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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $351 per month in Ernakulam vs $786 in Mumbai (Bombay), rent included.

A couple spends around $560 per month in Ernakulam vs $1,295 in Mumbai (Bombay), rent included.

A family of three spends $770 per month in Ernakulam vs $1,805 in Mumbai (Bombay), rent included.

Ernakulam is about 55% cheaper than Mumbai (Bombay), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ernakulam and Mumbai (Bombay) are more affordable than the global median – Ernakulam 75% lower, Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.60 ₹153

$5.16 ₹493

-68.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.27 ₹790

$20.80 ₹1,987

-60.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.80 ₹363

$4.30 ₹410

-11.63%

Cappuccino

$1.31 ₹125

$2.65 ₹253

-50.57%

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

$0.39 ₹37.60

$0.37 ₹35.56

5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ₹12.39

$0.16 ₹15.27

-18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 ₹161

$2.70 ₹258

-37.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ₹197

$4.24 ₹405

-51.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.63 ₹60.4

$0.70 ₹66.4

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 ₹47.87

$0.48 ₹46.29

4.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.65 ₹61.8

$0.76 ₹72.8

-14.47%

Eggs

$0.86 ₹82.6

$1.02 ₹97.7

-15.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.12 ₹680

$5.75 ₹549

23.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.11 ₹202

$3.53 ₹337

-40.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 ₹150

$2.23 ₹213

-29.60%

Banana (1kg)

$0.73 ₹69.7

$0.72 ₹69.0

1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 ₹95.2

$1.23 ₹117

-18.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.36

$0.49 ₹46.68

-20.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.11

$0.35 ₹33.36

14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 ₹44.47

$0.40 ₹38.30

17.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ₹54.4

$0.49 ₹47.27

16.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.10

$0.31 ₹30.09

6.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.67 ₹446

$5.10 ₹487

-8.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.43 ₹519

$8.25 ₹788

-34.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₹160

$2.04 ₹195

-17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₹224

$3.02 ₹288

-22.52%

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

$3.71 ₹354

$6.22 ₹594

-40.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.14 ₹13.60

$0.20 ₹19.09

-30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.93 ₹567

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 ₹67.2

$0.33 ₹31.57

112.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ₹29.28

$0.33 ₹31.67

-6.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ₹123

$1.63 ₹156

-21.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 ₹104

$1.14 ₹109

-5.26%

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

$12.4K ₹1.2M

$16.4K ₹1.6M

-24.18%

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

$19.8K ₹1.9M

$22.4K ₹2.1M

-11.54%

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

$33.33 ₹3,184

$60.1 ₹5,739

-44.51%

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

$2.53 ₹241

$4.37 ₹417

-42.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.28 ₹504

$9.32 ₹890

-43.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.91 ₹1,043

$27.53 ₹2,631

-60.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.12 ₹872

$13.67 ₹1,306

-33.28%

Cinema Ticket

$1.86 ₹178

$4.62 ₹442

-59.74%

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

$56.4 ₹5,388

$118 ₹11.3K

-52.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,915 ₹183.0K

$4,970 ₹474.8K

-61.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.54 ₹1,580

$34.94 ₹3,338

-52.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.83 ₹1,322

$37.94 ₹3,625

-63.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$33.16 ₹3,168

$60.3 ₹5,758

-44.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.59 ₹2,541

$49.94 ₹4,771

-46.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$149 ₹14.2K

$641 ₹61.2K

-76.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.1 ₹8,606

$371 ₹35.4K

-75.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 ₹35.4K

$1,937 ₹185.0K

-80.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 ₹21.5K

$869 ₹83.0K

-74.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,091 ₹104.2K

$6,174 ₹589.9K

-82.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,186 ₹113.3K

$2,428 ₹232.0K

-51.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$347 ₹33.2K

$810 ₹77.4K

-57.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.6

8.36

2.87%

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

Last update for Ernakulam: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $149 in Ernakulam versus $641 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 133% 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 $8.00 in Ernakulam versus $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $100 vs $117 – making Ernakulam 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

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

Yes – Mumbai (Bombay) is pricier by about 124%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $526 per month in Ernakulam and $1,178 in Mumbai (Bombay). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ernakulam, 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 $8.00 in Ernakulam and $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Mumbai (Bombay), though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ernakulam, where all-in costs run around $351, than in Mumbai (Bombay) at $786. In Ernakulam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mumbai (Bombay) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ernakulam – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ernakulam. 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.