What does life cost in Kolkata?
Monthly costs by household and lifestyle, what salary covers them, and how Kolkata compares with 12 other cities.
About ₹4,20,000 a year. Break-even salary (saving nothing): ₹4.77L. Moderate lifestyle, estimates.
Your Kitnaaa rating
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- Saves 20% or moreSavings rate 78%. The 50/30/20 rule of thumb sets aside 20% of take-home.Met
- Rent within 30% of take-homeRent is 11% of take-home. A widely used guide keeps housing at or under 30%.Met
- Builds a 6-month cushion within a yearA year of saving covers 43.3 months of costs. Planners often suggest 3–6 months of expenses as an emergency fund.Met
A fun summary of three rules of thumb, based on estimates. Not a credit score or financial advice.
Category breakdown
Where every ₹100 goes
Of every ₹100 you take home, about ₹11 goes on housing and ₹78 is left to save.
- Housing Estimate₹17,200
- Food Estimate₹7,600
- Transport Estimate₹1,600
- Utilities Estimate₹2,000
- Healthcare Estimate₹900
- Entertainment Estimate₹4,000
- Other Estimate₹1,700
- Kitna bachega₹1,26,226
The same life in other cities
Estimated monthly cost
See as a table
| City | Est. monthly cost | vs Kolkata |
|---|---|---|
| Jaipur | ₹33,200 | -5% |
| Kolkata | ₹35,000 | — |
| Greater Noida | ₹36,400 | +4% |
| Ahmedabad | ₹36,800 | +5% |
| Kochi | ₹39,100 | +12% |
| Pune | ₹40,500 | +16% |
| Chennai | ₹40,700 | +16% |
| Noida | ₹43,400 | +24% |
| Delhi | ₹46,000 | +31% |
| Bangalore | ₹50,700 | +45% |
| Hyderabad | ₹51,500 | +47% |
| Gurgaon | ₹51,800 | +48% |
| Mumbai | ₹63,800 | +82% |
Your Kolkata Money Report ₹299
Salary analysis, a monthly budget, savings projection, city and housing scenarios, written for your numbers. Everything above stays free.
See what's in the reportRent in Kolkata, by area
Monthly rent for a 2BHK. Where you live changes your budget more than anything else.
| Area | Type | 2BHK rent | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alipore | Posh | ₹30K–50K | LogisticMart Kolkata rental guide, Feb 2026 |
| Ballygunge | Posh | ₹25K–45K | LogisticMart Kolkata rental guide, Feb 2026 |
| New Town | Popular | ₹22K–32K | Niptao guide (MagicBricks, 99acres and NoBroker listings), May 2026 |
| Salt Lake | Popular | ₹20K–30K | Niptao guide (MagicBricks, 99acres and NoBroker listings), May 2026 |
| EM Bypass | Mid-range | ₹32K | Anarock (2022), projected to Sep 2026 at 10%/yr, Sep 2026 |
| Tollygunge | Mid-range | ₹17K–25K | Niptao guide (MagicBricks, 99acres and NoBroker listings), May 2026 |
| Behala | Budget | ₹15K–22K | Niptao guide (MagicBricks, 99acres and NoBroker listings), May 2026 |
Listing-site estimates are less rigorous than research-firm data; projected figures assume 10% rent growth a year. Pick your area in the calculator above, or enter your own rent.
Salary needed in Kolkata, by household
| Household | Lifestyle | Monthly cost | CTC to save 20% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | Moderate | ₹35,000 | ₹5.96L |
| Single | Comfortable | ₹48,690 | ₹8.28L |
| Couple | Moderate | ₹51,030 | ₹8.68L |
| Couple | Comfortable | ₹70,935 | ₹12.05L |
| Family (1 child) | Moderate | ₹67,350 | ₹11.45L |
| Family (1 child) | Comfortable | ₹89,423 | ₹16.33L |
Typical rent, salaried, new regime. West Bengal professional tax: ₹2,400 a year (approx.). We couldn't verify a 2020 rank; Kolkata did not take part in the 2018 edition.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to live in Kolkata?
For one person on a moderate lifestyle with typical rent, KITNA estimates about ₹35,000 a month. 1 of the 12 other cities KITNA covers come out cheaper on the same assumptions. These city figures are placeholders we're replacing with sourced data.
What salary do you need to live comfortably in Kolkata?
If comfortably means a comfortable lifestyle while saving 20% of take-home, a single person would need a CTC of roughly ₹8.28L under our assumptions.