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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $763 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $536 in Ahmedabad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,259 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $815 in Ahmedabad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,754 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $1,094 in Ahmedabad.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 42% more expensive than in Ahmedabad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Ahmedabad 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 ₹499

$3.40 ₹328

52.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.50 ₹2,170

$16.14 ₹1,557

39.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₹453

$4.63 ₹446

1.51%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₹251

$2.21 ₹213

17.65%

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

$0.50 ₹48.66

$0.48 ₹46.15

4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.25

$0.19 ₹18.26

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ₹225

$3.56 ₹343

-34.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ₹403

$5.92 ₹571

-29.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹70.2

$0.77 ₹73.8

-5.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.57

$0.57 ₹55.0

-15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₹79.4

$0.86 ₹83.3

-4.65%

Eggs

$1.05 ₹101

$1.08 ₹104

-2.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ₹662

$6.50 ₹627

5.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₹375

$3.75 ₹361

3.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₹221

$2.03 ₹196

12.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 ₹79.9

$0.80 ₹77.1

3.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₹125

$1.34 ₹129

-2.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₹63.1

$0.61 ₹58.4

6.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₹54.9

$0.43 ₹41.13

32.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₹56.4

$0.50 ₹48.06

16.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹62.0

$0.68 ₹65.9

-5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.87

$0.32 ₹30.52

9.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 ₹407

$4.31 ₹416

-2.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₹789

$7.82 ₹754

4.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₹200

$2.63 ₹254

-20.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 ₹316

$4.83 ₹465

-32.30%

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

$6.98 ₹673

$6.26 ₹604

11.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹21.20

$0.28 ₹26.68

-21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.69 ₹452

$8.30 ₹801

-43.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.29

$1.14 ₹109

-67.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ₹26.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₹132

$2.29 ₹221

-40.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹114

$1.19 ₹114

-0.84%

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

$17.3K ₹1.7M

$13.7K ₹1.3M

26.07%

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

$24.8K ₹2.4M

$25.1K ₹2.4M

-1.27%

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

$50.2 ₹4,841

$57.0 ₹5,495

-11.90%

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

$5.08 ₹490

$4.47 ₹431

13.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.62 ₹831

$7.72 ₹744

11.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 ₹2,238

$17.03 ₹1,642

36.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 ₹1,143

$9.19 ₹886

28.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₹453

$3.58 ₹346

31.28%

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

$118 ₹11.4K

$53.2 ₹5,127

122.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,379 ₹325.8K

$1,684 ₹162.4K

100.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.21 ₹2,817

$24.57 ₹2,369

18.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.19 ₹3,008

$25.39 ₹2,448

22.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ₹5,453

$53.8 ₹5,188

5.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.55 ₹3,910

$38.55 ₹3,717

5.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 ₹67.2K

$157 ₹15.2K

342.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.5K

$128 ₹12.4K

178.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 ₹172.0K

$377 ₹36.4K

372.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 ₹81.4K

$244 ₹23.5K

246.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,047 ₹583.1K

$898 ₹86.6K

573.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,517 ₹242.8K

$575 ₹55.4K

337.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$787 ₹75.9K

$515 ₹49.6K

52.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

8.98

2.67%

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

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

Last update for Ahmedabad: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $697 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $157 in Ahmedabad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 53% 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: $23.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $16.00 in Ahmedabad. Groceries flip the comparison at $127 vs $130, with Mumbai (Bombay) cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Mumbai (Bombay) and Ahmedabad differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($763 vs $536 including rent). Ahmedabad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 53% higher in Mumbai (Bombay), which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $697 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $157 in Ahmedabad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $118 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $53.2 in Ahmedabad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Mumbai (Bombay) pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $536 in Ahmedabad versus $763 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ahmedabad but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Ahmedabad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Ahmedabad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.