New Delhi Cost of Living 2026

New Delhi scores 11/100 on the Anchor Cost Index, making it one of the most affordable cities we track. It ranks #141 of 160 cities worldwide — more expensive than 12% of the cities in our dataset — and #4 of 10 in South Asia.

The headline numbers: a one-bedroom apartment averages $420/month, a Big Mac costs $2.49, a 5 km Uber ride is $1.80, and a Starbucks latte runs $1.50. Together these anchor prices place New Delhi below the global midpoint for day-to-day living costs.

Depending on lifestyle, a single person needs between $891 and $1,193 per month in New Delhi. A backpacker staying in hostels and eating locally gets by on about $891, a digital nomad with coliving and coworking spends around $842, and an expat professional living centrally should plan for $1,193. A small family of three needs roughly $1,633/month.

For the typical digital nomad budget, housing absorbs about 43% ($360) and food about 37% ($311), with transport, utilities and entertainment making up the rest. That means the fastest way to cut costs in New Delhi is on accommodation — the other categories offer far less room to economize.

Location matters enormously for rent in New Delhi: a one-bedroom in the city center averages $560/month, while the same apartment outside the center costs about $280 — meaning central living carries a 100% premium. That is a steep premium, so most budget-conscious residents look beyond the center first.

Short-term flexibility costs extra: a monthly Airbnb runs about $720, 29% more than a long-term central lease, while coliving spaces average $360/month and bundle utilities and community in.

The average after-tax salary in New Delhi is about $600/month. Median rent consumes roughly 70% of that — far above the 30% affordability guideline, making local salaries a poor match for housing costs. Food costs absorb a further 19% of an average salary. This is why New Delhi tends to feel more affordable to remote workers earning foreign salaries than to locals.

Based on our derived metrics, New Delhi is a workable, if not standout, base for remote work (nomad score 60/100), with coworking memberships at about $80/month. For households, family relocation is well supported (family score 70/100) — budget around $5,400/year for an international school. Use the comparison tool to weigh New Delhi directly against the cities on your shortlist.