Cost of Living · Asia

Cost of living in Delhi

India · Updated May 2026

Mid-tier monthly

$1,320

all categories below

Best for: Capital-India nomads who can plan around brutal summers and the autumn air-quality season.

Monthly breakdown

Rent1-bedroom, central, decent neighborhood$600
Groceriescooking ~50% of meals at home$220
Dining out~12 meals out per month$200
Transportmonthly transit pass or scooter$40
Utilitieselectricity, water, 100Mbps internet$100
Coworkingmonthly hot-desk membership$160
Total$1,320

How Delhi compares

Versus four reference nomad cities, mid-tier monthly totals.

Lisbon
$1,980/mo
+50%
Berlin
$2,540/mo
+92%
Bangkok
$1,430/mo
+8%
Mexico City
$1,970/mo
+49%

Climate at a glance

Climate Finder

Jan
14°C
65% humidity · 1 mm/day rain
Apr
29°C
35% humidity · 0 mm/day rain
Jul
30°C
78% humidity · 9 mm/day rain
Oct
25°C
60% humidity · 1 mm/day rain

Field notes

Same e-Tourist visa story as Mumbai (180 days, no DNV). Hauz Khas, Saket, and Gurgaon (Cyber City) are the dense nomad / corporate pockets; South Delhi is where the cafés and coworking density sit. The two structural filters: pre-monsoon heat (April–June, regularly 42°C+) and the October–November air-quality crash (post-harvest stubble burning pushes AQI 400+). November–March is the comfort window. Excellent fibre, strong tech scene, dense vegetarian food.

Visa for nomads

Medium nomad-friendly

Pathway

Extendable tourist

Program

—

Typical max stay

6 months

e-Tourist visa (180 days max) or X-1/X-2 longer routes; no formal DNV.

Visa concierges

Editorial summary, not legal advice. Verify with the relevant consulate before applying — visa programs change with little notice.

Useful while you’re in Delhi

Editorial estimates aggregated from public data (Numbeo, expat surveys, recent nomad reports). Prices vary by neighborhood and lifestyle — treat the totals as an order-of-magnitude comparison, not a budget.