🇮🇳 India · A realistic 2026 budget for newcomers — rent, food, transport, and what a month actually costs.
Wondering how far your salary goes in Kolkata? Here’s what everyday life costs, in local prices — the numbers that matter when you’re deciding to move or negotiating a package.
What things cost
One-bed flat, Salt Lake or New TownINR 12,000–25,000 / month
One-bed flat, Ballygunge or Park StreetINR 20,000–40,000 / month
Kathi roll or a fish thaliINR 80–250
Groceries, one personINR 5,000–9,000 / month
Metro or tram fareINR 5–25 per journey — the cheapest urban transport of any Indian metro
Good to know
Population
≈15 million across the metropolitan area; India's third-largest urban agglomeration
Languages
Bengali is the state language and the language of the street; English is widely used in professional and academic life; Hindi is common
Currency
Indian rupee (INR)
Time zone
IST (GMT+5:30) — one national time zone, no daylight saving
Power plug
Types C, D and M, 230 V / 50 Hz
Climate
Hot humid summers reaching 40°C, a heavy June-to-September monsoon, Bay of Bengal cyclone exposure, and a genuinely pleasant November to February
Tax status
One of the eight cities India treats as a metro for house rent allowance — the original four with Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, joined by Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and Ahmedabad from 2026-27
Transport
India's first metro, opened 1984, and since 2024 the first Indian railway to tunnel under a river
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.
A note on budgeting
Rent is usually the swing factor — location and whether bills are included move the number most. Build your estimate from the rent band above, add a monthly living figure, and keep a buffer for one-off setup costs (deposits, a residence permit, a local SIM, first-month transport). Globe Quest turns this into a personalized Kolkata checklist so nothing setup-related catches you off guard.
Plan your move to Kolkata
A free, AI-personalized plan — the language, culture, and setup steps timed to your move date.