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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $763 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $378 in Howrah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,259 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $580 in Howrah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,754 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $782 in Howrah.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 102% more expensive than in Howrah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Howrah 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 ₹498

$1.70 ₹164

204.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.50 ₹2,166

$11.43 ₹1,101

96.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₹452

$4.28 ₹412

9.81%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₹251

$1.47 ₹142

76.87%

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

$0.50 ₹48.58

$0.25 ₹24.03

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.22

$0.13 ₹12.91

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ₹224

$1.21 ₹116

92.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ₹403

$2.84 ₹273

47.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹70.1

$0.66 ₹63.7

10.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.49

$0.40 ₹38.07

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₹79.3

$0.59 ₹57.0

38.98%

Eggs

$1.05 ₹101

$1.01 ₹96.8

3.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ₹661

$5.46 ₹526

25.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₹374

$2.97 ₹285

30.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₹220

$1.00 ₹96.6

129.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 ₹79.7

$0.78 ₹75.6

6.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₹125

$0.56 ₹53.5

132.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₹63.0

$0.65 ₹62.7

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₹54.8

$0.36 ₹34.95

58.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₹56.3

$0.46 ₹43.99

26.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.9

$0.13 ₹12.83

392.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.81

$0.17 ₹16.18

105.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 ₹406

$2.15 ₹207

96.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₹787

$9.16 ₹881

-10.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₹200

$1.30 ₹125

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 ₹315

$2.07 ₹199

57.97%

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

$6.98 ₹672

$7.69 ₹740

-9.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹21.17

$0.17 ₹16.09

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.69 ₹451

$8.75 ₹843

-46.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.23

$0.56 ₹53.7

-33.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₹30.96

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₹132

$2.09 ₹202

-34.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹114

$1.17 ₹113

0.85%

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

$17.3K ₹1.7M

$16.0K ₹1.5M

8.11%

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

$24.8K ₹2.4M

$22.8K ₹2.2M

8.83%

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

$50.2 ₹4,833

$41.86 ₹4,030

19.92%

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

$5.08 ₹489

$2.04 ₹196

149.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.62 ₹830

$7.46 ₹718

15.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 ₹2,234

$16.18 ₹1,558

43.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 ₹1,141

$7.06 ₹679

67.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₹452

$4.16 ₹400

12.98%

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

$118 ₹11.4K

$44.67 ₹4,301

164.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,379 ₹325.3K

$1,579 ₹152.0K

113.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.21 ₹2,812

$17.63 ₹1,697

65.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.19 ₹3,003

$29.83 ₹2,871

4.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ₹5,444

$48.90 ₹4,708

15.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.55 ₹3,904

$11.82 ₹1,138

243.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 ₹67.1K

$130 ₹12.5K

435.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.4K

$88.0 ₹8,474

305.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 ₹171.7K

$278 ₹26.7K

542.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 ₹81.3K

$181 ₹17.5K

365.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,047 ₹582.1K

$890 ₹85.7K

579.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,517 ₹242.4K

$540 ₹52.0K

366.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$787 ₹75.8K

$362 ₹34.8K

117.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

9.18

0.44%

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

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

Last update for Howrah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $697 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $130 in Howrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 118% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $23.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $11.00 in Howrah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $127 vs $97.0 per month, with Howrah 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 Howrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Howrah wins on cost – living expenses run 102% lower than in Mumbai (Bombay). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Howrah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 118% higher in Mumbai (Bombay), which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $697 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $130 in Howrah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Howrah runs roughly 87% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $118 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $44.67 in Howrah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $378 in Howrah versus $763 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $1,000 budget is realistic in Howrah but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Howrah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Howrah delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $378 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Howrah hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mumbai (Bombay) and Howrah 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 Howrah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.