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: $779 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $368 in Howrah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,255 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $586 in Howrah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,732 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $803 in Howrah.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 111% more expensive than Howrah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Howrah 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 ₹506

$1.70 ₹162

212.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.40 ₹2,133

$11.60 ₹1,105

93.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ₹441

$4.31 ₹410

7.42%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₹240

$1.41 ₹135

78.72%

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

$0.51 ₹48.25

$0.25 ₹23.55

104.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.64

$0.13 ₹12.26

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹217

$1.19 ₹114

91.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ₹376

$2.94 ₹280

34.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.1

$0.65 ₹62.0

15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹48.81

$0.39 ₹37.25

30.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.7

$0.63 ₹60.1

22.22%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹103

$0.97 ₹92.7

11.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 ₹680

$5.55 ₹529

28.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₹370

$2.97 ₹283

30.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₹219

$0.94 ₹89.9

144.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.3

$0.79 ₹75.4

2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹120

$0.60 ₹56.9

110.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹60.7

$0.62 ₹58.9

3.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹54.8

$0.36 ₹34.64

61.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.1

$0.45 ₹43.20

40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.0

$0.14 ₹13.04

357.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.00

$0.16 ₹14.87

106.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ₹400

$2.18 ₹208

92.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹786

$8.58 ₹817

-3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹207

$1.27 ₹121

70.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₹324

$2.10 ₹200

61.90%

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

$7.03 ₹670

$7.54 ₹718

-6.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹22.97

$0.16 ₹15.67

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.51 ₹430

$8.46 ₹806

-46.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹34.87

$0.56 ₹53.0

-33.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.49

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₹135

$2.08 ₹198

-32.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹113

$1.23 ₹117

-3.25%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$15.6K ₹1.5M

11.32%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$22.6K ₹2.2M

8.42%

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

$50.8 ₹4,838

$41.94 ₹3,995

21.10%

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

$4.81 ₹458

$2.06 ₹196

133.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.75 ₹834

$7.28 ₹694

20.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 ₹2,201

$16.09 ₹1,533

43.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 ₹1,142

$7.18 ₹684

66.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 ₹448

$3.97 ₹379

18.64%

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

$122 ₹11.6K

$43.10 ₹4,106

181.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,393 ₹323.2K

$1,601 ₹152.5K

111.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 ₹2,776

$17.69 ₹1,685

64.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 ₹2,916

$30.69 ₹2,924

-0.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 ₹5,253

$49.96 ₹4,759

10.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.74 ₹3,786

$11.43 ₹1,089

247.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₹67.1K

$128 ₹12.2K

452.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.0K

$86.1 ₹8,196

314.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 ₹170.7K

$277 ₹26.4K

547.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹78.6K

$180 ₹17.1K

359.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 ₹613.1K

$950 ₹90.5K

577.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,627 ₹250.2K

$511 ₹48.7K

413.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ₹70.9K

$358 ₹34.1K

107.80%

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): May 31, 2026

Last update for Howrah: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $128 in Howrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 108% 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: $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $12.00 in Howrah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $129 vs $95.0 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 111% 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.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 108% more on average, 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: $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $128 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 88% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $122 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $43.10 in Howrah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $368 in Howrah versus $779 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 $368 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 111% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.