Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mumbai (Bombay) and Ernakulam

For one person, living is cheaper in Ernakulam: $393 a month against $813 in Mumbai (Bombay), rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

39

Cost of Living Index in Mumbai (Bombay)
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Mumbai (Bombay) Living Index
19

Cost of Living Index in Ernakulam
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Ernakulam Living Index

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Mumbai (Bombay)

🇮🇳 India

$813

/mo nomad

Ernakulam

🇮🇳 India

$393

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mumbai (Bombay) and in Ernakulam

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mumbai (Bombay) and in Ernakulam actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $813 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $393 in Ernakulam, rent included.

Mumbai (Bombay) $813
Ernakulam $393

A couple spends around $1,352 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $651 in Ernakulam, rent included.

Mumbai (Bombay) $1,352
Ernakulam $651

A family of three spends $1,891 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $909 in Ernakulam, rent included.

Mumbai (Bombay) $1,891
Ernakulam $909

Mumbai (Bombay) costs about 107% more than Ernakulam, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Mumbai (Bombay) and Ernakulam are more affordable than the global median – Mumbai (Bombay) 40% lower, Ernakulam 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 ₹509

$1.70 ₹162

214.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.87 ₹1,988

$8.18 ₹779

155.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.08 ₹388

$3.65 ₹347

11.78%

Cappuccino

$2.78 ₹264

$1.29 ₹123

115.50%

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

$0.40 ₹38.34

$0.39 ₹37.58

2.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.46

$0.12 ₹11.55

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.64 ₹252

$1.62 ₹154

62.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 ₹405

$2.12 ₹202

100.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 ₹70.7

$0.63 ₹60.2

17.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₹51.5

$0.50 ₹47.41

8.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 ₹74.3

$0.63 ₹59.6

23.81%

Eggs

$1.00 ₹95.3

$0.90 ₹86.1

11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.61 ₹534

$5.52 ₹526

1.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 ₹341

$2.82 ₹268

26.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 ₹206

$2.25 ₹214

-3.56%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 ₹66.0

$0.70 ₹66.3

-1.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 ₹115

$1.06 ₹101

14.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 ₹46.46

$0.45 ₹43.14

8.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 ₹31.80

$0.38 ₹36.21

-13.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₹35.63

$0.50 ₹47.43

-26.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 ₹41.91

$0.56 ₹53.6

-21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.73

$0.29 ₹27.40

6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.00 ₹476

$4.52 ₹431

10.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.34 ₹794

$5.37 ₹512

55.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₹190

$1.69 ₹161

17.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 ₹297

$2.50 ₹239

24.80%

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

$6.01 ₹572

$5.07 ₹483

18.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹19.01

$0.10 ₹9.20

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.90 ₹657

$6.24 ₹595

10.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 ₹29.93

$1.33 ₹126

-76.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ₹29.50

$0.33 ₹31.72

-6.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 ₹154

$1.34 ₹128

20.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹105

$1.09 ₹104

0.92%

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

$15.6K ₹1.5M

$11.1K ₹1.1M

40.45%

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

$22.4K ₹2.1M

$27.1K ₹2.6M

-17.29%

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

$61.9 ₹5,889

$32.90 ₹3,133

87.99%

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

$4.52 ₹430

$3.28 ₹312

37.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.97 ₹854

$6.63 ₹631

35.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.11 ₹3,534

$12.20 ₹1,162

204.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.11 ₹1,344

$9.04 ₹861

56.08%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 ₹477

$2.16 ₹206

131.94%

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

$119 ₹11.3K

$56.8 ₹5,407

109.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,948 ₹471.1K

$2,068 ₹196.9K

139.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.37 ₹3,463

$21.73 ₹2,069

67.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.71 ₹3,686

$17.36 ₹1,653

122.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.7 ₹5,211

$36.23 ₹3,450

51.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.03 ₹4,574

$27.47 ₹2,615

74.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 ₹60.9K

$226 ₹21.5K

183.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 ₹35.4K

$121 ₹11.5K

207.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,093 ₹199.3K

$415 ₹39.5K

404.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$925 ₹88.1K

$330 ₹31.4K

180.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,706 ₹543.3K

$1,084 ₹103.2K

426.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,560 ₹243.8K

$1,184 ₹112.7K

116.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$757 ₹72.1K

$349 ₹33.3K

116.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.29

9.5

-12.74%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): October 26, 2026

Last update for Ernakulam: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mumbai (Bombay)

$372 45.7%

Ernakulam

$121 30.8% 67.5% $251

Groceries & Markets

Mumbai (Bombay)

$117 14.4%

Ernakulam

$102 26% 12.8% $15

Eating Out

Mumbai (Bombay)

$112 13.8%

Ernakulam

$54 13.9% 51.5% $58

Clothing & Footwear

Mumbai (Bombay)

$80 9.8%

Ernakulam

$46 11.8% 42.2% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mumbai (Bombay)

$75 9.3%

Ernakulam

$43 10.9% 43.2% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Mumbai (Bombay)

$47 5.8%

Ernakulam

$17 4.2% 64.9% $31

Getting Around

Mumbai (Bombay)

$9.6 1.2%

Ernakulam

$9.6 2.5% 0.6% $0.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $640 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $226 in Ernakulam. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Mumbai (Bombay) are about 2.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $8 in Ernakulam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $117 vs $102 – making Ernakulam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇳 Mumbai (Bombay)

🇮🇳 Ernakulam

🕒 Local time

03:42 3:42 AM

Same time as Mumbai (Bombay)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,442,373

612,343

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.5 USD

1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.5 USD

1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Mumbai (Bombay) Ernakulam 1,070 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Mumbai (Bombay)
Ernakulam

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ernakulam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mumbai (Bombay) is pricier by about 107%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,220 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) and $589 in Ernakulam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ernakulam, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $226 there versus $640 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Monthly expenses with rent come to $813 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $393 in Ernakulam. That makes Ernakulam about 52% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 10% less in Ernakulam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $813 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $393 in Ernakulam, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ernakulam – 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 Ernakulam. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mumbai (Bombay) makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.