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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $769 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $520 in Delhi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,281 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $858 in Delhi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,793 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $1,195 in Delhi, rent included.

Mumbai (Bombay) costs about 48% more than Delhi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mumbai (Bombay) and Delhi are more affordable than the global median – Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Delhi 61% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mumbai (Bombay)
Delhi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.29 ₹510
$3.67 ₹354
44.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.16 ₹2,039
$20.95 ₹2,019
1.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.08 ₹393
$3.74 ₹361
9.09%
Cappuccino
$2.61 ₹252
$2.33 ₹225
12.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 ₹34.85
$0.37 ₹35.67
-2.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.13 ₹12.51
$0.20 ₹18.83
-35.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.63 ₹253
$2.02 ₹194
30.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.12 ₹397
$3.19 ₹307
29.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mumbai (Bombay)
Delhi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.73 ₹70.2
$0.68 ₹65.6
7.35%
White Bread (500g)
$0.50 ₹48.18
$0.52 ₹49.94
-3.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.76 ₹73.3
$0.83 ₹79.6
-8.43%
Eggs
$1.00 ₹96.5
$1.07 ₹103
-6.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.56 ₹536
$4.43 ₹427
25.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.60 ₹347
$3.37 ₹325
6.82%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 ₹208
$1.99 ₹192
8.04%
Banana (1kg)
$0.72 ₹69.5
$0.72 ₹69.8
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.24 ₹120
$1.02 ₹98.0
21.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.50 ₹48.00
$0.52 ₹49.87
-3.85%
Potato (1kg)
$0.34 ₹32.44
$0.27 ₹25.84
25.93%
Onion (1kg)
$0.37 ₹35.36
$0.37 ₹35.27
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.44 ₹42.42
$0.43 ₹41.46
2.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.28 ₹26.76
$0.31 ₹30.25
-9.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.08 ₹489
$4.92 ₹474
3.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.32 ₹802
$8.34 ₹804
-0.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.94 ₹187
$1.64 ₹158
18.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 ₹295
$2.70 ₹260
13.70%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$6.16 ₹593
$6.15 ₹593
0.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Mumbai (Bombay)
Delhi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.22 ₹21.20
$0.46 ₹43.85
-52.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$5.61 ₹541
$15.29 ₹1,474
-63.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.31 ₹29.41
$1.03 ₹99.3
-69.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.33 ₹31.33
$0.27 ₹26.26
22.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.54 ₹148
$1.53 ₹147
0.65%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.15 ₹111
$1.05 ₹101
9.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$15.7K ₹1.5M
$10.5K ₹1.0M
50.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K ₹2.1M
$18.4K ₹1.8M
18.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mumbai (Bombay)
Delhi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$60.7 ₹5,851
$42.67 ₹4,112
42.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.39 ₹423
$4.04 ₹389
8.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.80 ₹848
$6.75 ₹650
30.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mumbai (Bombay)
Delhi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$26.08 ₹2,514
$19.40 ₹1,870
34.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.19 ₹1,271
$8.06 ₹777
63.65%
Cinema Ticket
$4.49 ₹432
$5.08 ₹490
-11.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mumbai (Bombay)
Delhi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$114 ₹11.0K
$100 ₹9,654
13.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,082 ₹489.7K
$2,268 ₹218.5K
124.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mumbai (Bombay)
Delhi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.13 ₹3,482
$24.14 ₹2,326
49.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.96 ₹3,851
$28.38 ₹2,735
40.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$54.5 ₹5,247
$53.3 ₹5,138
2.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$47.98 ₹4,623
$44.13 ₹4,253
8.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mumbai (Bombay)
Delhi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$598 ₹57.7K
$264 ₹25.4K
126.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$344 ₹33.2K
$154 ₹14.8K
123.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,797 ₹173.2K
$736 ₹70.9K
144.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$866 ₹83.4K
$397 ₹38.3K
117.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,811 ₹559.9K
$2,494 ₹240.3K
133.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,418 ₹233.0K
$1,017 ₹98.0K
137.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mumbai (Bombay)
Delhi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$768 ₹74.0K
$585 ₹56.4K
31.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.29
8.33
-0.48%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): October 3, 2026

Last update for Delhi: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $598 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $264 in Delhi. 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 31% 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 $21.00 in Delhi. Groceries tell a different story – $116 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $108 in Delhi – so Delhi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Delhi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Mumbai (Bombay) and in Delhi compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $769 in Mumbai (Bombay), $520 in Delhi – roughly 48% apart. Mumbai (Bombay) costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Mumbai (Bombay) compared to Delhi?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,153 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) and $780 in Delhi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Mumbai (Bombay) and Delhi?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Delhi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $21.00 in Delhi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Mumbai (Bombay) or Delhi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $769 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $520 in Delhi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
How far does $1,200 go in Mumbai (Bombay) compared to Delhi?
$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $769 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $520 in Delhi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
How does quality of life compare between Mumbai (Bombay) and Delhi?
It depends on your priorities. Mumbai (Bombay) has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $520 in Delhi to $769 in Mumbai (Bombay). Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Mumbai (Bombay) and Delhi?
If budget matters most, go with Delhi. 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.

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