Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Lucknow vs Varkala

Lucknow vs Varkala

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Lucknow 24% cheaper N/A / N/A

Lucknow

Rhythmic Creations/Unsplash

Varkala

Rahul Chakraborty/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$830

Lucknow

$1,098

Varkala

Internet

Mbps

Safety

N/A

Lucknow

N/A

Varkala

Air Quality

5/5

Lucknow

5/5

Varkala

Healthcare

N/A

Lucknow

N/A

Varkala

Population

2.9m

Lucknow

40.0k

Varkala

Lucknow and Varkala 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

The monthly savings are substantial — Lucknow at $830/mo costs 24% less than Varkala at $1098/mo, adding up to $3216 over a year.

For families, Lucknow costs $668.408773077319/mo compared to Varkala's $1645.912884756213/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

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

Quality of Life

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

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Lucknow and Varkala.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Lucknow is February (around 23 degrees, 0mm rain, score 375), while Varkala peaks in January (36 degrees, 0mm rain, score 379). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

LucknowVarkala

Nomad$830/mo$1,098/mo

Expat$484/mo$757/mo

Local$191/mo$470/mo

Family$668/mo$1,646/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

LucknowVarkala

City Speed

61 Mbps

Country Speed61 Mbps61 Mbps

Environment & Health

LucknowVarkala

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionN/AN/A

ClimateN/AN/A

Humidity1877

Quality of Life

LucknowVarkala

SafetyN/AN/A

HealthcareN/AN/A

Monthly Weather Comparison

Lucknow

Varkala

Jan

19°

0mm335

36°

0mm379

Feb

23°

0mm375

37°

0mm344

Mar

30°

0mm375

37°

1mm335

Apr

38°

0mm325

39°

3mm292

May

42°

0mm315

36°

23mm143

Jun

44°

0mm315

33°

14mm104

Jul

40°

6mm191

33°

6mm158

Aug

38°

7mm196

33°

7mm143

Sep

37°

2mm303

33°

3mm212

Oct

36°

0mm375

34°

4mm189

Nov

29°

0mm375

35°

3mm301

Dec

22°

0mm355

35°

1mm332

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

Who Should Choose Varkala?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1098
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $1645.912884756213/mo for families
Smaller city feel with 40.0k residents
Peak season in January — 36 degrees, score 379

Overall Verdict

The data favors Lucknow as the more well-rounded choice. At $830/mo versus Varkala's $1098/mo, that is a 24% saving that adds up significantly on an extended stay.

Granular Price Comparison

Lucknow Varkala

ItemLucknowVarkalaDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$3.07—

—

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

—

McMeal or equivalent combo$3.07—

—

Cappuccino (regular)$1.57—

—

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$1.84—

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.68—

—

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.35—

—

Water (0.33L)$0.18—

—

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$0.68—

—

White bread (500g)$0.45—

—

White rice (1kg)$0.71—

—

Eggs (12)$1.03—

—

Chicken fillets (1kg)$3.48—

—

Beef round (1kg)$6.52—

—

Local cheese (1kg)$3.96—

—

Apples (1kg)$1.49—

—

Bananas (1kg)$0.58—

—

Oranges (1kg)$0.82—

—

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.43—

—

Potatoes (1kg)$0.25—

—

Onions (1kg)$0.35—

—

Lettuce (1 head)$0.43—

—

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.35—

—

Wine, mid-range bottle$6.14—

—

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.81—

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.39—

—

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$4.05—

—

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.43—

—

Monthly transport pass$12.28—

—

Taxi start (normal tariff)$0.61—

—

Taxi per 1km$0.15—

—

Taxi 1hr waiting$1.23—

—

Gasoline (1L)$1.25—

—

Volkswagen Golf (new)$14,738.11—

—

Toyota Corolla (new)$24,393.62—

—

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$47.83—

—

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$8.66—

—

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.02—

—

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$19.96—

—

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$10.23—

—

Cinema, 1 ticket$3.68—

—

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$51.34—

—

International primary school/yr$1,271.16—

—

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$27.55—

—

Summer dress (chain store)$34.39—

—

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$40.91—

—

Men's leather business shoes$38.92—

—

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$122.82—

—

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$77.99—

—

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$305.51—

—

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$180.13—

—

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,067.19—

—

Price per m², outside centre$599.7—

—

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$569.74—

—

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$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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