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 $377 per month in Visakhapatnam vs $421 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A couple spends around $589 per month in Visakhapatnam vs $702 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A family of three spends $802 per month in Visakhapatnam vs $982 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

Visakhapatnam is about 11% cheaper than Chennai (Madras), driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Visakhapatnam and Chennai (Madras) are more affordable than the global median – Visakhapatnam 73% lower, Chennai (Madras) 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 ₹202

$2.06 ₹195

3.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.35 ₹789

$12.66 ₹1,196

-34.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.66 ₹440

$4.28 ₹404

8.88%

Cappuccino

$1.69 ₹159

$1.78 ₹168

-5.06%

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

$0.34 ₹31.66

$0.35 ₹32.94

-2.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.10 ₹9.77

$0.18 ₹17.39

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 ₹197

$1.59 ₹150

31.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ₹286

$3.00 ₹283

1.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.68 ₹64.1

$0.57 ₹54.2

19.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₹50.7

$0.50 ₹47.37

8.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.61 ₹57.5

$0.69 ₹65.1

-11.59%

Eggs

$0.86 ₹81.1

$0.83 ₹78.4

3.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.67 ₹535

$6.16 ₹582

-7.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 ₹289

$3.30 ₹312

-7.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 ₹235

$2.88 ₹272

-13.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 ₹63.0

$0.81 ₹76.6

-17.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 ₹101

$1.38 ₹130

-22.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.41 ₹38.39

$0.48 ₹45.24

-14.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹36.95

$0.47 ₹44.30

-17.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 ₹34.47

$0.38 ₹36.01

-5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ₹52.9

$0.48 ₹45.37

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₹30.55

$0.28 ₹26.45

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.14 ₹485

$5.17 ₹488

-0.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.18 ₹867

$6.13 ₹579

49.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ₹163

$1.77 ₹167

-2.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ₹292

$2.80 ₹264

10.36%

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

$4.40 ₹415

$6.45 ₹609

-31.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹18.88

$0.33 ₹31.49

-39.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.56 ₹1,281

$10.46 ₹988

29.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 ₹97.8

$1.03 ₹97.0

0.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.18 ₹17.33

$0.32 ₹30.58

-43.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 ₹251

$2.14 ₹202

24.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ₹106

$1.10 ₹104

1.82%

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

$13.4K ₹1.3M

$15.4K ₹1.5M

-12.95%

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

$21.9K ₹2.1M

$20.6K ₹1.9M

6.31%

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

$32.30 ₹3,052

$38.32 ₹3,620

-15.71%

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

$3.50 ₹330

$3.98 ₹376

-12.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.06 ₹478

$8.18 ₹773

-38.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.54 ₹1,751

$14.96 ₹1,413

23.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.41 ₹511

$6.94 ₹656

-22.05%

Cinema Ticket

$2.57 ₹243

$2.64 ₹249

-2.65%

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

$50.5 ₹4,771

$94.6 ₹8,942

-46.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,546 ₹146.1K

$2,126 ₹200.9K

-27.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.32 ₹2,203

$20.99 ₹1,983

11.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.11 ₹1,995

$16.67 ₹1,575

26.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$30.83 ₹2,913

$35.34 ₹3,339

-12.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.97 ₹3,020

$30.73 ₹2,903

4.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$151 ₹14.3K

$186 ₹17.5K

-18.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.4 ₹5,801

$104 ₹9,817

-40.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 ₹33.4K

$498 ₹47.0K

-29.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 ₹14.1K

$311 ₹29.4K

-52.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$961 ₹90.8K

$1,997 ₹188.6K

-51.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$471 ₹44.5K

$797 ₹75.3K

-40.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$355 ₹33.5K

$681 ₹64.4K

-47.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.58

9.88

-13.16%

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

Last update for Visakhapatnam: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chennai (Madras): August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $151 in Visakhapatnam versus $186 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 92% 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 $8.00 in Visakhapatnam versus $13.00 in Chennai (Madras). Groceries tell a different story – $114 in Visakhapatnam vs $113 in Chennai (Madras) – so Chennai (Madras) wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 12% more than Visakhapatnam, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $565 per month in Visakhapatnam and $632 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 $377 in Visakhapatnam and $421 in Chennai (Madras). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 30% 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 $377 in Visakhapatnam and $421 in Chennai (Madras), leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Visakhapatnam costs $377 versus $421 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.