Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Mumbai (Bombay) Cost of Living Comparison Between Delhi and Mumbai (Bombay)

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $546 per month in Delhi vs $779 in Mumbai (Bombay), rent included.

A couple spends around $861 per month in Delhi vs $1,255 in Mumbai (Bombay), rent included.

A family of three spends $1,176 per month in Delhi vs $1,732 in Mumbai (Bombay), rent included.

Delhi is about 30% cheaper than Mumbai (Bombay), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Delhi and Mumbai (Bombay) are more affordable than the global median – Delhi 59% lower, Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.75 ₹455

$5.32 ₹509

-10.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.98 ₹1,912

$22.40 ₹2,143

-10.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.97 ₹380

$4.63 ₹443

-14.25%

Cappuccino

$2.05 ₹196

$2.52 ₹241

-18.65%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₹45.26

$0.51 ₹48.47

-7.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.66

$0.15 ₹14.71

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 ₹197

$2.28 ₹218

-9.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ₹324

$3.95 ₹378

-14.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.7

$0.75 ₹71.4

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 ₹53.6

$0.51 ₹49.04

9.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ₹87.4

$0.77 ₹74.0

18.18%

Eggs

$1.12 ₹107

$1.08 ₹103

3.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.55 ₹435

$7.14 ₹683

-36.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 ₹340

$3.88 ₹372

-8.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ₹193

$2.30 ₹220

-12.61%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 ₹80.7

$0.81 ₹77.7

3.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 ₹94.9

$1.26 ₹121

-21.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 ₹56.6

$0.64 ₹61.0

-7.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.23

$0.58 ₹55.1

-32.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 ₹51.9

$0.63 ₹60.4

-14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ₹58.1

$0.64 ₹61.3

-4.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ₹35.13

$0.33 ₹31.14

12.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 ₹398

$4.20 ₹402

-0.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.18 ₹878

$8.25 ₹790

11.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ₹178

$2.17 ₹208

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₹276

$3.40 ₹325

-15.29%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.57 ₹533

$7.03 ₹673

-20.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₹50.8

$0.24 ₹23.08

120.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 ₹1,111

$4.51 ₹432

157.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 ₹53.9

$0.37 ₹35.03

51.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ₹26.57

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 ₹124

$1.41 ₹135

-7.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₹112

$1.19 ₹114

-1.68%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.7K ₹1.7M

$17.4K ₹1.7M

1.94%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.9K ₹2.3M

$24.5K ₹2.3M

-2.60%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$66.4 ₹6,352

$50.8 ₹4,860

30.68%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.31 ₹413

$4.81 ₹460

-10.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.99 ₹764

$8.75 ₹837

-8.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.25 ₹1,938

$23.11 ₹2,211

-12.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.15 ₹972

$11.99 ₹1,147

-15.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.61 ₹441

$4.71 ₹450

-2.12%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$78.5 ₹7,515

$122 ₹11.6K

-35.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,010 ₹192.3K

$3,393 ₹324.7K

-40.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.20 ₹2,603

$29.14 ₹2,789

-6.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.17 ₹2,983

$30.61 ₹2,929

1.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.50 ₹4,641

$55.2 ₹5,277

-12.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.01 ₹3,446

$39.74 ₹3,803

-9.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 ₹22.9K

$705 ₹67.4K

-66.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 ₹12.9K

$357 ₹34.1K

-62.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 ₹55.9K

$1,792 ₹171.5K

-67.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 ₹30.8K

$825 ₹79.0K

-61.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,503 ₹239.5K

$6,436 ₹615.9K

-61.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$931 ₹89.1K

$2,627 ₹251.4K

-64.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$531 ₹50.8K

$744 ₹71.2K

-28.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

-2.39%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Delhi: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $239 in Delhi versus $705 in Mumbai (Bombay). Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 40% higher in Mumbai (Bombay), which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Delhi versus $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $117 vs $129 – making Delhi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Delhi vs Mumbai (Bombay): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $546 in Delhi, $779 in Mumbai (Bombay) – roughly 43% apart. Mumbai (Bombay) costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $819 per month in Delhi and $1,168 in Mumbai (Bombay). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Delhi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Delhi and $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $546 in Delhi and $779 in Mumbai (Bombay). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Delhi, where all-in costs run around $546, than in Mumbai (Bombay) at $779. In Delhi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mumbai (Bombay) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mumbai (Bombay) has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $546 in Delhi to $779 in Mumbai (Bombay). Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Delhi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mumbai (Bombay) makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.