Eggs vs Paneer vs Chicken: Protein per Rupee Compared

Eggs, paneer and chicken each win a different contest. Eggs win on price, chicken breast wins on calories, and paneer wins on taste for a lot of vegetarians but loses on both money and calories.

Below we compare them on what matters on a student or first-job budget: protein per ₹10, per 100 calories, per serving, and how practical each is in a hostel, PG or mess. All food numbers come from our Indian food database. Prices are typical estimates and will vary by city.

Eggs vs paneer vs chicken: the numbers side by side

Here is the plainest version of each food in our database:

• Boiled eggs, 2 eggs: 140 cal, 12g protein, 1g carbs, 10g fat, ₹13.
• Paneer, 100g raw: 260 cal, 18g protein, 3g carbs, 20g fat, ₹50.
• Chicken breast, 100g grilled: 165 cal, 31g protein, 0g carbs, 3.5g fat, ₹70.

That gives one egg roughly 70 calories, 6g protein, 5g fat and ₹6.50.

Notice the fat. In eggs, about 64% of calories come from fat. In paneer it is about 69%. In grilled chicken breast it is about 19%. That difference drives the per-calorie results below.

Which gives the most protein per rupee?

Ranked by protein per ₹10:

1. Boiled eggs: 9.2g
2. Omelette, 2 eggs: 7.6g
3. Egg bhurji, 2 eggs: 6.4g
4. Chicken breast: 4.4g
5. Egg curry, 2 eggs: 4.4g
6. Paneer, raw: 3.6g
7. Paneer bhurji: 3.3g
8. Chicken tikka, chicken curry and tandoori chicken: 3.0 to 3.1g
9. Paneer tikka: 2.6g
10. Butter chicken: 2.2g

Put another way, ₹100 buys you about 92g of protein as boiled eggs, 44g as chicken breast and 36g as raw paneer.

So is the egg the cheapest protein in India? Not quite. In our database of 87 foods, two vegetarian options beat it: soya chunks at 20g per ₹10 and a sattu drink at 12g per ₹10. Among the three in this article, eggs are the clear budget winner. Our soya chunks protein guide covers the cheapest option of all.

Which gives the most protein per 100 calories?

This is the number that matters when you are cutting. Ranked by protein per 100 calories:

1. Chicken breast: 18.8g
2. Chicken tikka: 14.0g
3. Tandoori chicken: 11.5g
4. Chicken curry: 9.3g
5. Boiled eggs: 8.6g
6. Paneer, raw: 6.9g
7. Omelette, paneer bhurji, egg bhurji and paneer tikka: 6.4 to 6.8g
8. Butter chicken: 6.2g
9. Egg curry: 5.6g

Chicken breast gets more than twice the protein per calorie of eggs or paneer. And cooking matters as much as the food: butter and cream drop butter chicken below plain paneer.

How many eggs equal 100g of chicken?

100g of grilled chicken breast has 31g protein. At 6g per egg, you need about 5 eggs to match it.

• 100g chicken breast: 31g protein, 165 calories, ₹70.
• 5 boiled eggs: 30g protein, 350 calories, about ₹33.
• About 170g paneer: 30.6g protein, about 440 calories, about ₹85.
• About 1.2 cups cooked soya (60g dry): 31g protein, about 205 calories, about ₹16.

Eggs cost less than half as much as chicken for the same protein, but bring double the calories. Paneer costs more than chicken and brings nearly three times the calories.

What does a 25g or 30g protein meal look like?

The 2015 review by Leidy and colleagues suggests meals with at least about 25 to 30g protein help with appetite and weight management. Here is how each food gets you there:

For about 25g protein:

• 4 boiled eggs: 24g protein, 280 cal, ₹26.
• 80g chicken breast: 24.8g protein, 132 cal, ₹56.
• 140g paneer: 25.2g protein, 364 cal, ₹70.
• 2 boiled eggs + half a cup of cooked soya: 25g protein, 225 cal, about ₹20.

For about 30g protein:

• 5 boiled eggs: 30g protein, 350 cal, about ₹33.
• 100g chicken breast: 31g protein, 165 cal, ₹70.
• 170g paneer: 30.6g protein, 442 cal, ₹85.
• 2 boiled eggs + 60g chicken breast: 30.6g protein, 239 cal, ₹55.
• 100g paneer + half a cup of cooked soya: 31g protein, 345 cal, about ₹57.

