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 $779 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $410 in Ambala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,255 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $635 in Ambala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,732 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $859 in Ambala, rent included.

Mumbai (Bombay) costs about 90% more than Ambala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mumbai (Bombay) and Ambala are more affordable than the global median – Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Ambala 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 ₹509

$2.96 ₹283

79.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.40 ₹2,143

$11.51 ₹1,101

94.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ₹443

$3.24 ₹310

42.90%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₹241

$1.69 ₹162

49.11%

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

$0.51 ₹48.47

$0.45 ₹42.86

13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.71

$0.17 ₹16.08

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹218

$1.75 ₹167

30.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ₹378

$3.51 ₹336

12.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.4

$0.69 ₹66.3

8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹49.04

$0.50 ₹47.49

2.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹74.0

$0.56 ₹53.8

37.50%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹103

$1.04 ₹99.9

3.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 ₹683

$2.70 ₹258

164.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₹372

$3.25 ₹311

19.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₹220

$1.86 ₹178

23.66%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.7

$0.74 ₹70.9

9.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹121

$0.73 ₹69.8

72.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.0

$0.52 ₹49.43

23.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹55.1

$0.33 ₹31.82

75.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.4

$0.34 ₹32.25

85.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.3

$0.30 ₹28.59

113.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.14

$0.34 ₹32.75

-2.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ₹402

$3.91 ₹374

7.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹790

$6.62 ₹634

24.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹208

$2.17 ₹207

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₹325

$3.73 ₹357

-8.85%

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

$7.03 ₹673

$5.60 ₹536

25.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹23.08

$0.28 ₹26.40

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.51 ₹432

$8.85 ₹847

-49.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.03

$0.57 ₹54.4

-35.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 ₹23.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₹135

$1.43 ₹137

-1.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹114

$1.16 ₹111

2.59%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$9,206 ₹880.9K

88.80%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$21.3K ₹2.0M

15.34%

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

$50.8 ₹4,860

$50.9 ₹4,866

-0.12%

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

$4.81 ₹460

$3.64 ₹348

32.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.75 ₹837

$8.08 ₹773

8.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 ₹2,211

$16.21 ₹1,551

42.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 ₹1,147

$6.98 ₹668

71.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 ₹450

$2.96 ₹283

59.12%

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

$122 ₹11.6K

$57.0 ₹5,458

113.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,393 ₹324.7K

$1,722 ₹164.8K

97.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 ₹2,789

$26.12 ₹2,500

11.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 ₹2,929

$27.08 ₹2,591

13.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 ₹5,277

$45.25 ₹4,330

21.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.74 ₹3,803

$30.64 ₹2,932

29.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₹67.4K

$123 ₹11.8K

470.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.1K

$76.4 ₹7,313

366.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 ₹171.5K

$277 ₹26.5K

547.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹79.0K

$182 ₹17.4K

353.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 ₹615.9K

$529 ₹50.6K

1117.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,627 ₹251.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ₹71.2K

$459 ₹43.9K

62.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

7.5

22.93%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): May 31, 2026

Last update for Ambala: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $123 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 62% 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 $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $12.00 in Ambala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $129 vs $100 – 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 90%, 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 $1,168 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) and $615 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 $779 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $410 in Ambala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 96% 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 $410, than in Mumbai (Bombay) at $779. 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.