What Is the Cost of Living in Delhi?

Delhi, the capital of India, is the most multicultural and diversified city in the country. Individuals from all over the country come to the city to start a business or make a decent living. Delhi is one of the best metropolises in India as it offers excellent medical services, affordable housing and good schools. The cost of living in Delhi is considerably lower than the monthly expense of living in other metropolitan cities of India.

Continue reading this article to know more about the monthly expenses for living in Delhi!

How Much Does It Cost to Live in Delhi?

Living in a city like Delhi demands finding decent accommodation in an area with ample access to basic needs and amenities. The city is a perfect blend of old and new, and this justifies Delhi's title "Dilwalon ki Dilli.”

In this section, we will see the average cost of living in Delhi for students or bachelors, couples and a family of four.

Area of Expense	Students or Bachelors	Couples	Family of Four (2 Adults + 2 Kids)
Accommodation	₹ 4,000 - ₹ 8,000	₹ 9,000 - ₹ 20,000	₹ 10,000 - ₹ 30,000
Groceries	₹ 1,000 - ₹ 1,500	₹ 2,000 - ₹ 4,500	₹ 4,000 - ₹ 15,000
Transport	₹ 1,000 - ₹ 2,500	₹ 1,500 - ₹ 3,500	₹ 3,000 - ₹ 7,000
Utilities	₹ 600 - ₹ 1,500	₹ 2,000 - ₹ 4,000	₹ 3,000 - ₹ 6,000
Entertainment	₹ 4,000 - ₹ 8,000	₹ 4,000 - ₹ 10,000	₹ 3,000 - ₹ 8000
Schooling of Kids	NA	NA	₹ 3,000 - ₹ 20,000

What Are the Factors That Determine the Cost of Living in Delhi?

There are several factors on which the monthly cost of living in Delhi depends upon. These factors include –

1. Accommodation

Finding a decent living space in Delhi is easier and comparatively cheaper than the other metropolitan cities in India. Individuals get a number of options while choosing a living space, starting from the budget and going up to luxury spaces.

Classification of Rentals	Approximate Price Range
1 BHK	₹ 5,000 - ₹ 18,000
2 BHK	₹ 8,000 - ₹ 13,000
3 BHK	₹ 30,000 - ₹ 50,000
Paying Guest	Starts at ₹ 7,599

The table illustrated below shows the monthly rent for a living space in the most affordable and posh areas in Delhi –

Location	Category	Approx. Rent Per Month
Burari	Affordable	₹ 5,000 - ₹ 15,000
Uttam Nagar	Affordable	₹ 5,000 - ₹ 16,000
Sultanpur	Affordable	₹ 7,500 - ₹ 18,000
Rohini	Affordable	₹ 7,000 - ₹ 30,000
Greater Kailash	Posh	₹ 18,000 - ₹ 80,000
Shanti Niketan	Posh	₹ 40,000 - ₹ 1,00,000
Hauz Khas	Posh	₹ 30,000 - ₹ 1,00,000
Safdarjung	Posh	₹ 25,000 - ₹ 1,00,000

2. Transport

Delhi is undoubtedly one of the cheapest cities in India in terms of public transport. To travel in the city, one can opt for buses, auto-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws and metro.

Category	Approximate Cost
One-way ticket (public transport)	₹ 35
Monthly pass (public transport)	₹ 1,000
Price of diesel (as of 16th February)	₹ 95.41 per litre
Price of petrol (as of 16th February)	₹ 86.67 per litre
Rental bikes and scooters	Starts at ₹ 699 per day
Cabs (minimum cost)	₹ 75 (base fare

3. Groceries

The residents of Delhi can readily find a grocery store in their vicinity to shop for the daily required things. Furthermore, you can purchase groceries from several online grocery delivery apps.

Grocery	Price
Regular milk (1 litre)	₹ 55
Fresh white bread (1 loaf)	₹ 37
Rice (1 kg)	₹ 68
Regular eggs (1 dozen)	₹ 84
Local cheese (1 kg)	₹ 364
Chicken Fillets (1 kg)	₹ 269
Apples (1 kg)	₹ 145
Bananas (1 kg)	₹ 54
Oranges (1 kg)	₹ 74
Tomato (1 kg)	₹ 42
Potato (1 kg)	₹ 26
Onion (1 kg)	₹ 37
Lettuce (1 head)	₹ 46

4. Utilities

While considering the cost of living in Delhi, one should add the money spent on utilities to their monthly budget. These utilities include electricity, mobile recharge, unlimited data plans and so on

Type of Utility	Approximate Cost
Electricity, cooling, heating, garbage, water	₹ 4,330
Local prepaid mobile tariff (1 min)	₹ 1
Unlimited internet, Cable/ADSL	₹ 706

5. Entertainment

The money spent on leisure and entertainment purposes plays an essential role in deciding the average cost of living in Delhi for students, bachelors, couples or a family of four. The table illustrated below shows the approximate money spent on entertainment.

Area of Expense	Approximate Cost
1 month gym membership	₹ 1,759
1 morning cappuccino	₹ 148
Tennis court rent for 1 hour	₹ 572
Cinema (1 seat)	₹ 350
Meal in an affordable restaurant (1 person)	₹ 300
Three-course meal in a mid-range restaurant	₹ 1,500
McMeal at McDonalds	₹ 300

6. Childcare

The cost of living in Delhi for a family of four depends on the money spent on the schooling of kids. Additionally, you can hire a nanny for ₹ 15,000 to take care of your little ones

Schools and Childcare	Approximate Cost
Kindergarten, private, full-day	₹ 5,000 monthly
International primary school	₹ 1,86,000 yearly

You must have an idea about the cost of living in Delhi by now. Furthermore, you can manage your expenses and save some money. Primarily, an individual’s average cost of living in Delhi depends on their lifestyle and standard of living.