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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $783 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $486 in Chandigarh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,280 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $764 in Chandigarh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,776 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $1,042 in Chandigarh.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 61% more expensive than in Chandigarh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Chandigarh 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.10 ₹489

$3.05 ₹293

67.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.90 ₹2,005

$13.40 ₹1,286

55.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.18 ₹401

$4.28 ₹410

-2.34%

Cappuccino

$2.61 ₹251

$2.63 ₹252

-0.76%

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

$0.38 ₹36.00

$0.43 ₹41.66

-11.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.11

$0.23 ₹21.90

-39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 ₹247

$2.12 ₹203

21.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 ₹410

$3.11 ₹298

37.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 ₹67.2

$0.72 ₹68.7

-2.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 ₹50.2

$0.54 ₹52.1

-3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 ₹74.5

$0.84 ₹80.2

-7.14%

Eggs

$0.96 ₹91.7

$0.94 ₹90.4

2.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 ₹530

$5.08 ₹488

8.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 ₹343

$2.87 ₹275

24.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 ₹218

$1.84 ₹177

23.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 ₹71.0

$0.76 ₹73.2

-2.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₹117

$1.08 ₹103

12.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 ₹45.18

$0.63 ₹60.6

-25.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 ₹31.97

$0.32 ₹31.11

3.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₹35.32

$0.35 ₹33.41

5.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 ₹41.03

$0.69 ₹66.5

-37.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.91

$0.30 ₹28.51

3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.03 ₹483

$4.95 ₹475

1.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.27 ₹794

$11.58 ₹1,111

-28.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₹195

$1.73 ₹166

17.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ₹296

$2.64 ₹253

17.05%

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

$5.81 ₹557

$6.77 ₹649

-14.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹19.16

$0.30 ₹28.55

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.57 ₹534

$3.63 ₹348

53.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 ₹30.87

$1.07 ₹103

-70.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.21

$0.24 ₹23.03

37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 ₹152

$1.59 ₹153

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹109

$1.07 ₹103

5.61%

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

$15.9K ₹1.5M

$12.7K ₹1.2M

25.27%

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

$22.2K ₹2.1M

$25.3K ₹2.4M

-12.45%

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

$60.9 ₹5,839

$44.94 ₹4,311

35.43%

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

$4.28 ₹410

$4.80 ₹460

-10.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.27 ₹890

$7.01 ₹672

32.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 ₹2,505

$21.31 ₹2,044

22.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.92 ₹1,240

$7.99 ₹766

61.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 ₹462

$3.09 ₹296

55.66%

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

$118 ₹11.4K

$58.7 ₹5,634

101.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,909 ₹471.0K

$2,483 ₹238.2K

97.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.15 ₹3,373

$26.60 ₹2,552

32.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.23 ₹3,763

$25.15 ₹2,413

55.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.7 ₹5,540

$57.8 ₹5,546

-0.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.14 ₹4,618

$43.90 ₹4,212

9.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$635 ₹60.9K

$170 ₹16.3K

273.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 ₹34.1K

$117 ₹11.2K

204.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,933 ₹185.5K

$456 ₹43.7K

324.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$835 ₹80.1K

$283 ₹27.2K

194.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,093 ₹584.5K

$2,951 ₹283.1K

106.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,473 ₹237.2K

$1,768 ₹169.6K

39.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 ₹72.3K

$438 ₹42.0K

71.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

4.13%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): September 12, 2026

Last update for Chandigarh: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $635 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $170 in Chandigarh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 72% 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: $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $13.00 in Chandigarh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $117 vs $116 per month, with Chandigarh 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

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

Chandigarh wins on cost – living expenses run 61% lower than in Mumbai (Bombay). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chandigarh the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 72% 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: $635 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $170 in Chandigarh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Chandigarh runs roughly 53% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $118 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $58.7 in Chandigarh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $486 in Chandigarh versus $783 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chandigarh but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Chandigarh the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Chandigarh delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $486 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Chandigarh hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mumbai (Bombay) and Chandigarh 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 Chandigarh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.