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 $779 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $546 in Delhi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,255 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $861 in Delhi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,732 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $1,176 in Delhi, rent included.

Mumbai (Bombay) costs about 43% more than Delhi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mumbai (Bombay) and Delhi are more affordable than the global median – Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Delhi 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 ₹509

$4.75 ₹455

12.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.40 ₹2,143

$19.98 ₹1,912

12.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ₹443

$3.97 ₹380

16.62%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₹241

$2.05 ₹196

22.93%

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

$0.51 ₹48.47

$0.47 ₹45.26

8.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.71

$0.15 ₹14.66

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹218

$2.06 ₹197

10.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ₹378

$3.39 ₹324

16.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.4

$0.75 ₹71.7

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹49.04

$0.56 ₹53.6

-8.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹74.0

$0.91 ₹87.4

-15.38%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹103

$1.12 ₹107

-3.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 ₹683

$4.55 ₹435

56.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₹372

$3.55 ₹340

9.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₹220

$2.01 ₹193

14.43%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.7

$0.84 ₹80.7

-3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹121

$0.99 ₹94.9

27.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.0

$0.59 ₹56.6

8.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹55.1

$0.39 ₹37.23

48.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.4

$0.54 ₹51.9

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.3

$0.61 ₹58.1

4.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.14

$0.37 ₹35.13

-10.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ₹402

$4.16 ₹398

0.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹790

$9.18 ₹878

-10.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹208

$1.86 ₹178

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₹325

$2.88 ₹276

18.06%

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

$7.03 ₹673

$5.57 ₹533

26.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹23.08

$0.53 ₹50.8

-54.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.51 ₹432

$11.61 ₹1,111

-61.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.03

$0.56 ₹53.9

-33.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ₹26.57

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₹135

$1.30 ₹124

8.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹114

$1.17 ₹112

1.71%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$17.7K ₹1.7M

-1.90%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$23.9K ₹2.3M

2.66%

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

$50.8 ₹4,860

$66.4 ₹6,352

-23.47%

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

$4.81 ₹460

$4.31 ₹413

11.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.75 ₹837

$7.99 ₹764

9.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 ₹2,211

$20.25 ₹1,938

14.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 ₹1,147

$10.15 ₹972

18.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 ₹450

$4.61 ₹441

2.17%

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

$122 ₹11.6K

$78.5 ₹7,515

54.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,393 ₹324.7K

$2,010 ₹192.3K

68.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 ₹2,789

$27.20 ₹2,603

7.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 ₹2,929

$31.17 ₹2,983

-1.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 ₹5,277

$48.50 ₹4,641

13.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.74 ₹3,803

$36.01 ₹3,446

10.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₹67.4K

$239 ₹22.9K

194.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.1K

$135 ₹12.9K

163.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 ₹171.5K

$584 ₹55.9K

206.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹79.0K

$322 ₹30.8K

156.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 ₹615.9K

$2,503 ₹239.5K

157.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,627 ₹251.4K

$931 ₹89.1K

182.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ₹71.2K

$531 ₹50.8K

40.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

2.44%

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

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

Last update for Delhi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $239 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 40% 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 $20.00 in Delhi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $129 vs $117 – making Delhi 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 Delhi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $779 in Mumbai (Bombay), $546 in Delhi – roughly 43% apart. Mumbai (Bombay) costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,168 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) and $819 in Delhi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $20.00 in Delhi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $779 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $546 in Delhi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Delhi, where all-in costs run around $546, than in Mumbai (Bombay) at $779. In Delhi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mumbai (Bombay) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mumbai (Bombay) has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $546 in Delhi to $779 in Mumbai (Bombay). Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.