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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $783 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $359 in Dharwad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,280 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $564 in Dharwad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,776 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $768 in Dharwad.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 118% more expensive than in Dharwad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Dharwad 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.10 ₹489

$2.04 ₹196

150.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.90 ₹2,005

$7.24 ₹694

188.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.18 ₹401

$3.83 ₹368

9.14%

Cappuccino

$2.61 ₹251

$1.64 ₹158

59.15%

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

$0.38 ₹36.00

$0.38 ₹36.37

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.11

$0.10 ₹9.91

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 ₹247

$1.50 ₹144

71.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 ₹410

$3.02 ₹290

41.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 ₹67.2

$0.62 ₹59.3

12.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 ₹50.2

$0.50 ₹47.69

4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 ₹74.5

$0.61 ₹58.8

27.87%

Eggs

$0.96 ₹91.7

$0.92 ₹87.8

4.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 ₹530

$4.17 ₹400

32.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 ₹343

$2.79 ₹268

27.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 ₹218

$1.87 ₹179

21.93%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 ₹71.0

$0.64 ₹61.6

15.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₹117

$0.92 ₹88.6

32.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 ₹45.18

$0.44 ₹42.19

6.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 ₹31.97

$0.36 ₹34.15

-8.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₹35.32

$0.41 ₹39.04

-9.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 ₹41.03

$0.50 ₹47.57

-14.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.91

$0.31 ₹30.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.03 ₹483

$4.99 ₹479

0.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.27 ₹794

$7.02 ₹674

17.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₹195

$1.44 ₹138

40.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ₹296

$2.59 ₹248

19.31%

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

$5.81 ₹557

$5.51 ₹529

5.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹19.16

$0.25 ₹23.98

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.57 ₹534

$7.38 ₹708

-24.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 ₹30.87

$0.81 ₹78.1

-60.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.21

$0.27 ₹25.98

22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 ₹152

$1.39 ₹133

14.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹109

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

$15.9K ₹1.5M

$11.4K ₹1.1M

39.86%

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

$22.2K ₹2.1M

$21.6K ₹2.1M

2.51%

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

$60.9 ₹5,839

$34.75 ₹3,334

75.14%

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

$4.28 ₹410

$3.19 ₹306

34.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.27 ₹890

$5.86 ₹563

58.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 ₹2,505

$14.10 ₹1,353

85.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.92 ₹1,240

$5.81 ₹557

122.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 ₹462

$2.81 ₹270

71.17%

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

$118 ₹11.4K

$48.13 ₹4,618

146.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,909 ₹471.0K

$1,389 ₹133.3K

253.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.15 ₹3,373

$21.89 ₹2,100

60.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.23 ₹3,763

$25.60 ₹2,456

53.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.7 ₹5,540

$39.32 ₹3,773

46.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.14 ₹4,618

$26.41 ₹2,534

82.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$635 ₹60.9K

$121 ₹11.6K

424.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 ₹34.1K

$72.6 ₹6,967

388.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,933 ₹185.5K

$261 ₹25.0K

640.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$835 ₹80.1K

$177 ₹17.0K

370.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,093 ₹584.5K

$860 ₹82.5K

608.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,473 ₹237.2K

$529 ₹50.8K

367.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 ₹72.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

8.86

-5.98%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): September 12, 2026

Last update for Dharwad: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $635 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $121 in Dharwad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $7.00 in Dharwad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $117 vs $97.0 per month, with Dharwad cheaper across the board.

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 Dharwad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mumbai (Bombay) and Dharwad differ by about 118% in total monthly costs ($783 vs $359 including rent). Dharwad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,174 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $539 in Dharwad to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $635 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $121 in Dharwad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $783 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $359 in Dharwad – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dharwad runs roughly 32% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $359 in Dharwad versus $783 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dharwad but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Dharwad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mumbai (Bombay) and Dharwad are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dharwad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.