Kolkata vs Ahmedabad Cost of Living Comparison
Takeaway for Kolkata vs Ahmedabad: everyday costs favor Ahmedabad (~4% CPI gap), housing index favors Ahmedabad, wage stretch favors Ahmedabad. Use category winners, not a single headline, when the binding constraint is rent or income.
Overall Cost Winner
Ahmedabad
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Salary (12% gap, Ahmedabad ahead); Purchasing Power (12% gap, Ahmedabad ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $19 lower in Ahmedabad than in Kolkata (~9% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $19 (favoring Ahmedabad).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Ahmedabad | CPI 14.7 vs 15.3 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Ahmedabad | Rent index 5 vs 5.5 (lower is better) |
| Food | Ahmedabad | Groceries index 18 vs 19 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Kolkata | One-way ticket 29.06 vs 29.06 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Ahmedabad | Utilities (85m²) 835 vs 918.5 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Ahmedabad | Internet 935.2 vs 993.65 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Ahmedabad | Restaurant index 13 vs 14 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Ahmedabad | Avg net salary 336505 vs 300266 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Ahmedabad | PP index 65 vs 58 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Salary: Ahmedabad leads with a 12% gap.
Avg net salary 336505 vs 300266 (higher is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Ahmedabad — Lower housing / rent index (9% gap).
- Families: Ahmedabad — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Ahmedabad; purchasing power favors Ahmedabad.
- Remote Workers: Ahmedabad — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Ahmedabad (~4% gap).
- Budget Living: Ahmedabad — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Ahmedabad is the overall cost winner on CPI (~4% lower everyday-cost index than Kolkata).
- Housing: Ahmedabad leads on rent index (9% gap).
- Food / groceries: Ahmedabad is lower (5% gap).
- Purchasing power: Ahmedabad scores higher (12% gap).
- Largest category gap: Salary (12%), favoring Ahmedabad.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$19 cheaper in Ahmedabad.
Analysis
Kolkata versus Ahmedabad is not a single number. With a 4% CPI spread, groceries and services tend to move with Ahmedabad, while housing follows Ahmedabad's rent index. Purchasing power (58 vs 65) decides whether local wages offset local prices.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-11
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Real
- Real
On-page labels for this view: Real · Real.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.