Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Kolkata vs Lucknow

Kolkata vs Lucknow

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Lucknow 22% cheaper Moderate / N/A

Kolkata

SAUVIK BOSE/Unsplash

Lucknow

Rhythmic Creations/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,059

Kolkata

$830

Lucknow

Internet

Mbps

Safety

Moderate

Kolkata

N/A

Lucknow

Air Quality

5/5

Kolkata

5/5

Lucknow

Healthcare

High

Kolkata

N/A

Lucknow

Population

4.5m

Kolkata

2.9m

Lucknow

Kolkata and Lucknow are both in India, making this one of the most common comparisons for digital nomads planning a base in the region. This guide breaks down the key differences across cost, internet, safety, weather, and quality of life.

Cost of Living

Budget-conscious nomads take note: Lucknow costs $830/mo, saving 22% compared to Kolkata's $1059/mo — that's $2748 per year.

For families, Kolkata costs $986.1266431614971/mo compared to Lucknow's $668.408773077319/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Internet speeds are nearly identical — Kolkata at 61 Mbps and Lucknow at 61 Mbps. Both handle video calls and uploads well.

Quality of Life

Both Kolkata and Lucknow share the same safety rating — travelers can feel equally comfortable in either city.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Kolkata and Lucknow.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Kolkata is February (around 31 degrees, 0mm rain, score 439), while Lucknow peaks in February (23 degrees, 0mm rain, score 375). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

KolkataLucknow

Nomad$1,059/mo$830/mo

Expat$492/mo$484/mo

Local$282/mo$191/mo

Family$986/mo$668/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

KolkataLucknow

City Speed

61 Mbps

Country Speed61 Mbps61 Mbps

Environment & Health

KolkataLucknow

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighN/A

ClimateModerateN/A

Humidity5318

Quality of Life

KolkataLucknow

SafetyModerateN/A

HealthcareHighN/A

Monthly Weather Comparison

Kolkata

Lucknow

Jan

24°

0mm419

19°

0mm335

Feb

31°

0mm439

23°

0mm375

Mar

35°

0mm427

30°

0mm375

Apr

42°

0mm389

38°

0mm325

May

42°

0mm397

42°

0mm315

Jun

42°

1mm385

44°

0mm315

Jul

38°

8mm224

40°

6mm191

Aug

38°

13mm214

38°

7mm196

Sep

39°

6mm317

37°

2mm303

Oct

38°

6mm347

36°

0mm375

Nov

31°

0mm439

29°

0mm375

Dec

27°

0mm439

22°

0mm355

Who Should Choose Kolkata?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1059
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $986.1266431614971/mo for families
Major city energy with 4.5m residents
Peak season in February — 31 degrees, score 439

Who Should Choose Lucknow?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $830
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $668.408773077319/mo for families
Major city energy with 2.9m residents
Peak season in February — 23 degrees, score 375

Overall Verdict

For the typical digital nomad, Kolkata is the stronger pick. At $1059/mo it beats Lucknow's $830/mo by 22%, and the 61 Mbps internet handles video calls without issues.

Granular Price Comparison

Kolkata Lucknow

ItemKolkataLucknowDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$2$3.07

35%

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$14.74$12.28

17%

McMeal or equivalent combo$3.68$3.07

17%

Cappuccino (regular)$1.64$1.57

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.21$1.84

17%

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.68$3.68

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.36$0.35

Water (0.33L)$0.15$0.18

17%

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$0.63$0.68

White bread (500g)$0.37$0.45

18%

White rice (1kg)$0.69$0.71

Eggs (12)$0.92$1.03

11%

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.05$3.48

12%

Beef round (1kg)$6.38$6.52

Local cheese (1kg)$5.04$3.96

21%

Apples (1kg)$1.88$1.49

21%

Bananas (1kg)$0.65$0.58

11%

Oranges (1kg)$1.19$0.82

31%

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.64$0.43

33%

Potatoes (1kg)$0.4$0.25

38%

Onions (1kg)$0.44$0.35

20%

Lettuce (1 head)$0.37$0.43

14%

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.34$0.35

Wine, mid-range bottle$9.52$6.14

36%

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.77$1.81

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.96$3.39

13%

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$4.05$4.05

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.2$0.43

53%

Monthly transport pass$3.93$12.28

68%

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.61$0.61

Taxi per 1km$0.31$0.15

52%

Taxi 1hr waiting$1.23$1.23

Gasoline (1L)$1.33$1.25

Volkswagen Golf (new)$12,281.76$14,738.11

17%

Toyota Corolla (new)$22,528.1$24,393.62

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$31.81$47.83

33%

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$7.47$8.66

14%

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.01$0.02

50%

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$18.61$19.96

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$8$10.23

22%

Cinema, 1 ticket$3.56$3.68

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$49.59$51.34

International primary school/yr$1,624.54$1,271.16

22%

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$28.94$27.55

Summer dress (chain store)$26.31$34.39

23%

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$49.43$40.91

17%

Men's leather business shoes$34.08$38.92

12%

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$148.65$122.82

17%

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$84.89$77.99

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$388.92$305.51

21%

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$248.24$180.13

27%

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,038.75$1,067.19

Price per m², outside centre$587.51$599.7

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$532.21$569.74

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$8.25$8.47

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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