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 $779 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $393 in Dharamsala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,255 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $572 in Dharamsala, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,732 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $750 in Dharamsala, rent included.

Mumbai (Bombay) costs about 98% 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 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 ₹509

$2.65 ₹253

100.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.40 ₹2,143

$11.82 ₹1,132

89.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ₹443

$3.43 ₹328

34.99%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₹241

$1.56 ₹150

61.54%

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

$0.51 ₹48.47

$0.37 ₹35.35

37.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.71

$0.14 ₹13.33

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹218

$1.67 ₹159

36.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ₹378

$2.81 ₹269

40.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.4

$0.73 ₹69.5

2.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹49.04

$0.54 ₹51.7

-5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹74.0

$0.87 ₹83.5

-11.49%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹103

$1.05 ₹101

2.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 ₹683

$5.46 ₹522

30.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₹372

$2.07 ₹198

87.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₹220

$1.58 ₹152

45.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.7

$0.81 ₹77.9

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹121

$1.00 ₹96.0

26.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.0

$0.56 ₹53.8

14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹55.1

$0.22 ₹21.03

163.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.4

$0.45 ₹43.04

40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.3

$0.43 ₹41.14

48.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.14

$0.32 ₹30.50

3.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ₹402

$4.13 ₹395

1.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹790

$3.06 ₹293

169.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹208

$1.74 ₹166

24.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₹325

$2.83 ₹271

20.14%

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

$7.03 ₹673

$5.05 ₹483

39.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹23.08

$0.30 ₹28.78

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.51 ₹432

$8.61 ₹824

-47.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.03

$0.85 ₹81.2

-56.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₹20.94

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₹135

$1.18 ₹113

19.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹114

$1.14 ₹109

4.39%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$14.4K ₹1.4M

20.94%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$28.6K ₹2.7M

-14.20%

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

$50.8 ₹4,860

$47.90 ₹4,583

6.03%

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

$4.81 ₹460

$2.60 ₹249

85.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.75 ₹837

$2.98 ₹285

193.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 ₹2,211

$14.64 ₹1,401

57.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 ₹1,147

$7.20 ₹689

66.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 ₹450

$2.85 ₹273

65.26%

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

$122 ₹11.6K

$61.5 ₹5,889

97.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,393 ₹324.7K

$1,942 ₹185.9K

74.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 ₹2,789

$24.92 ₹2,385

16.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 ₹2,929

$24.12 ₹2,308

26.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 ₹5,277

$48.38 ₹4,629

13.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.74 ₹3,803

$33.00 ₹3,158

20.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₹67.4K

$91.9 ₹8,790

667.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.1K

$89.4 ₹8,559

298.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 ₹171.5K

$141 ₹13.5K

1168.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹79.0K

$112 ₹10.7K

635.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 ₹615.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,627 ₹251.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ₹71.2K

$207 ₹19.8K

259.03%

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): May 31, 2026

Last update for Dharamsala: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $705 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 259% 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 $12.00 in Dharamsala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $129 vs $94.0 – 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 98%, 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 $1,168 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) and $590 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 $779 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $393 in Dharamsala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 91% 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 $393, than in Mumbai (Bombay) at $779. 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.