Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Mumbai (Bombay) Cost of Living Comparison Between Kolkata (Calcutta) and Mumbai (Bombay)

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $431 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $759 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $679 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $1,262 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $926 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $1,766 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Living in Kolkata (Calcutta) costs roughly 43% less than in Mumbai (Bombay), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kolkata (Calcutta) 68% lower, Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 ₹295

$5.31 ₹503

-41.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.85 ₹1,121

$22.21 ₹2,101

-46.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.04 ₹477

$4.67 ₹442

7.92%

Cappuccino

$1.82 ₹172

$2.62 ₹248

-30.53%

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

$0.41 ₹38.59

$0.51 ₹47.87

-19.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹14.90

$0.15 ₹14.03

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₹169

$2.27 ₹215

-21.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ₹271

$4.09 ₹387

-30.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 ₹68.6

$0.80 ₹75.4

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 ₹37.68

$0.52 ₹49.47

-23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.69 ₹65.7

$0.82 ₹77.3

-15.85%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹96.3

$1.09 ₹103

-6.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.33 ₹505

$7.02 ₹664

-24.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.95 ₹279

$3.89 ₹368

-24.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 ₹230

$2.38 ₹225

2.10%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹76.2

$0.80 ₹76.0

1.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹120

$1.30 ₹123

-3.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₹61.5

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.15

$0.57 ₹53.5

-29.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₹56.5

$0.63 ₹60.0

-4.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 ₹42.43

$0.63 ₹59.9

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₹28.80

$0.33 ₹30.89

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.85 ₹365

$4.00 ₹379

-3.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.30 ₹880

$8.07 ₹764

15.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₹158

$2.16 ₹204

-22.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ₹230

$3.39 ₹321

-28.32%

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

$7.42 ₹702

$7.13 ₹675

4.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹22.83

$0.24 ₹22.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$2.82 ₹267

$4.63 ₹439

-39.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 ₹56.7

$0.34 ₹32.06

76.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₹30.53

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 ₹197

$1.40 ₹133

48.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₹117

$1.22 ₹116

1.64%

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

$15.4K ₹1.5M

$17.3K ₹1.6M

-10.72%

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

$22.3K ₹2.1M

$25.3K ₹2.4M

-11.68%

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

$41.22 ₹3,900

$50.2 ₹4,748

-17.86%

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

$3.96 ₹375

$5.00 ₹473

-20.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.35 ₹695

$8.79 ₹832

-16.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.12 ₹1,525

$23.18 ₹2,193

-30.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.59 ₹1,097

$11.81 ₹1,117

-1.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.14 ₹392

$4.70 ₹445

-11.91%

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

$43.87 ₹4,151

$121 ₹11.4K

-63.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,598 ₹151.2K

$3,385 ₹320.3K

-52.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.71 ₹2,717

$29.30 ₹2,772

-2.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.95 ₹2,834

$30.72 ₹2,907

-2.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.2 ₹4,749

$55.0 ₹5,207

-8.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.26 ₹2,958

$39.51 ₹3,738

-20.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$162 ₹15.3K

$694 ₹65.7K

-76.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$87.7 ₹8,299

$359 ₹33.9K

-75.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 ₹36.2K

$1,797 ₹170.0K

-78.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 ₹18.4K

$821 ₹77.7K

-76.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,159 ₹109.7K

$6,515 ₹616.5K

-82.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$564 ₹53.3K

$2,661 ₹251.8K

-78.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$421 ₹39.9K

$719 ₹68.0K

-41.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.9

9.22

7.38%

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

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): April 27, 2026

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $162 in Kolkata (Calcutta) and $694 in Mumbai (Bombay). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 71% 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: $12.00 in Kolkata (Calcutta) vs $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $114 vs $130 per month, with Kolkata (Calcutta) 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

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

Kolkata (Calcutta) wins on cost – living expenses run 76% lower than in Mumbai (Bombay). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kolkata (Calcutta) the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Mumbai (Bombay) earns 71% less. 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: $162 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $694 in Mumbai (Bombay). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $431 per month in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $759 in Mumbai (Bombay) – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kolkata (Calcutta) runs roughly 64% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $431 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $759 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kolkata (Calcutta) but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Kolkata (Calcutta) the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kolkata (Calcutta) delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $431 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kolkata (Calcutta) hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kolkata (Calcutta) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.