About this calculator
The Quartz vs Granite Calculator compares the two dominant kitchen counter options in Indian homes. Granite runs ₹250–500/sqft for material; engineered quartz runs ₹500–1,200/sqft — a 2–3× premium. For a 25 sqft L-shape kitchen counter, the upgrade from granite to mid-tier quartz costs ₹8k–20k.
Granite is natural stone, harder than quartz but more porous (needs sealing). Quartz is engineered (~95% crushed quartz + resin), non-porous, stain-resistant and comes in cleaner, more uniform patterns. This calculator surfaces the realistic cost difference and where each material genuinely wins.
Why homeowners use this calculator
- Side-by-side counter cost for identical kitchen layout.
- Material + cutting + edge profile + installation priced separately.
- Realistic Indian brand pricing (Caesarstone, Kalinga, Asian Quartz vs local granite).
- Maintenance cost over 10 years included.
- Free PDF for vendor comparison.
Features
- Counter sqft input.
- Brand tier picker.
- Edge profile selector (straight / bevel / bullnose).
- Backsplash add-on (granite up-stand / quartz slab).
- Premium gated PDF.
How the calculation works
Counter cost = sqft × ₹/sqft + cutting + edge + installation. For a 25 sqft counter: granite at ₹350/sqft = ₹8.75k + ₹3k cutting + ₹2k edge + ₹3k install = ₹17k. Same in quartz at ₹800/sqft = ₹20k + ₹4k cutting + ₹3k edge + ₹4k install = ₹31k. The gap is ₹14k for a standard L-shape kitchen.
Why this estimate is more accurate
Designers tend to push quartz; granite shops push granite. Both have legitimate use cases. Knowing the realistic price gap and lifetime cost of each helps you make the decision based on your kitchen — not the vendor's margin.
Material comparison
| Factor | Granite | Quartz |
|---|---|---|
| ₹ per sqft (material) | ₹250–500 | ₹500–1,200 |
| Composition | Natural stone | 95% quartz + resin |
| Porosity | Porous, needs sealing every 1–2 yrs | Non-porous |
| Stain resistance | Moderate | Excellent |
| Hardness | 6.5 Mohs | 7 Mohs |
| Heat resistance | Excellent (place hot pans directly) | Good but resin can discolour above 150°C |
| Pattern | Natural veining, varies slab to slab | Uniform, consistent |
| UV stability | Excellent | Indoor use only (yellows in sun) |
| Lifespan | 25+ yrs | 15–20 yrs |
What affects the final cost
- Slab thickness — 18 mm vs 20 mm changes price by 8–12% in both.
- Edge profile — straight ₹150/Rft, bevel ₹250–400/Rft, bullnose ₹350–500/Rft.
- Cutouts — hob and sink cutouts add ₹2.5–5k each.
- Up-stand vs full backsplash — 4-inch up-stand is standard; full quartz backsplash adds ₹30–80k.
- Brand — Caesarstone / Silestone 1.5–2× Indian quartz brands.
- Maintenance over 10 yrs — granite sealing ₹3–5k every 18 months × ~6 times = ₹20–30k extra.
City-wise cost variations
25 sqft kitchen counter installed, 2026:
- Mumbai — Granite ₹18–28k / Quartz ₹35–55k
- Delhi NCR — Granite ₹17–26k / Quartz ₹33–52k
- Bengaluru — Granite ₹16–25k / Quartz ₹32–50k
- Hyderabad / Chennai / Pune — Granite ₹15–24k / Quartz ₹30–48k
- Tier-2 cities — Granite ₹14–22k / Quartz ₹27–43k