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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $786 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $352 in Ambala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,295 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $554 in Ambala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,805 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $757 in Ambala, rent included.

Mumbai (Bombay) costs about 123% more than Ambala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mumbai (Bombay) and Ambala are more affordable than the global median – Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Ambala 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 ₹493

$3.22 ₹308

60.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.80 ₹1,987

$10.56 ₹1,009

96.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.30 ₹410

$2.85 ₹272

50.88%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₹253

$1.77 ₹169

49.72%

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

$0.37 ₹35.56

$0.36 ₹34.22

2.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.27

$0.16 ₹15.31

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 ₹258

$1.64 ₹157

64.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 ₹405

$3.06 ₹293

38.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 ₹66.4

$0.73 ₹69.5

-4.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.29

$0.44 ₹41.58

9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.8

$0.73 ₹70.1

4.11%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹97.7

$1.08 ₹103

-5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.75 ₹549

$1.80 ₹172

219.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 ₹337

$3.51 ₹336

0.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ₹213

$2.02 ₹193

10.40%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 ₹69.0

$0.70 ₹66.8

2.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 ₹117

$1.01 ₹96.4

21.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 ₹46.68

$0.41 ₹38.76

19.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 ₹33.36

$0.30 ₹28.79

16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.30

$0.22 ₹21.04

81.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ₹47.27

$0.38 ₹36.23

28.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹30.09

$0.29 ₹27.56

6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 ₹487

$4.02 ₹384

26.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹788

$7.03 ₹672

17.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₹195

$1.67 ₹160

22.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ₹288

$2.67 ₹255

13.11%

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

$6.22 ₹594

$6.30 ₹602

-1.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹19.09

$0.22 ₹21.04

-9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.93 ₹567

$7.38 ₹705

-19.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 ₹31.57

$0.98 ₹93.3

-66.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.67

$0.25 ₹23.77

32.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ₹156

$1.62 ₹155

0.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₹109

$1.00 ₹95.8

14.00%

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

$16.4K ₹1.6M

$8,950 ₹855.0K

83.36%

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

$22.4K ₹2.1M

$19.2K ₹1.8M

16.59%

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

$60.1 ₹5,739

$41.53 ₹3,968

44.64%

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

$4.37 ₹417

$3.73 ₹357

17.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.32 ₹890

$6.93 ₹662

34.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.53 ₹2,631

$13.82 ₹1,320

99.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.67 ₹1,306

$6.50 ₹621

110.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 ₹442

$2.71 ₹259

70.48%

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

$118 ₹11.3K

$42.74 ₹4,083

176.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,970 ₹474.8K

$1,597 ₹152.6K

211.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.94 ₹3,338

$21.74 ₹2,077

60.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.94 ₹3,625

$24.08 ₹2,301

57.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.3 ₹5,758

$41.83 ₹3,996

44.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.94 ₹4,771

$23.82 ₹2,276

109.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₹61.2K

$78.8 ₹7,531

712.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 ₹35.4K

$57.2 ₹5,465

547.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,937 ₹185.0K

$213 ₹20.4K

808.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 ₹83.0K

$128 ₹12.2K

577.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,174 ₹589.9K

$976 ₹93.3K

532.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,428 ₹232.0K

$503 ₹48.1K

382.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$810 ₹77.4K

$470 ₹44.9K

72.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.36

8.25

1.33%

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

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

Last update for Ambala: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $641 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $78.8 in Ambala. 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 72% 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 $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $11.00 in Ambala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $117 vs $96.0 – making Ambala 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

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

Yes – Mumbai (Bombay) is pricier by about 123%, 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 $1,178 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) and $528 in Ambala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $786 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $352 in Ambala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 24% less in Ambala. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ambala, where all-in costs run around $352, than in Mumbai (Bombay) at $786. In Ambala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mumbai (Bombay) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Ambala. 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.