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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $763 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $396 in Dharamsala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,259 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $579 in Dharamsala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,754 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $763 in Dharamsala, rent included.

Mumbai (Bombay) costs about 93% more than Dharamsala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 ₹499

$2.59 ₹249

99.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.50 ₹2,170

$11.48 ₹1,107

95.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₹453

$3.51 ₹338

33.90%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₹251

$1.52 ₹146

71.05%

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

$0.50 ₹48.66

$0.36 ₹35.00

38.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.25

$0.17 ₹16.52

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ₹225

$1.65 ₹160

41.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ₹403

$2.79 ₹269

49.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹70.2

$0.73 ₹70.7

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.57

$0.54 ₹52.3

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₹79.4

$0.89 ₹85.6

-7.87%

Eggs

$1.05 ₹101

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ₹662

$5.57 ₹538

23.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₹375

$2.14 ₹206

81.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₹221

$1.60 ₹154

43.13%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 ₹79.9

$0.75 ₹71.9

10.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₹125

$0.95 ₹91.4

36.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₹63.1

$0.57 ₹55.2

14.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₹54.9

$0.22 ₹21.10

159.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₹56.4

$0.49 ₹46.85

18.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹62.0

$0.43 ₹40.99

48.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.87

$0.35 ₹33.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 ₹407

$4.12 ₹397

2.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₹789

$3.09 ₹298

164.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₹200

$1.67 ₹161

24.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 ₹316

$2.77 ₹267

18.05%

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

$6.98 ₹673

$5.07 ₹489

37.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹21.20

$0.30 ₹29.01

-26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.69 ₹452

$8.47 ₹817

-44.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.29

$0.83 ₹80.2

-55.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₹21.13

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₹132

$1.18 ₹113

16.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹114

$1.15 ₹111

2.61%

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

$17.3K ₹1.7M

$14.6K ₹1.4M

18.25%

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

$24.8K ₹2.4M

$29.4K ₹2.8M

-15.51%

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

$50.2 ₹4,841

$47.17 ₹4,549

6.42%

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

$5.08 ₹490

$2.64 ₹255

92.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.62 ₹831

$2.84 ₹274

203.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 ₹2,238

$14.83 ₹1,430

56.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 ₹1,143

$6.85 ₹660

72.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₹453

$2.86 ₹276

64.34%

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

$118 ₹11.4K

$60.5 ₹5,835

95.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,379 ₹325.8K

$1,968 ₹189.8K

71.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.21 ₹2,817

$24.99 ₹2,410

16.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.19 ₹3,008

$24.39 ₹2,352

27.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ₹5,453

$49.05 ₹4,730

15.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.55 ₹3,910

$33.54 ₹3,235

20.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 ₹67.2K

$91.9 ₹8,857

658.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.5K

$90.9 ₹8,766

293.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 ₹172.0K

$137 ₹13.2K

1199.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 ₹81.4K

$113 ₹10.9K

649.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,047 ₹583.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,517 ₹242.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$787 ₹75.9K

$205 ₹19.8K

283.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

7.5

22.93%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): July 13, 2026

Last update for Dharamsala: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $697 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $91.9 in Dharamsala. 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 283% 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 $11.00 in Dharamsala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $127 vs $95.0 – making Dharamsala 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 Dharamsala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mumbai (Bombay) is pricier by about 93%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,145 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) and $594 in Dharamsala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dharamsala, 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 $396 in Dharamsala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 81% less in Dharamsala. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dharamsala, where all-in costs run around $396, than in Mumbai (Bombay) at $763. In Dharamsala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mumbai (Bombay) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dharamsala – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Dharamsala. 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.