Standard of living and prices in India in 2021

Taxes in India

Indian currency

Tax laws are spread equally throughout India. The main documents regulating the activities of taxpayers are: ACT of 1961, the Constitution and Regulations, which are being introduced gradually to improve taxation. The main tax authority in India is the Central Board of Taxation under the Ministry of Finance.

Residents of India pay income tax on:

  • wages, bonuses, bonuses and other payments from the employer;
  • profit from real estate;
  • income from individual entrepreneurship;
  • rewards from bank investments;
  • other income.

Tax rates are set in relation to salaries, as well as to the age of the employee. Given that many Indians work throughout their lives, the Government is trying to protect older people after 60 years of age by applying low tax rates.

The average resident pays income tax to the budget according to the following scheme:

LevelTotal Income/Rs.Interest rate
1Up to 2,50,000
2From 2,50,001 – 5,00,0005%
3From 5,00,001 – 10,00,00020%
4From 10,00,001 and above30%

Payment of income tax or Income Tax is made by the employer or the employee himself in installments, quarterly, four times a year: until June 15, until September 15, until December 15, and until March 15.

Pension contributions in the amount of 8.3% for civil servants are paid by organizations, and 1.16% is allocated from the state budget for them monthly. Civil servants retire at the age of 58. The maximum pension payment is assigned in the amount of 50% of wages paid for the last period.

Since 2004, India has had a new pension system for employees of private companies; they transfer 10% of their salary to the Fund every month. The minimum pension payment is 9,000 rupees or $120 per month.

Average salary level by region

A country of contrasts amazes guests with the difference in social status. Luxury and poverty coexist in cities and countryside. Crime is high in popular shopping centers. India is divided into regions based on wages.

Agricultural areas are considered low-income. It is known that 60% of residents work in the agricultural sector. Landowners' plots are located in close proximity to personal plots on which the lower social strata try to grow their own food. In 2021, the minimum wage for a peasant was $60 per month.

In cities, income levels reach up to $90. This is how workers without qualifications, experience or knowledge of the language are paid. Education in the country is so unpopular that very few adults can read and write.

Residents of cities with developed infrastructure are recognized as the wealthiest:

  • Mumbai is the city that holds the record for the number of financial institutions;
  • New Delhi is the capital of the state;
  • Kochi - the largest oil refining center operates here;
  • Calcutta is the country's main stock exchange;
  • Goa is a popular resort.

Salaries range from $350 to $850.

Average salaries in India for the most in-demand professions

India is a very colorful country with a rich cultural heritage, which also has a strong division of people into classes. According to tax reports: out of 1.353 billion residents, only 1% of residents pay taxes, although about 400 million people are officially employed. It turns out that most earn very little and are exempt from the tax burden.

Often locals work unofficially - on construction sites, in agriculture, in fishing, in the service sector. If we talk about average salaries in India, they are very different; many factors influence this. First of all, you can count on the median income only in large and popular cities and administrative centers, such as Mumbai, Delhi, Goa, Kolkata, Bangalore. A large number of tourists come there, and a large number of companies operate there, formed at the expense of investors and the state.

Among the professions to which the concept of average salaries applies are doctors, civil servants, workers in the tourism sector, financiers, programmers, actors, and salespeople in large retail outlets. Their income ranges from 20,000-30,000 rupees, which is 260-400 dollars or 18,000-27,000 rubles.

The average salary has increased in Russia Rossiyskaya Gazeta

This situation, increasing social tension, worries local authorities.

Apparently, this is why the police are tasked with identifying foreigners working illegally in the tourism sector.

Deported Russian citizens, who, by the way, had a business visa, also came to the attention of law enforcement agencies.

A good opportunity to gain work experience in India and improve your English or Hindi is an internship in one of the Indian companies.

The organization of such internships is carried out by various training and educational centers, which, as a rule, further supervise the interns during their stay in India.

The organizer undertakes: Internship programs are designed to gain work experience in the hotel and restaurant business, the field of IT technology, and the social sphere.

In addition, there are volunteer internship programs (for example, in the field of healthcare), which allow you to get acquainted with the peculiarities of organizing work processes in various areas of the economy.

To open your own business in India, you must first of all obtain a business visa to the country.

Detailed information about the requirements for the applicant and the list of documents required to obtain a visa can be found on the website

The most popular sectors of doing business in the country are trade, tourism and catering.

Given the huge Internet audience in India, ample opportunities are opening up for IT businessmen.

If the enterprise is a limited liability company (Limited Company), the authorized capital must be at least 2 thousand. Most experts consider opening their own business in India today to be quite a bold and risky undertaking.

Permission to conduct business in the country requires obtaining a residence permit for an entrepreneur.

