What is the Average Cost of Groceries in India?

Figuring out how much money you will need for groceries each month can be hectic. And that too, when prices of different grocery items vary drastically from state to state. So in this article, we are going to figure out what is the average cost of groceries in India. We are also going to see a few examples of how much money we will need for groceries for families of different sizes.

You might have just started earning, and you are trying to budget out how much money you will need for groceries each month. Or you have just moved to a new city and buying 4 meals a day is hurting your pocket. Or, you might have just started your own family.

Whatever may be the scenario, the basic idea of making a grocery list remains the same.

The location also plays a vital role in budgeting out how much money you will need for groceries each month.

Why do we say that?

Here is an example of how the price of groceries varies from state to state.

From the above picture, you can see that the price of 10 kilograms of Ashirvaad Atta in Bangalore cost Rs. 392/-.

While the cost of 10 Kilograms of Aashirvaad Atta in Kolkata is Rs. 366/-. Which we can see in the picture below.

For some perspective, Rs. 392/- is 7.3% higher than Rs. 366/-.

This was just one of the many examples where we can see the price of grocery items varying from state to state.

Now let us see what will be the average cost of groceries for different sizes of families in India. But first, let’s make a grocery list.

*We will be using either Mumbai or Bangalore as our location because these are two of the most expensive cities in India.

Monthly Grocery List for 1 Person in India

1. Atta / Flour 6 Kgs – Rs. 228 – 240/- (Rs. 38 – 40/- per Kilo)
   or
   Chawal / Rice 4 Kgs – Rs 240 – 260/- (Rs. 60 – 65/- per Kilo)
2. Daal / Lentils (of 2 different kinds) 2 Kgs
   1. Moong Daal 1 Kg – Rs. 110 – 120/-
   2. Masoor Daal 1 Kg – Rs. 120 – 130/-
   3. Soya Chunks 300 Grams – Rs. 70 – 75/-
3. Cooking Oil 1 to 1.5 L
   1. Mustard Oil 1L – Rs 200 – 210/-
   2. Refined Oil 500 ML – Rs 80 – 90/-
4. Salt 1 Kg – Rs. 20/-
5. Masala / Spices
   1. Haldi / Turmeric Powder 100 Grams – Rs. 28 – 32/-
   2. Jeera / Cumin Powder 100 Grams – Rs. 40 – 50/-
   3. Dhania / Coriander Powder 100 Grams – Rs. 32 – 35/-
   4. Mirch / Chilli Powder 100 Grams – Rs. 48 – 50/-
   5. Garam Masala 50 Grams – Rs. 35 – 40/-
6. Breakfast Cereal – Rs. 275 – 300/-
7. Eggs 15 Peices – Rs. 90 – 100/- ( Rs. 6 – 6.50/- per Peice)
8. Sugar 1 Kg – Rs. 45 – 50/-
9. Biscuits – Rs. 80 – 100/-
10. Tea 250 – 300 Grams – Rs. 100 – 125/-
    or
    Coffee 100 – 150 Grams – Rs. 270 – 407/-
11. Snacks – Rs. 200 – 250/-
12. Frozen Snacks 500 – 750 Grams – Rs. 250 – 400/-
13. Toothpaste – Rs. 50 – 60/-
14. Bathing Soap – Rs. 35 – 50/-
15. Shampoo 80 ML – Rs. 50 – 70/-
16. Laundry Detergent
    1. Soap Bar – Rs. 10 – 20/-
       or
    2. Detergent Powder 500 Grams – Rs. 40 – 60/-
       or
    3. Liquid Detergent – 500 ML – Rs. 90 – 120/-
17. Dishwash
    1. Soap Bar – Rs. 10 – 20/-
       or
    2. Liquid Dishwash – Rs. 40 – 50/-
18. Floor Cleaner 500 ML – Rs. 80 – 100/-
19. Deodrant – Rs. 180 – 220/-

This is what an average monthly grocery shopping list will look like for 1 person, in India.

You may add some other things over it, like in these days of COVID-19, hand sanitiser and sanitizing spray are a must.

If you are a man then you may add shaving products into the list and if you are a woman then woman’s wellness products.

You also need to remember, that you do not need to buy some of the products every month.

For example, a 500 ML floor cleaner will last longer than just a month. Or if you are washing your clothes twice a week then, a 500 ML laundry detergent will last more than a month.

We haven’t listed some of the products which you will be buying daily or every alternative day or once a week like milk, bread, paneer/cottage cheese etc.

Regarding green grocery shopping – Vegetables and fruits for a single person in India will cost Rs. 400/- to Rs. 500/- each week.

The monthly cost for green groceries will come around Rs. 1,600/- to Rs. 2,000/-.

Though India has a high vegetarian population, the non-veg population is still substantial.

If you are a non-vegetarian then you also have to budget for sourcing your animal protein like fish, chicken, mutton.

If you are having fish for 2 meals a day then, 1 Kg of fresh fish from the fish market will cost around Rs. 300 to Rs. 500/-, and will last for 5 days to a week.

If you are having chicken then, 1 Kg of fresh chicken from the market will cost around Rs. 200 to Rs. 250/-, and will last for 3 to 4 days.

While 1 Kg of mutton will cost around Rs. 750 to Rs. 800/-.

*All data and rates are based on Mumbai. Grocery costs in other lower-cost cities, and Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities will be lower.

Average Cost of Groceries in India for 1 Person Per Month

The monthly cost of groceries for 1 Person living in India will be around Rs. 2,750/- to Rs. 3,000/-, excluding fruits, vegetables, animal protein.

The value of the above estimate might go up if we see a sudden rise of COVID-19 cases, demand-supply imbalance, rise in the cost of energy (Petrol, Deisel), Global uncertainty (Russia – Ukraine conflict) and the good ol’ INFLATION.

Now let us see how much money will it cost on average for groceries for a family of 2.

Average Cost of Groceries in India for 2 People Per Month

The average cost of groceries for 2 people living in a Tier 1 city in India will be around Rs. 4,500/- to Rs. 5,000/-.

Excluding fruits, vegetables, animal protein and daily buys. And groceries in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities will cost much less.

That was it.

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