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Rach Gia vs Varanasi cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ป๐ณ Rach Gia
๐ฎ๐ณ Varanasi
At a glance
- Where Varanasi is clearly cheaper: Bottled water (48%โ), Studio rent (month) (44%โ), Street food (37%โ)
- Where Rach Gia is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (79%โ), Beer (68%โ), Cocktail & wine (50%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Rach Gia is easier to travel (3.0 vs 3.6). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Rach Gia 2 vs Varanasi 5. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Rach Gia | Varanasi | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | โซ 35,000$1.33 | โน 150$1.79 | Rach Gia โ25% |
| Street food1 item | โซ 25,000$0.95 | โน 50$0.6 | Varanasi โ37% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | โซ 150,000$5.7 | โน 450$5.36 | Varanasi โ6% |
| Coffeeone cup | โซ 35,000$1.33 | โน 150$1.79 | Rach Gia โ25% |
| Beerone bottle | โซ 25,000$0.95 | โน 250$2.98 | Rach Gia โ68% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | โซ 70,000$2.66 | โน 450$5.36 | Rach Gia โ50% |
| Bottled water | โซ 6,000$0.23 | โน 10$0.12 | Varanasi โ48% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | โซ 12,000$0.46 | โน 30$0.36 | Varanasi โ22% |
| Taxi5 km in town | โซ 70,000$2.66 | โน 140$1.67 | Varanasi โ37% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | โซ 20,000$0.76 | โน 80$0.95 | Rach Gia โ20% |
| Transitone ride | โซ 7,000$0.27 | โน 20$0.24 | Varanasi โ11% |
| Scooter rentalper day | โซ 120,000$4.56 | โน 500$5.95 | Rach Gia โ23% |
| Hotel night3-star | โซ 650,000$24.7 | โน 3,000$35.7 | Rach Gia โ31% |
| Studio rent (month) | โซ 5,000,000$190 | โน 9,000$107 | Varanasi โ44% |
| Laundry | โซ 20,000$0.76 | โน 100$1.19 | Rach Gia โ36% |
| SIM card1 week data | โซ 180,000$6.84 | โน 600$7.14 | similar |
| Haircutcut | โซ 50,000$1.9 | โน 120$1.43 | Varanasi โ25% |
| Massage1 hour | โซ 200,000$7.6 | โน 1,200$14.3 | Rach Gia โ47% |
| Half-day tourper person | โซ 400,000$15.2 | โน 1,000$11.9 | Varanasi โ22% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | โซ 20,000$0.76 | โน 300$3.57 | Rach Gia โ79% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Rach Gia or Varanasi?
Rach Gia and Varanasi cost about the same. Daily budget $44.8 vs $54.9; a month $734 vs $633.
Which is easier to travel, Rach Gia or Varanasi?
Rach Gia is easier: Rach Gia 3.0/5 vs Varanasi 3.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Rach Gia and Varanasi?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Rach Gia is about $734 and Varanasi about $633 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.