🇮🇳Cost of Living in Chennai

India · Population: 10,900,000 · Cost Index: 26/100

Cost of Living in Chennai

India · Asia

Chennai is the capital of Tamil Nadu and a major cultural, economic, and educational center on India's southeastern coast. Known as the Detroit of India for its automotive industry, it also has a rich heritage in classical music and dance.

10,900,000

Population

Cost Index

Safety Index

Quality of Life

Average Monthly Cost: $650 (single person, excluding rent)

Estimated monthly budget in Chennai

Typical total monthly cost by household type.

Single person

$650

per month

Couple

$980

per month

Family of 4

$1,370

per month

Student

$490

per month

Estimates based on the average cost of living in Chennai, scaled by household size. Actual costs vary with lifestyle, neighbourhood and housing.

Cost Breakdown

Housing

Avg: $372.50

1-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$300.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$170.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$650.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$370.00

Food & Groceries

Avg: $2.57

Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant(per meal)

$2.00

Meal for 2 at Mid-Range Restaurant(per meal)

$12.00

McMeal at McDonald's(per meal)

$4.00

Milk (1 liter)(per liter)

$0.65

Bread (500g loaf)(per loaf)

$0.40

Rice (1 kg)(per kg)

$0.55

Eggs (12)(per dozen)

$1.10

Chicken Breast (1 kg)(per kg)

$2.80

Apples (1 kg)(per kg)

$1.70

Banana (1 kg)(per kg)

$0.50

Transportation

Avg: $4.08

Monthly Public Transit Pass(per month)

$18.00

One-Way Ticket (Local Transport)(per trip)

$0.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)(base fare)

$0.50

Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff)(per km)

$0.40

Gasoline (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.25

Utilities

Avg: $18.67

Basic Utilities (85m² Apt)(per month)

$42.00

Mobile Phone Plan(per month)

$4.00

Internet (60 Mbps+)(per month)

$10.00

Healthcare

Avg: $7.33

Doctor Visit(per visit)

$8.00

Dentist Visit(per visit)

$10.00

Prescription Medicine (avg)(per prescription)

$4.00

Entertainment

Avg: $6.33

Fitness Club Monthly(per month)

$18.00

Cinema Ticket(per ticket)

$2.50

Cappuccino(per cup)

$1.80

Beer (0.5l) at Restaurant(per glass)

$3.00

Clothing

Avg: $34.33

Pair of Jeans (Levi's)(per pair)

$30.00

Summer Dress (Chain Store)(per item)

$18.00

Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas)(per pair)

$55.00

Popular Chennai comparisons

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Frequently asked questions about Chennai

Is Chennai expensive to live in?

Chennai has a cost of living index of 26 out of 100, where New York City scores 100. This makes it one of the more affordable cities we track.

How much money do you need to live in Chennai?

A single person needs an estimated $650 per month to live in Chennai, covering rent, food, transport and other essentials. A family or a more comfortable lifestyle will cost more.

What is the cost of living index in Chennai?

Chennai's cost of living index is 26 out of 100. The index is relative to New York City (100), so a score of 50 means overall costs are roughly half those of New York.

What is quality of life like in Chennai?

Chennai scores 48 out of 100 for quality of life and 56 out of 100 for safety in our index.