Cooking oil, rotis and rice are extra. The mixed meals are often the best value: lower cost or calories without eating 5 eggs or a slab of paneer at once.

Is egg or paneer better for muscle?

Both build muscle well if your total daily protein is high enough. All three foods here are complete proteins from animal sources, and ICMR-NIN's 2024 guidelines note that good quality protein comes from animal source foods, or from cereals and pulses combined in about a 3:1 ratio.

The real differences are cost and calories. Eggs give you more protein per rupee and per calorie than paneer. Paneer's extra calories can help a skinny lifter who struggles to eat enough, as our paneer guide explains. If you are an eggetarian, eggs should be your default and paneer the add-on.

For your daily target, see our guide on how much protein you need per day.

Whole eggs or egg whites?

Mostly whole eggs. A 2017 crossover trial in 10 resistance-trained young men gave them either whole eggs or egg whites with the same 18g of protein after a workout. Whole eggs produced a greater muscle protein synthesis response.

The picture is not settled, though. A larger 2026 trial in 65 trained young adults compared egg whites, whole eggs and several other protein foods after exercise and found comparable muscle protein synthesis rates across them.

The practical take: whole eggs are a great default, and the yolk carries part of the protein. In a deep calorie deficit, swapping some yolks for extra whites is a reasonable tool, not a requirement.

Are eggs bad for cholesterol?

For most healthy people, eggs in moderation are fine. A 2020 American Heart Association science advisory found that observational studies from several countries generally do not show a significant link between dietary cholesterol and heart disease risk. It recommends focusing on an overall healthy eating pattern rather than one number.

On eggs specifically, the advisory says healthy people can include up to one whole egg or equivalent a day. Lacto-ovo vegetarians, who get no cholesterol from meat, may include more eggs and dairy within moderation. For older adults with normal cholesterol, up to 2 eggs a day is acceptable within a heart-healthy diet. People with abnormal blood lipids, especially those with diabetes or at risk of heart failure, are advised to be cautious with cholesterol-rich foods.

ICMR-NIN's 2024 guidelines add context: the liver makes cholesterol, making more when dietary intake is low and less when intake is high. They also note that eggs contain cholesterol but are a good source of omega-6 and omega-3 fats.

If you eat 4 or 5 eggs a day for your protein, that is more than the advisory's general guidance, so mix in other sources like soya, dal, curd and chicken. If you have high cholesterol, diabetes or a heart condition, check with your doctor about how many eggs suit you.

Which is best for fat loss?

Chicken breast or chicken tikka. At 18.8g and 14g protein per 100 calories, they leave room for rotis, rice and vegetables. Boiled eggs come next. Paneer is the hardest of the three to fit into a deficit because two-thirds of its calories are fat.

Keep the cooking simple. ICMR-NIN recommends methods like sautéing, steaming, grilling or boiling, and that is exactly why tikka and boiled eggs rank so far above butter chicken and egg curry. For the full approach, read our guide on how to lose belly fat.

Which is most practical in a hostel or PG?

• Eggs: the easiest. Boiled eggs are sold at many street stalls and canteens, are easy to carry as a snack, and are hard to get wrong. Many messes also serve egg curry or bhurji.
• Chicken: usually needs a kitchen or a trusted dhaba. Grilled chicken and tikka are good eat-out options; heavy gravies are not.
• Paneer: needs a fridge and keeps only a short time. Fine if you have a kitchen, awkward in a hostel room.

Our hostel diet plan shows how to build full days around mess food.

The verdict by goal

• Tight budget: eggs. For vegetarians, soya chunks, then sattu.
• Fat loss: chicken breast or chicken tikka, with boiled eggs as backup.
• Vegetarian with some money: paneer, in 100 to 150g portions, paired with soya, curd or dal.
• Best overall: a mix. Eggs at breakfast, chicken or soya at lunch, paneer or curd at dinner. You get the best of cost, calories and taste.

For more low-cost options, see our list of cheap high-protein foods in India, our high-protein Indian diet on a budget, and our guide to protein without whey.

Want a coach to build a plan around your budget, your mess food and your goal, with check-ins on WhatsApp? That is what our coaching does.

GymBuddy India Team

GymBuddy India helps everyday Indians train with structure and stay consistent, through personalised WhatsApp coaching, free tools, and a growing library of guides.