Cost of living comparison
Chennai is 16.5% more expensive than India overall.
- Restaurants
-
pay 5.2% more in Chennai
- Groceries
-
pay 23.0% more in Chennai
- Transportation
-
pay 17.4% more in Chennai
- Housing
-
pay 28.2% more in Chennai
- Childcare
-
pay 21.1% more in Chennai
- Entertainment and Sports
-
pay 11.6% more in Chennai
- Clothing
-
pay 9.1% more in Chennai
The cost of housing, groceries, childcare, transportation, entertainment and sports, and clothing in Chennai are more expensive than in India.
If you lived in Chennai instead of India, you would:
pay 5.2% more for restaurants
|
India
|
Chennai
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic meal with drink at inexpensive restaurant |
$2.40
₹205.28
|
$1.78
₹152.04
|
|
|
Fast food combo meal
McDonalds, or similar
|
$3.90
₹333.79
|
$4.45
₹380.96
|
|
| Bottle of Coca-Cola (11 fl. oz) |
$0.40
₹33.89
|
$0.43
₹37.14
|
|
| Bottle of water (11 fl. oz) |
$0.17
₹14.21
|
$0.20
₹17.51
|
|
pay 23.0% more for groceries
|
India
|
Chennai
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Bread
1 loaf
|
$0.46
₹39.40
|
$0.54
₹46.18
|
|
| Local cheese (8 oz) |
$2.54
₹217.12
|
$3.76
₹322.00
|
|
| Milk (1 gallon) |
$2.56
₹218.92
|
$2.45
₹209.29
|
|
|
Eggs
1 dozen
|
$0.94
₹80.33
|
$0.93
₹79.37
|
|
| Boneless chicken breast (1 lb) |
$1.37
₹116.83
|
$1.61
₹138.09
|
|
| Apples (1 lb) |
$0.88
₹75.56
|
$1.27
₹108.44
|
|
| Bananas (1 lb) |
$0.32
₹27.74
|
$0.41
₹34.88
|
|
| Oranges (1 lb) |
$0.48
₹40.72
|
$0.63
₹53.56
|
|
| Tomatoes (1 lb) |
$0.24
₹20.64
|
$0.26
₹22.01
|
|
| Potatoes (1 lb) |
$0.16
₹13.98
|
$0.23
₹19.57
|
|
| Onions (1 lb) |
$0.19
₹16.05
|
$0.24
₹20.45
|
|
pay 17.4% more for transportation
|
India
|
Chennai
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline (1 gallon) |
$4.62
₹394.85
|
$4.63
₹395.72
|
|
| Monthly public transit pass |
$10.12
₹865.88
|
$11.85
₹1,013.62
|
|
| New Volkswagen Golf 1.4 (standard edition) |
$13,525.56
₹1,156,834.81
|
$17,776.60
₹1,520,423.53
|
|
| Taxi trip in downtown area (5 miles) |
$2.94
₹251.35
|
$3.56
₹304.08
|
|
pay 28.2% more for housing
|
India
|
Chennai
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Internet connection
50 mbps or faster, cable/dsl
|
$7.39
₹631.65
|
$10.05
₹859.65
|
|
| 1-Bedroom apartment in downtown area |
$138.05
₹11,807.64
|
$195.87
₹16,752.96
|
|
| 1-Bedroom apartment outside city center |
$90.33
₹7,726.07
|
$116.42
₹9,957.28
|
|
|
Utilities for two
(700 sq ft apartment)
including electric, gas, water, heating
|
$29.97
₹2,563.22
|
$31.71
₹2,711.84
|
|
pay 21.1% more for childcare
|
India
|
Chennai
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Private preschool for 1 child, monthly |
$55.73
₹4,766.45
|
$84.21
₹7,202.52
|
|
| Middle school for 1 child, two semesters |
$1,565.54
₹133,899.86
|
$1,425.36
₹121,910.32
|
|
pay 11.6% more for entertainment and sports
|
India
|
Chennai
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic/local beer (1 pint) |
$1.84
₹157.03
|
$2.01
₹172.31
|
|
| Cappuccino in mid-range area |
$1.59
₹135.69
|
$1.83
₹156.89
|
|
|
Pack of cigarettes
Marlboro or similar
|
$3.59
₹307.08
|
$4.21
₹359.83
|
|
| Monthly membership at local gym |
$15.33
₹1,311.22
|
$19.49
₹1,666.91
|
|
| Movie ticket to theater/cinema |
$3.35
₹286.72
|
$2.96
₹253.40
|
|
pay 9.1% more for clothing
|
India
|
Chennai
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Regular jeans
Levi's brand
|
$24.02
₹2,054.68
|
$26.09
₹2,231.63
|
|
|
Regular dress
from H&M or similar store
|
$25.36
₹2,169.25
|
$24.99
₹2,137.04
|
|
|
Running shoes
Nike or Adidas
|
$41.62
₹3,559.49
|
$47.54
₹4,066.16
|
|
| Men's business shoes (leather) |
$31.12
₹2,661.38
|
$35.84
₹3,065.42
|
|
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