Among the conditions required to obtain a residence permit: Working in India is a suitable option for those who like a measured and leisurely pace of life, and the size of the salary is not necessarily the determining factor when choosing a workplace.

India's population as of 2021 exceeds 1.3 billion people, and the country's labor market is seeking to employ, first of all, a huge army of its own workers.

Many of our compatriots are attracted to work in the resort states of the country, such as Goa, which provides a unique opportunity to combine interesting work in the tourism sector with a vacation in one of the heavenly places on the planet.

The country's developing economy is experiencing a shortage of highly qualified specialists in a variety of fields - from industrial construction to IT technologies.

Most states in the country are short of doctors and teachers.

Therefore, employment in India is quite possible for job seekers who set out to find work in this mysterious country.

Probably everyone will be interested to know in which country in the world human labor is paid the lowest?

Salary levels in India - complete list

ProfessionsAverage salaries
in rublesin rupeesin dollars
1Top manager in the company639 566700 000$9 269
2President of India483 000528 640$7 000
3Business Management Consultant468 253512 500$6 786
4Professional actor448 610491 000$6 502
5Pilot345 365378 000$5 005
6State Governor338 100370 048$4 900
7Hotel manager329 861361 030$4 781
8Engineer274 100300 000$3 972
9Medical worker271 724297 400$3 938
10Prime Minister269 100294 528$3 900
11Network Administrator198 182216 909$2 872
12Product Manager186 936204 600$2 709
13Architect137 050150 000$1 986
14Chartered Accountant114 208125 000$1 655
15Marine Engineer107 253117 388$1 554
16Lawyer103 153112 900$1 495
17Programmer95 204104 200$1 380
18Data Scientist72 33179 166$1 048
19Captain on a sea vessel68 98275 500$1 000
20Lecturer at the university38 55742 200$559
21Chef36 27339 700$526
22SPA manager28 37831 059$411
23Financier at the bank26 31428 800$381
24Salesman25 94828 400$376
25Model24 04326 315$348
26Journalist20 10122 000$291
27Travel agent20 00921 900$290
28Aspiring actor19 46121 300$282
29Event organizer18 82220 600$273
30Electrician18 51520 265$268
31Builder17 22918 857$250
32Guide17 17718 800$249
33Electrician13 70515 000$199
34Junior accountant13 43514 705$195
35Driver8 6809 500$126
36Worker in agriculture8 2239 000$119
37Postman7 3098 000$106
38Housekeeper4 5685 000$66

Living wage in India

Living wage

The cost of living in the Indian understanding is very different from the Russian one. If in Russia the amount is tied to the consumer basket, then in India this method of assessment is hardly suitable. For the poor, an income of $60-100 is hardly enough for a bag of rice or a couple of kilograms of vegetables and fruits. It is very difficult to change the caste system of Indians, but many volunteers go there to help them get out of severe poverty.

If we take official sources, the cost of living in India is $145-200. With this amount you can feed yourself, but not your family, which is why many children drop out of school and from the age of 8-10 help their parents at construction sites and plantations. The cost of living for Indians belonging to the Brahmin and Kshatriya castes is several times higher than those who belong to the Vaishya and Shudra castes.

Standard of living and prices in India in 2021

The Russian-speaking population believes that almost all residents of India live poorly, are forced to survive on a tiny salary, etc. In current realities, this information is not so relevant, since the level and quality of life is increasing every year. The current situation is already far from the picture that was observed 10 years ago. In 2021, India is not inferior to Russia in terms of average salaries in large cities, the size of mortgage loans and other indicators, and is a leader in some. Of course, the standard of living in India in 2018 remains low. In particular, India is among the TOP 10 countries in terms of GDP growth. Every year the growth of gross domestic product increases by 7-8%. The country's economy is built on several key areas: tourism services (more than 50%), agriculture (more than 20%), heavy and light industry (more than 10%). The country ranks second in terms of population (1 billion 340 million people).

The website ultramodern-home.ru allows you to look at the expenses and incomes of Indians by examining the current prices below in India in 2018 for transport, food (at markets and supermarkets), apartment rentals, utility bills, real estate purchases, Internet and mobile communications. The main problem is the huge number of people living below the poverty line. In large cities, you can see a picture where rich areas are adjacent to poor slums.

No. 1. Prices for apartment rentals and utility bills in India in 2018

Let's start with the most important expense item, which includes renting an apartment and utility bills. Rental rates depend on the city. The three most expensive cities for rental housing are Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. In the center of Mumbai, you will have to pay an average of $585 per month for renting a one-room apartment, and in residential areas – $290.

The table below will help you navigate real estate rentals, where you can see rental rates in the largest cities in the country.

