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 $795 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $390 in Dharamsala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,311 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $580 in Dharamsala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,827 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $771 in Dharamsala, rent included.

Mumbai (Bombay) costs about 104% more than Dharamsala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mumbai (Bombay) and Dharamsala are more affordable than the global median – Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Dharamsala 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 ₹501

$2.67 ₹252

98.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.42 ₹2,023

$10.48 ₹990

104.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.29 ₹405

$3.24 ₹306

32.41%

Cappuccino

$2.61 ₹246

$1.42 ₹134

83.80%

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

$0.41 ₹38.29

$0.40 ₹37.92

2.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.06

$0.13 ₹12.18

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ₹245

$1.55 ₹146

67.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 ₹393

$3.09 ₹292

34.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 ₹65.7

$0.62 ₹58.4

11.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 ₹46.06

$0.51 ₹48.59

-3.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ₹68.9

$0.87 ₹81.9

-16.09%

Eggs

$0.95 ₹89.6

$1.02 ₹96.2

-6.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.69 ₹537

$4.93 ₹466

15.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ₹329

$2.83 ₹268

22.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 ₹222

$1.39 ₹132

68.35%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 ₹63.4

$0.72 ₹68.3

-6.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 ₹114

$1.05 ₹99.1

14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 ₹47.21

$0.57 ₹53.6

-12.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 ₹35.57

$0.22 ₹20.81

72.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.18

$0.37 ₹35.09

8.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ₹46.17

$0.35 ₹33.50

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹27.01

$0.30 ₹28.01

-3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.98 ₹470

$3.11 ₹294

60.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 ₹777

$3.17 ₹299

159.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₹199

$1.64 ₹155

28.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ₹298

$2.80 ₹265

12.50%

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

$5.95 ₹562

$5.32 ₹503

11.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹18.87

$0.27 ₹25.78

-25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.88 ₹556

$7.68 ₹725

-23.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 ₹29.07

$1.03 ₹97.0

-69.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.28

$0.25 ₹23.63

32.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 ₹146

$1.60 ₹151

-3.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹104

$1.09 ₹103

0.92%

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

$16.2K ₹1.5M

$12.8K ₹1.2M

27.03%

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

$22.6K ₹2.1M

$24.8K ₹2.3M

-8.65%

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

$59.1 ₹5,584

$45.09 ₹4,261

31.09%

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

$4.38 ₹414

$2.33 ₹220

87.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.34 ₹883

$2.69 ₹254

247.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.20 ₹2,570

$13.12 ₹1,239

107.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.11 ₹1,334

$6.94 ₹655

103.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 ₹437

$3.20 ₹302

44.38%

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

$118 ₹11.1K

$58.2 ₹5,500

102.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,947 ₹467.4K

$2,493 ₹235.5K

98.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.63 ₹3,178

$26.99 ₹2,550

24.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.59 ₹3,646

$21.31 ₹2,013

81.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 ₹5,648

$53.5 ₹5,055

11.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.89 ₹4,619

$42.36 ₹4,002

15.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 ₹61.6K

$97.7 ₹9,234

567.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ₹33.6K

$83.6 ₹7,897

325.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 ₹180.2K

$169 ₹16.0K

1026.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$863 ₹81.5K

$131 ₹12.4K

560.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,242 ₹589.8K

$989 ₹93.4K

531.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,324 ₹219.5K

$516 ₹48.8K

350.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$804 ₹75.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.36

4.50%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): August 30, 2026

Last update for Dharamsala: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $652 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $97.7 in Dharamsala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $10.00 in Dharamsala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $117 vs $93.0 – 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 104%, 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 $1,192 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) and $585 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 $795 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $390 in Dharamsala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 31% 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 $390, than in Mumbai (Bombay) at $795. 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.