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 $779 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $484 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A couple spends around $1,255 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $754 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A family of three spends $1,732 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $1,024 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

Mumbai (Bombay) costs about 61% more than Chennai (Madras), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai (Madras) are more affordable than the global median – Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Chennai (Madras) 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 ₹509

$2.23 ₹213

138.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.40 ₹2,143

$11.73 ₹1,123

90.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ₹443

$3.96 ₹379

16.92%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₹241

$2.11 ₹202

19.43%

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

$0.51 ₹48.47

$0.49 ₹47.10

4.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.71

$0.19 ₹18.36

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹218

$2.08 ₹199

9.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ₹378

$4.18 ₹400

-5.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.4

$0.63 ₹60.1

19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹49.04

$0.50 ₹47.37

2.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹74.0

$0.77 ₹73.4

Eggs

$1.08 ₹103

$0.87 ₹83.5

24.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 ₹683

$6.99 ₹669

2.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₹372

$3.45 ₹330

12.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₹220

$2.94 ₹281

-21.77%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.7

$0.82 ₹78.1

-1.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹121

$1.34 ₹128

-5.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.0

$0.45 ₹42.92

42.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹55.1

$0.55 ₹52.3

5.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.4

$0.54 ₹51.5

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.3

$0.55 ₹52.3

16.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.14

$0.33 ₹31.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ₹402

$4.00 ₹383

5.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹790

$7.68 ₹735

7.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹208

$1.91 ₹183

13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₹325

$3.49 ₹334

-2.58%

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

$7.03 ₹673

$6.12 ₹585

14.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹23.08

$0.34 ₹32.26

-29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.51 ₹432

$11.49 ₹1,100

-60.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.03

$1.53 ₹147

-75.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₹135

$1.76 ₹169

-19.89%

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

$17.2K ₹1.6M

0.95%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

0.19%

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

$50.8 ₹4,860

$47.37 ₹4,533

7.22%

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

$4.81 ₹460

$4.73 ₹453

1.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.75 ₹837

$9.77 ₹935

-10.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 ₹2,211

$17.53 ₹1,677

31.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 ₹1,147

$7.26 ₹694

65.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 ₹450

$2.84 ₹272

65.85%

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

$122 ₹11.6K

$80.3 ₹7,686

51.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,393 ₹324.7K

$1,756 ₹168.0K

93.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 ₹2,789

$25.19 ₹2,410

15.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 ₹2,929

$23.56 ₹2,254

29.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 ₹5,277

$49.44 ₹4,731

11.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.74 ₹3,803

$35.35 ₹3,382

12.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₹67.4K

$190 ₹18.2K

270.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.1K

$117 ₹11.2K

205.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 ₹171.5K

$435 ₹41.6K

311.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹79.0K

$263 ₹25.2K

213.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 ₹615.9K

$1,736 ₹166.1K

270.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,627 ₹251.4K

$724 ₹69.3K

262.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ₹71.2K

$718 ₹68.7K

3.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

9.42

-2.12%

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

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

Last update for Chennai (Madras): June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $190 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 4% 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 Chennai (Madras). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $129 vs $124 – 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 61% 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 $1,168 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) and $726 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 $779 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $484 in Chennai (Madras). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 155% 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 $484, than in Mumbai (Bombay) at $779. 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 $484 versus $779 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.