Rent

List of city dwellersCity center. Apartment with 1 bedroom Sleeping areas. Apartment with 1 bedroom City center. Apartment with 2 bedrooms Sleeping areas. Apartment with 2 bedrooms
Mumbai585 $290 $1130 $502 $
Delhi240 $145 $490 $250 $
Bangalore250 $150 $440 $265 $
Calcutta205 $110 $330 $190 $
Chennai180 $110 $315 $185 $
Hyderabad175 $100 $305 $175 $
Ahmedabad155 $95 $280 $170 $
Pune220 $140 $340 $215 $
Surat110 $70 $200 $120 $

Communal payments

For water supply, electricity and garbage collection, Indians are forced to spend less money than the Chinese. For example, on our website you can compare prices and living standards in China in 2021 with indicators in India. For a small one-room apartment, utility bills will be about $20.

Number of roomsMonthly (water, electricity, garbage)
One bedroom apartment20 $
Two bedroom apartment25 $
Three bedroom apartment34 $

Additional expenses

In general, it cannot be said that mobile communications are expensive here. Home Internet is an expensive proposition for the poor. The average city resident can easily afford to use mobile communications every day and install home Internet.

List of additional expensesMonthly
Home Internet18 $
mobile connection5 $ (1 minute of conversation = 0.01 $)
Gym membership22 $
Kindergarten for 1 child90 $

No. 2. Mortgages and real estate prices in India in 2018

Mumbai can be compared to Moscow. This densely populated city has the highest real estate prices. If we focus on the most comfortable and prestigious areas of the city, where the cream of society live, then the average cost of 1 square meter reaches $6,855 (more than 380 thousand rubles). A small apartment of 35 square meters in such prestigious areas will cost an average of $240,000.

Below you can see how much real estate costs in the largest metropolitan cities: Delhi, Kanpur, Bangalore, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Chennai, Surat, Ahmedabad, Pune and others.

List of citiesCity center. On average per 1 square meter Sleeping areas. On average per 1 square meter
Mumbai6855 $2630 $
Delhi2895 $1240 $
Bangalore1820 $800 $
Calcutta1400 $670 $
Chennai2130 $810 $
Hyderabad925 $545 $
Ahmedabad1070 $560 $
Pune1810 $890 $
Surat725 $420 $
Kanpur1870 $665 $
Jaipur1400 $500 $

Mortgage

In terms of average mortgage rates, India is comparable to Russia. You can get a loan for housing at 9-13% per annum.

Types of loansAverage annual interest rate
Mortgage for real estate purchase9.90 %

No. 4. Average salaries in India in 2018

The average salary in Indian cities at the beginning of 2021 is $559 (31,000 rubles) US dollars, which is comparable to average salaries in Russian cities. Residents of rural areas earn about $70-100 per month. Recently, the unemployment rate has been growing, averaging 0.5% per year. In 2021 it increased to 6%. The young and active population goes into shadow employment.

Young professionals with education are flocking to work in large cities, which has provoked high competition in the labor market. In a large metropolis, from 100 to 1000 specialists can apply for one position (depending on the position and salary).

Cities with the highest net wages include: Mumbai ($830), Pune ($770), Bangalore ($840) and Delhi ($680).

List of citiesAverage net monthly salary
Average net salary in Indian cities560 $
Mumbai830 $
Delhi680 $
Bangalore840 $
Calcutta430 $
Chennai530 $
Hyderabad560 $
Ahmedabad527 $
Kanpur410 $
Surat400 $
Jaipur517 $
Goa415 $
Pune770 $

No. 5. Food and grocery prices in India in 2018

The country is dominated by two faiths - Hindus and Muslims. Therefore, pork and beef are not included here, since these animals are sacred. You can buy anything you want in markets and large supermarkets. We have indicated average prices in India in 2021 for meat, fish, seafood, fruits, vegetables, drinks, alcohol, cigarettes, eggs, bread, etc.

Grocery listWeightPrice
Dairy products, meat, fish
Milk1 liter0.70 $
Chicken breasts (fillets)1 kg3.27 $
Cheese1 kg4.85 $
Fish1 kg3,00-5.00 $
Shrimps1 kg10.00-13.00 $
Vegetables and fruits
Potato1 kg0.35 $
Tomatoes1 kg0.51 $
cucumbers1 kg0.40 $
Mangosteen1 kg1,57 $
Oranges1 kg0.96 $
Bananas1 kg0.73 $
Apples1 kg2.07 $
Onion1 kg0.42 $
Melon1 kg0,34 $
Watermelon1 kg0,30 $
Papayafor 1 piece0,98 $
Drinks, alcohol and other products
Rice1 kg0.77 $
A loaf of bread500 gr0.44 $
Pasta1 kg1.60 $
Eggs10 pieces0.85 $
Tea packaging250 gr2,50 $
Coffee250 gr3.60 $
A bottle of wine0.7 l8.00-10.00 $
Drinking water1.5 l0.44 $
Indian beer0.5 l1.60 $
Imported beer0.5 l2.70 $
Marlboro cigarettes1 pack3.15 $

