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: $405 in Vijayawada versus $412 in Madurai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $646 in Vijayawada versus $664 in Madurai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $888 in Vijayawada versus $916 in Madurai.

Living in Vijayawada costs roughly 2% less than in Madurai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Vijayawada 70% lower, Madurai 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.54 ₹148

$1.71 ₹165

-9.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.65 ₹829

$10.27 ₹985

-15.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.42 ₹424

$4.09 ₹392

8.07%

Cappuccino

$3.70 ₹355

$2.33 ₹223

58.80%

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

$0.41 ₹39.13

$0.57 ₹54.8

-28.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 ₹11.84

$0.24 ₹23.04

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 ₹185

$2.15 ₹206

-10.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ₹217

$3.88 ₹372

-41.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.6

$0.58 ₹55.6

29.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 ₹50.9

$0.54 ₹51.7

-1.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.61 ₹58.1

$0.64 ₹61.4

-4.69%

Eggs

$0.77 ₹73.8

$0.80 ₹76.5

-3.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.30 ₹604

$5.79 ₹555

8.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.56 ₹246

$2.98 ₹286

-14.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 ₹178

$2.96 ₹284

-37.50%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 ₹65.6

$0.69 ₹65.9

-1.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.80 ₹77.2

$1.66 ₹160

-51.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 ₹41.36

$0.50 ₹47.79

-14.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.83

$0.60 ₹58.0

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 ₹42.61

$0.69 ₹66.6

-36.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ₹62.2

$0.67 ₹64.2

-2.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.28 ₹26.57

$0.31 ₹29.89

-9.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.95 ₹475

$5.09 ₹488

-2.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.35 ₹705

$10.51 ₹1,009

-30.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ₹177

$2.07 ₹198

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ₹300

$4.44 ₹426

-29.50%

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

$3.30 ₹317

$9.67 ₹928

-65.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ₹30.19

$0.20 ₹19.16

55.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.67 ₹640

$10.28 ₹986

-35.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 ₹149

$1.17 ₹113

32.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ₹40.11

$0.35 ₹33.76

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₹202

$1.23 ₹118

70.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 ₹103

$1.04 ₹100

2.88%

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

$15.6K ₹1.5M

$18.7K ₹1.8M

-16.66%

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

$20.4K ₹2.0M

$24.2K ₹2.3M

-15.82%

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

$32.43 ₹3,112

$23.06 ₹2,212

40.63%

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

$3.26 ₹312

$4.79 ₹460

-31.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.68 ₹737

$7.54 ₹723

1.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.06 ₹1,540

$15.56 ₹1,493

3.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.90 ₹1,045

$6.59 ₹632

65.40%

Cinema Ticket

$3.06 ₹294

$2.58 ₹247

18.60%

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

$68.9 ₹6,608

$41.57 ₹3,988

65.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,993 ₹191.2K

$1,536 ₹147.3K

29.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.03 ₹1,730

$25.43 ₹2,439

-29.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.47 ₹1,772

$25.87 ₹2,482

-28.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.91 ₹3,637

$53.5 ₹5,135

-29.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.75 ₹3,430

$32.08 ₹3,077

11.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$128 ₹12.3K

$147 ₹14.1K

-12.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.4 ₹7,331

$81.8 ₹7,843

-6.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 ₹27.4K

$304 ₹29.1K

-5.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 ₹19.0K

$202 ₹19.4K

-2.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$690 ₹66.2K

$1,132 ₹108.6K

-39.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$400 ₹38.4K

$484 ₹46.4K

-17.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$296 ₹28.4K

$355 ₹34.0K

-16.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.2

9.59

6.36%

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

Last update for Vijayawada: September 14, 2026

Last update for Madurai: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $128 in Vijayawada and $147 in Madurai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Madurai pays 20% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $9.00 in Vijayawada vs $10.00 in Madurai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $107 vs $127 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 2% in total monthly costs ($405 vs $412 including rent). Vijayawada is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Madurai. 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: $128 in Vijayawada versus $147 in Madurai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Madurai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Vijayawada – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $10.00 in Madurai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Vijayawada 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 Vijayawada gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Madurai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.