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 $763 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $475 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A couple spends around $1,259 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $741 in Chennai (Madras), rent included.

A family of three spends $1,754 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $1,007 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) 43% lower, Chennai (Madras) 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 ₹499

$2.30 ₹222

124.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.50 ₹2,170

$11.59 ₹1,118

94.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₹453

$4.10 ₹396

14.63%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₹251

$2.16 ₹209

20.37%

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

$0.50 ₹48.66

$0.49 ₹47.25

2.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.25

$0.17 ₹16.48

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ₹225

$2.07 ₹200

12.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ₹403

$4.08 ₹394

2.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹70.2

$0.59 ₹56.5

23.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.57

$0.50 ₹47.84

-4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₹79.4

$0.77 ₹74.7

6.49%

Eggs

$1.05 ₹101

$0.87 ₹84.2

20.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ₹662

$7.08 ₹682

-2.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₹375

$3.57 ₹345

8.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₹221

$2.84 ₹273

-19.37%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 ₹79.9

$0.86 ₹82.9

-3.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₹125

$1.27 ₹123

2.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₹63.1

$0.48 ₹46.42

35.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₹54.9

$0.55 ₹53.1

3.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₹56.4

$0.54 ₹51.8

7.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹62.0

$0.55 ₹52.8

16.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.87

$0.33 ₹31.53

6.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 ₹407

$4.06 ₹392

3.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₹789

$7.14 ₹689

14.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₹200

$1.81 ₹175

14.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 ₹316

$3.49 ₹336

-6.30%

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

$6.98 ₹673

$6.08 ₹586

14.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹21.20

$0.34 ₹32.62

-35.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.69 ₹452

$11.59 ₹1,117

-59.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.29

$1.54 ₹149

-75.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹29.23

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₹132

$1.70 ₹164

-19.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹114

$1.18 ₹113

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

$17.3K ₹1.7M

0.03%

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

$24.8K ₹2.4M

$23.8K ₹2.3M

4.41%

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

$50.2 ₹4,841

$47.66 ₹4,596

5.33%

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

$5.08 ₹490

$4.90 ₹472

3.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.62 ₹831

$9.78 ₹943

-11.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 ₹2,238

$17.77 ₹1,713

30.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 ₹1,143

$7.12 ₹687

66.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₹453

$2.87 ₹277

63.76%

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

$118 ₹11.4K

$79.5 ₹7,666

48.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,379 ₹325.8K

$1,738 ₹167.6K

94.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.21 ₹2,817

$26.12 ₹2,519

11.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.19 ₹3,008

$23.16 ₹2,233

34.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ₹5,453

$49.19 ₹4,744

14.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.55 ₹3,910

$36.39 ₹3,510

11.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 ₹67.2K

$195 ₹18.8K

257.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.5K

$115 ₹11.1K

210.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 ₹172.0K

$441 ₹42.5K

304.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 ₹81.4K

$260 ₹25.1K

224.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,047 ₹583.1K

$1,817 ₹175.2K

232.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,517 ₹242.8K

$793 ₹76.5K

217.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$787 ₹75.9K

$754 ₹72.7K

4.38%

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): July 13, 2026

Last update for Chennai (Madras): July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $697 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $195 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 $23.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $12.00 in Chennai (Madras). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $127 vs $122 – 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 $1,145 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) and $712 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 $763 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $475 in Chennai (Madras). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 147% 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 $475, than in Mumbai (Bombay) at $763. 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 $475 versus $763 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.