Average bill in cafes and restaurants in India 2018

In popular resorts, prices in cafes and restaurants are 15-20% higher. In any case, Indian catering is accessible and cheap for tourists from the CIS. In traditional cafes with Indian cuisine, where locals eat, you can have lunch or dinner for a modest $2.5-4 per person. In restaurants, a full lunch or dinner will cost $6-10 per person.

List of catering establishmentsAverage bill per person
Cafe with national cuisine. Lunch or dinner 2.50-4.00 $
Restaurants. Lunch or dinner 6.00-10.00 $
Fast food establishments4.00-6.00 $

No. 6. Transport prices in India in 2021: public transport and taxis

Taxi fares for tourists are usually 15-20% higher. Driving a rented car around large cities is problematic. We do not recommend doing this, as there are constant traffic jams on the roads, and local drivers drive chaotically and erratically. If you want to save your nerves, it is better to use a taxi or take the metro.

Types of transportPrice
Taxi
Landing0.77 $
On average per 1 km0.30 $
Total cost of taxi ride (5 km)2,27 $
Public transport
One-way metro or bus travel0.31 $
Monthly pass9.50 $
Fuel
1 liter of gasoline1.12 $

Minimum salary in India

Minimum wage

The Government of India is committed to protecting its citizens and strongly supports Minimum Wage Laws, which all states and territories must adhere to. The employer and local authorities bear full responsibility; in case of violation of the law, they face imprisonment of up to 5 years and fines.

Each Indian state or territory has its own minimum wage. For 2021 they have not changed much compared to 2021:

Indian regionsMinimum wages
in rublesin rupeesin dollars
Andaman and Nicobar Islands11 45412 536$166
Assam7 5908 307$110
Chhattisgarh8 2809 062$120
Delhi13 80015 104$200
Haryana8 2809 062$120
Jharkhand6 9007 552$100
Madhya Pradesh7 5908 307$110
Meghalaya7 9358 685$115
Orissa8 6259 440$125
Rajasthan5 5206 042$80
Telangana8 9709 818$130
Uttarakhand7 9358 685$115
Andhra Pradesh8 2809 062$120
Bihar6 9007 552$100
Dadra and Nagar Haveli7 9358 685$115
Goa8 6259 440$125
Himachal Pradesh6 9007 552$100
Karnataka10 35011 328$150
Maharashtra9 66010 573$140
Mizoram7 5908 307$110
Pondicherry7 5908 307$110
Sikkim8 6259 440$125
Tripura5 5206 042$80
West Bengal7 2457 930$105
Arunachal Pradesh6 2106 797$90
Chandigarh10 35011 328$150
Daman and Diu7 9358 685$115
Gujarat8 1428 911$118
Jammu and Kashmir4 8305 286$70
Kerala8 6259 440$125
Manipur6 5557 174$95
Nagaland5 1755 664$75
Punjab8 2809 062$120
Tamil Nadu8 9709 818$130
Uttar Pradesh8 9709 818$130

Average salaries of emigrants from Russia in India

Vacancies for Russians and other foreigners are published on international portals, in Russian-speaking groups, and on social networks. The most common areas where non-residents can be accepted in India:

  • medicine;
  • education;
  • logistics;
  • tourism;
  • sports entertainment;
  • social work;
  • management;
  • finance.

Getting a job in India is difficult, since according to local legislation, the contract with a non-resident must stipulate a salary of at least $25,000 per year, which is simply a huge amount for local employers. But, it is possible to find an international company willing to pay an average salary of $2,000 per month for professionalism.

Salaries by country: noticeable difference

On thematic forums, workers often discuss wages in India. It differs depending on the area in which a person is involved. Mostly, residents of the former CIS, when coming to the republic, reluctantly agree to receive a living wage and look for more profitable vacancies. And the main thing is that our compatriots find work in an exotic country.

All labor migrants can be divided into two categories:

  1. Travelers. These are the people who “move” around the country and earn money periodically, getting a job in order to travel further. They even agree to do menial work, but they don’t work for long.
  2. Migrants who want to earn high earnings and climb the career ladder.

The second category of migrants is more conscious and pragmatic. But in order to take a good position in India, you must be fluent in English. The most prestigious jobs in India that pay good money are in the IT industry, small business and, of course, tourism.

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