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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $429 per month in Visakhapatnam vs $484 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A couple spends around $690 per month in Visakhapatnam vs $754 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A family of three spends $951 per month in Visakhapatnam vs $1,024 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

Visakhapatnam is about 11% cheaper than Chennai (Madras), driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.52 ₹240

$2.23 ₹212

13.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.02 ₹1,240

$11.73 ₹1,118

11.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.29 ₹409

$3.96 ₹377

8.33%

Cappuccino

$1.58 ₹151

$2.11 ₹201

-25.12%

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

$0.36 ₹34.26

$0.49 ₹46.89

-26.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.10 ₹9.52

$0.19 ₹18.28

-47.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ₹201

$2.08 ₹198

1.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 ₹334

$4.18 ₹398

-16.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 ₹72.1

$0.63 ₹59.8

20.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 ₹54.7

$0.50 ₹47.15

14.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₹77.8

$0.77 ₹73.1

6.49%

Eggs

$0.98 ₹93.5

$0.87 ₹83.1

12.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.17 ₹492

$6.99 ₹666

-26.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ₹331

$3.45 ₹329

0.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 ₹276

$2.94 ₹280

-1.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 ₹73.9

$0.82 ₹77.8

-4.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ₹125

$1.34 ₹127

-2.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 ₹52.5

$0.45 ₹42.73

22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 ₹53.2

$0.55 ₹52.1

1.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₹55.1

$0.54 ₹51.2

7.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 ₹69.0

$0.55 ₹52.0

30.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.39

$0.33 ₹31.27

6.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ₹407

$4.00 ₹381

6.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.03 ₹861

$7.68 ₹731

17.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₹187

$1.91 ₹182

3.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ₹345

$3.49 ₹333

3.72%

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

$4.81 ₹458

$6.12 ₹583

-21.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 ₹26.57

$0.34 ₹32.11

-17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.37 ₹1,845

$11.49 ₹1,095

68.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ₹136

$1.53 ₹146

-6.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₹19.95

$0.30 ₹28.64

-30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 ₹219

$1.76 ₹168

30.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ₹120

$1.16 ₹110

8.62%

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

$15.2K ₹1.4M

$17.2K ₹1.6M

-11.97%

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

$24.2K ₹2.3M

$24.5K ₹2.3M

-1.09%

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

$37.25 ₹3,548

$47.37 ₹4,512

-21.36%

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

$3.69 ₹351

$4.73 ₹451

-21.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.60 ₹534

$9.77 ₹931

-42.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.11 ₹1,630

$17.53 ₹1,669

-2.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.65 ₹1,110

$7.26 ₹691

60.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.17 ₹301

$2.84 ₹271

11.62%

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

$65.8 ₹6,269

$80.3 ₹7,650

-18.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,730 ₹164.8K

$1,756 ₹167.3K

-1.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.09 ₹2,866

$25.19 ₹2,399

19.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.37 ₹2,702

$23.56 ₹2,244

20.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.35 ₹3,558

$49.44 ₹4,709

-24.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.32 ₹3,555

$35.35 ₹3,367

5.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$142 ₹13.5K

$190 ₹18.1K

-25.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$81.4 ₹7,754

$117 ₹11.1K

-30.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 ₹36.4K

$435 ₹41.4K

-12.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 ₹18.4K

$263 ₹25.0K

-26.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$927 ₹88.3K

$1,736 ₹165.3K

-46.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$470 ₹44.8K

$724 ₹69.0K

-35.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$351 ₹33.4K

$718 ₹68.4K

-51.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.3

9.42

-11.89%

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

Last update for Visakhapatnam: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chennai (Madras): June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $142 in Visakhapatnam versus $190 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 105% 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 $13.00 in Visakhapatnam versus $12.00 in Chennai (Madras). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $126 vs $124 – making Chennai (Madras) 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

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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $644 per month in Visakhapatnam and $726 in Chennai (Madras). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Visakhapatnam, 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 $429 in Visakhapatnam and $484 in Chennai (Madras). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 69% less in Visakhapatnam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $429 in Visakhapatnam and $484 in Chennai (Madras), leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Visakhapatnam costs $429 versus $484 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 Visakhapatnam. 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.