Cost of Living Comparison Between Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai (Madras) Cost of Living Comparison Between Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai (Madras)

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $786 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $418 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A couple spends around $1,295 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $703 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A family of three spends $1,805 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $987 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

Mumbai (Bombay) costs about 88% more than Chennai (Madras), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai (Madras) are more affordable than the global median – Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Chennai (Madras) 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 ₹493

$2.07 ₹198

149.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.80 ₹1,987

$12.83 ₹1,226

62.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.30 ₹410

$4.16 ₹397

3.37%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₹253

$1.82 ₹174

45.60%

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

$0.37 ₹35.56

$0.35 ₹33.00

5.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.27

$0.18 ₹17.12

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 ₹258

$1.63 ₹156

65.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 ₹405

$3.10 ₹296

36.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 ₹66.4

$0.61 ₹57.8

14.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.29

$0.54 ₹51.9

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.8

$0.75 ₹71.4

1.33%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹97.7

$0.89 ₹84.6

14.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.75 ₹549

$6.06 ₹579

-5.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 ₹337

$3.21 ₹307

9.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ₹213

$2.89 ₹276

-22.84%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 ₹69.0

$0.82 ₹78.6

-12.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 ₹117

$1.40 ₹134

-12.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 ₹46.68

$0.46 ₹43.91

6.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 ₹33.36

$0.44 ₹41.71

-20.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.30

$0.40 ₹38.03

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ₹47.27

$0.49 ₹46.90

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹30.09

$0.30 ₹28.97

3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 ₹487

$5.11 ₹488

-0.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹788

$6.25 ₹597

32.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₹195

$1.74 ₹166

17.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ₹288

$2.72 ₹260

11.03%

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

$6.22 ₹594

$6.71 ₹641

-7.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹19.09

$0.31 ₹29.39

-35.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.93 ₹567

$10.37 ₹991

-42.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 ₹31.57

$1.08 ₹103

-69.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.67

$0.35 ₹33.60

-5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ₹156

$2.06 ₹197

-20.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₹109

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

$16.4K ₹1.6M

$15.1K ₹1.4M

8.58%

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

$22.4K ₹2.1M

$20.9K ₹2.0M

7.39%

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

$60.1 ₹5,739

$38.50 ₹3,679

56.03%

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

$4.37 ₹417

$4.00 ₹383

9.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.32 ₹890

$8.09 ₹773

15.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.53 ₹2,631

$14.92 ₹1,425

84.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.67 ₹1,306

$7.02 ₹671

94.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 ₹442

$2.48 ₹237

86.29%

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

$118 ₹11.3K

$93.3 ₹8,910

26.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,970 ₹474.8K

$2,211 ₹211.3K

124.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.94 ₹3,338

$20.30 ₹1,939

72.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.94 ₹3,625

$17.33 ₹1,655

118.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.3 ₹5,758

$36.50 ₹3,487

65.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.94 ₹4,771

$30.14 ₹2,880

65.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₹61.2K

$180 ₹17.2K

255.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 ₹35.4K

$104 ₹9,898

257.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,937 ₹185.0K

$503 ₹48.0K

285.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 ₹83.0K

$304 ₹29.1K

185.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,174 ₹589.9K

$1,954 ₹186.6K

216.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,428 ₹232.0K

$806 ₹77.0K

201.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$810 ₹77.4K

$663 ₹63.3K

22.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.36

9.88

-15.38%

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

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

Last update for Chennai (Madras): September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $641 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $180 in Chennai (Madras). 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 22% 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 $13.00 in Chennai (Madras). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $117 vs $114 – making Chennai (Madras) 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 Chennai (Madras): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mumbai (Bombay) costs about 88% more than Chennai (Madras), with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,178 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) and $627 in Chennai (Madras). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chennai (Madras), 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 $418 in Chennai (Madras). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 75% less in Chennai (Madras). For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chennai (Madras), where all-in costs run around $418, than in Mumbai (Bombay) at $786. In Chennai (Madras) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mumbai (Bombay) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chennai (Madras) costs $418 versus $786 in Mumbai (Bombay). Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Chennai (Madras). 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.