $697 in Madurai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $988 in Vijayawada versus $968 in Madurai.

Living in Vijayawada is roughly 1% more expensive than Madurai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Vijayawada 68% lower, Madurai 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.77 ₹170

$1.78 ₹171

-0.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.70 ₹1,120

$11.57 ₹1,108

1.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.62 ₹443

$5.11 ₹489

-9.59%

Cappuccino

$3.85 ₹368

$1.78 ₹170

116.29%

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

$0.45 ₹42.73

$0.68 ₹65.5

-33.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.58

$0.22 ₹21.07

-13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 ₹220

$1.89 ₹181

21.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 ₹237

$2.84 ₹272

-12.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 ₹88.3

$0.65 ₹61.9

41.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 ₹53.2

$0.53 ₹50.4

5.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 ₹70.7

$0.80 ₹76.4

-7.50%

Eggs

$0.91 ₹86.9

$0.85 ₹81.7

7.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 ₹651

$6.93 ₹663

-1.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.13 ₹299

$3.59 ₹344

-12.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 ₹210

$3.24 ₹310

-32.10%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 ₹79.1

$0.80 ₹76.9

3.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 ₹90.9

$2.00 ₹192

-52.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 ₹46.36

$0.58 ₹55.1

-17.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 ₹39.11

$0.81 ₹77.8

-49.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.42 ₹40.01

$0.78 ₹74.9

-46.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ₹64.8

$0.71 ₹67.7

-4.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₹34.51

$0.53 ₹50.7

-32.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 ₹387

$4.51 ₹432

-10.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.06 ₹580

$6.61 ₹632

-8.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 ₹240

$2.30 ₹220

8.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 ₹302

$4.39 ₹420

-28.02%

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

$4.23 ₹405

$6.68 ₹640

-36.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₹26.62

$0.24 ₹23.10

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.43 ₹711

$11.85 ₹1,134

-37.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 ₹169

$1.04 ₹99.1

70.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 ₹47.23

$0.24 ₹22.99

104.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 ₹217

$1.14 ₹109

99.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ₹122

$1.22 ₹117

4.10%

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

$17.3K ₹1.7M

$18.4K ₹1.8M

-5.93%

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

$23.3K ₹2.2M

$22.9K ₹2.2M

1.48%

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

$28.02 ₹2,681

$31.45 ₹3,009

-10.91%

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

$3.76 ₹360

$4.01 ₹383

-6.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.94 ₹760

$8.00 ₹766

-0.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.90 ₹1,904

$17.12 ₹1,638

16.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.21 ₹1,168

$7.10 ₹680

71.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.47 ₹332

$2.69 ₹258

29.00%

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

$74.0 ₹7,078

$62.2 ₹5,947

19.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,806 ₹172.9K

$1,864 ₹178.4K

-3.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.63 ₹2,357

$26.45 ₹2,531

-6.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.53 ₹2,443

$26.69 ₹2,554

-4.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.05 ₹4,024

$48.11 ₹4,604

-12.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.98 ₹4,017

$48.93 ₹4,682

-14.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$141 ₹13.5K

$115 ₹11.0K

22.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.7 ₹8,396

$74.9 ₹7,170

17.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 ₹30.8K

$324 ₹31.0K

-0.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$213 ₹20.3K

$210 ₹20.1K

1.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$697 ₹66.7K

$1,199 ₹114.7K

-41.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$382 ₹36.5K

$470 ₹44.9K

-18.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$296 ₹28.3K

$362 ₹34.7K

-18.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.8

9.8

10.20%

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

Last update for Vijayawada: May 31, 2026

Last update for Madurai: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $141 in Vijayawada and $115 in Madurai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madurai pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $12.00 in Vijayawada vs $12.00 in Madurai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $120 vs $136 per month, with Vijayawada 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

Vijayawada vs Madurai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vijayawada and Madurai differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($429 vs $426 including rent). Madurai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Madurai earns 22% 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: $141 in Vijayawada versus $115 in Madurai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Vijayawada pay roughly 13% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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

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