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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $378 in Howrah versus $763 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $580 in Howrah versus $1,259 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $782 in Howrah versus $1,754 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Living in Howrah costs roughly 50% less than in Mumbai (Bombay), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Howrah 72% lower, Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.70 ₹164

$5.17 ₹498

-67.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.43 ₹1,101

$22.50 ₹2,167

-49.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.28 ₹412

$4.70 ₹452

-8.94%

Cappuccino

$1.47 ₹142

$2.60 ₹251

-43.46%

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

$0.25 ₹24.03

$0.50 ₹48.58

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ₹12.92

$0.19 ₹18.22

-31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ₹116

$2.33 ₹224

-48.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ₹273

$4.18 ₹403

-32.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 ₹63.7

$0.73 ₹70.1

-9.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 ₹38.07

$0.48 ₹46.49

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.59 ₹57.0

$0.82 ₹79.3

-28.05%

Eggs

$1.01 ₹96.8

$1.05 ₹101

-3.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.46 ₹526

$6.87 ₹661

-20.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.97 ₹286

$3.89 ₹374

-23.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 ₹96.6

$2.29 ₹220

-56.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 ₹75.6

$0.83 ₹79.8

-6.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.56 ₹53.5

$1.30 ₹125

-56.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₹62.7

$0.65 ₹63.0

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 ₹34.95

$0.57 ₹54.8

-36.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 ₹43.99

$0.58 ₹56.3

-20.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.13 ₹12.83

$0.64 ₹61.9

-79.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹16.18

$0.35 ₹33.81

-51.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 ₹207

$4.22 ₹406

-49.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.16 ₹882

$8.18 ₹787

11.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 ₹125

$2.08 ₹200

-37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ₹199

$3.27 ₹315

-36.70%

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

$7.69 ₹740

$6.98 ₹672

10.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 ₹16.09

$0.22 ₹21.17

-22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.75 ₹843

$4.69 ₹451

86.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 ₹53.7

$0.37 ₹35.23

51.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₹30.96

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 ₹202

$1.37 ₹132

52.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₹113

$1.18 ₹114

-0.85%

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

$16.0K ₹1.5M

$17.3K ₹1.7M

-7.51%

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

$22.8K ₹2.2M

$24.8K ₹2.4M

-8.11%

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

$41.86 ₹4,031

$50.2 ₹4,834

-16.61%

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

$2.04 ₹196

$5.08 ₹489

-59.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.46 ₹718

$8.62 ₹830

-13.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.18 ₹1,558

$23.20 ₹2,234

-30.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.06 ₹679

$11.85 ₹1,141

-40.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 ₹400

$4.70 ₹452

-11.49%

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

$44.67 ₹4,301

$118 ₹11.4K

-62.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,579 ₹152.0K

$3,379 ₹325.3K

-53.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.63 ₹1,697

$29.21 ₹2,812

-39.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.83 ₹2,872

$31.19 ₹3,003

-4.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.90 ₹4,708

$56.6 ₹5,445

-13.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$11.82 ₹1,138

$40.55 ₹3,904

-70.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 ₹12.5K

$697 ₹67.1K

-81.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.0 ₹8,475

$357 ₹34.4K

-75.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 ₹26.7K

$1,783 ₹171.7K

-84.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 ₹17.5K

$844 ₹81.3K

-78.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$890 ₹85.7K

$6,047 ₹582.2K

-85.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$540 ₹52.0K

$2,517 ₹242.4K

-78.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$362 ₹34.8K

$787 ₹75.8K

-54.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.18

9.22

-0.43%

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

Last update for Howrah: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $130 in Howrah and $697 in Mumbai (Bombay). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 118% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $11.00 in Howrah vs $23.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $97.0 vs $127 per month, with Howrah cheaper across the board.

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

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

Howrah wins on cost – living expenses run 102% lower than in Mumbai (Bombay). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Howrah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 118% lower in Mumbai (Bombay). That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $130 in Howrah versus $697 in Mumbai (Bombay). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Howrah runs roughly 87% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $44.67 in Howrah versus $118 in Mumbai (Bombay). Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $378 in Howrah versus $763 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $1,000 budget is realistic in Howrah but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Howrah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Howrah delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $378 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Howrah hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Howrah and Mumbai (Bombay) are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Howrah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.