Compare the two over time
Same area, same fabrication. The difference is material and maintenance.
How this comparison works
- Material = area × rate for each option, using the grade you select.
- Fabrication = (exposed edge × ₹180) + (cut-outs × ₹2,500), applied identically to both, because the workshop does not care which stone it is cutting.
- Granite sealing = floor(years ÷ 2) × ₹2,500. Quartz carries no maintenance line.
- Difference = quartz total − granite total, reported in whichever direction it falls.
- All-in per sq ft is reported for both, which is the figure to compare against a fabricator's quotation.
- The tool takes no view on which you should buy. It reports cost; the trade-offs are written out below so you can weigh them yourself.
| Granite | Quartz | |
|---|---|---|
| Material rate | ₹280 – 900 / sq ft | ₹850 – 1,800 / sq ft |
| Porosity | Porous — needs sealing | Non-porous — no sealing |
| Turmeric and oil | Stains if unsealed | Does not stain |
| Hot vessel direct | Fine | Scorches above ~150°C |
| Slab size | 8 × 4 ft (32 sq ft) | 3200 × 1600 mm (55 sq ft) |
| Colour consistency | Natural variation between slabs | Consistent, batch-matched |
| Repairability | Chips can be filled | Chips are difficult to hide |
| UV stability | Excellent | Some resins yellow in direct sun |
Design and build under one accountable roof
Worked example — a 25 sq ft kitchen
| Line | Quartz at ₹1,100 | Granite at ₹450 |
|---|---|---|
| Material | ₹27,500 | ₹11,250 |
| Edge, 10 running ft | ₹1,800 | ₹1,800 |
| Two cut-outs | ₹5,000 | ₹5,000 |
| Sealing, five cycles in ten years | — | ₹12,500 |
| Ten-year cost | ₹34,300 | ₹30,550 |
| All-in per sq ft | ₹1,372 | ₹1,222 |
| Difference | ₹3,750 more for quartz | — |
What we actually specify
On most Mumbai kitchens we specify quartz, and the reason is turmeric. An Indian kitchen puts haldi, oil, lemon and tamarind onto the counter daily, and an unsealed granite counter carries the record of all of them within two years. Sealing prevents it, and sealing is a maintenance task nobody performs on schedule. Quartz removes the requirement entirely, which is worth more than the ₹4,000 difference this calculator reports.
Where we specify granite is around the hob and in any kitchen that does serious tempering. Hot oil, a kadai lifted straight off the flame and a pressure cooker base at 130°C are routine, and quartz resin does not like them — the damage shows as a dulled, slightly yellowed patch that cannot be polished out. A 24-inch granite insert behind and beside the hob, in the same tone, costs perhaps ₹4,000 and removes the only real weakness of a quartz counter.
On the third option people ask about: engineered marble and sintered stone. Sintered surfaces are genuinely excellent — non-porous, heat-proof, thin and very strong — and they are 2 to 3 times the price of quartz with far fewer fabricators competent to cut them. On a large budget they are the technically best answer. On a normal one they are not yet the sensible one.
A practical note on comparing quotations for either material: the rate quoted is almost never the rate paid. Ask specifically whether the figure is per square foot of finished counter or per square foot of slab bought, whether the edge profile and cut-outs are included, and who keeps the offcut. Those three questions routinely move a countertop quotation by 30%, and they apply identically to quartz and granite.
Nothing in the comparison above is a Greenbox rate, and that is the point of it. Slab prices, edge polishing at ₹180 a running foot and ₹2,500 a cut-out are what stone yards and fabricators charge in October 2026, applied identically to both materials so the only variable left is the stone. The audited figure we do own sits one level up: the complete built-in platform at ₹5,300 to ₹7,950 per running foot of counter, from kitchens we have finished and billed. Treat the output as a planning figure: accurate enough to brief a landlord, a bank or a family, and not accurate enough to sign a contract against.
What this tool does not cover
- Sub-structure, transport and hoisting, which are the same for both materials and are priced in the countertop area calculator.
- Slab wastage. Both options are bought whole; the offcut belongs to you and should be written into the quote.
- Undermount sink reveals, drainer grooves and hob cut-out polishing, which cost more in granite.
- Book-matching and vein selection in premium quartz and imported granite.
- Repair. A chipped granite edge can be filled; a chipped quartz edge is visible for ever.
- 18% GST on both.
Selected work by Greenbox Design Studio. Tap any image to enlarge.
Frequently asked questions
Is quartz more expensive than granite?+
To buy, yes — ₹1,100 against ₹450 per sq ft for mid-grade material. Over ten years, once granite's sealing cycles are counted, the gap on a standard kitchen narrows to under ₹5,000, which is less than a single fabrication charge.
Does quartz stain?+
Effectively no. It is non-porous, so turmeric, oil, lemon and tamarind wipe off. That is the strongest argument for it in an Indian kitchen, and it is why we specify it on most prep runs.
Can you put a hot pan on quartz?+
Not straight off the flame. The resin binder scorches above about 150°C and leaves a dull, slightly yellowed patch that cannot be polished out. Granite takes it without complaint, which is why a granite insert around the hob is worth the ₹4,000 it costs.
How often does granite need sealing?+
Every two years in a working kitchen, at about ₹2,500 for a standard counter. A simple test: leave a drop of water on the surface for ten minutes. If it darkens the stone, the seal has gone.
Which is better for a kitchen island?+
Quartz, usually, because a 3200 × 1600 mm slab covers a 10 ft island without a joint and granite at 8 × 4 ft cannot. On an island the joint is in the middle of the most looked-at surface in the kitchen, and that single fact often settles the choice.