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: $795 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $375 in Howrah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,311 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $501 in Howrah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,827 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $627 in Howrah.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 112% more expensive than in Howrah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 ₹501

$2.15 ₹203

146.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.42 ₹2,023

$9.60 ₹907

123.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.29 ₹405

$4.26 ₹402

0.70%

Cappuccino

$2.61 ₹246

$1.39 ₹131

87.77%

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

$0.41 ₹38.29

$0.47 ₹44.50

-12.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.06

$0.12 ₹11.79

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ₹245

$1.56 ₹148

66.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 ₹393

$3.17 ₹300

31.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 ₹65.7

$0.64 ₹60.4

7.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 ₹46.06

$0.42 ₹39.89

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ₹68.9

$0.70 ₹65.8

4.29%

Eggs

$0.95 ₹89.6

$1.03 ₹97.1

-7.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.69 ₹537

$5.29 ₹500

7.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ₹329

$2.69 ₹254

29.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 ₹222

$2.10 ₹199

11.43%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 ₹63.4

$0.86 ₹81.3

-22.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 ₹114

$1.50 ₹142

-20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 ₹47.21

$0.66 ₹62.2

-24.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 ₹35.57

$0.33 ₹31.46

15.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.18

$0.44 ₹41.32

-9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ₹46.17

$0.31 ₹28.92

58.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹27.01

$0.28 ₹26.61

3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.98 ₹470

$5.18 ₹489

-3.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 ₹777

$10.60 ₹1,001

-22.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₹199

$1.38 ₹130

52.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ₹298

$2.70 ₹255

16.67%

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

$5.95 ₹562

$8.64 ₹816

-31.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹18.87

$0.18 ₹16.91

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.88 ₹556

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 ₹29.07

$0.60 ₹56.7

-48.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.28

$0.31 ₹29.08

6.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 ₹146

$1.56 ₹148

-0.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹104

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

$16.2K ₹1.5M

$15.0K ₹1.4M

8.11%

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

$22.6K ₹2.1M

$19.7K ₹1.9M

14.94%

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

$59.1 ₹5,584

$44.77 ₹4,230

32.03%

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

$4.38 ₹414

$3.55 ₹336

23.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.34 ₹883

$6.18 ₹584

51.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.20 ₹2,570

$14.31 ₹1,352

90.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.11 ₹1,334

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 ₹437

$3.06 ₹289

50.98%

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

$118 ₹11.1K

$26.48 ₹2,502

344.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,947 ₹467.4K

$1,283 ₹121.2K

285.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.63 ₹3,178

$25.03 ₹2,365

34.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.59 ₹3,646

$22.79 ₹2,153

69.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 ₹5,648

$31.23 ₹2,951

91.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.89 ₹4,619

$26.66 ₹2,519

83.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 ₹61.6K

$115 ₹10.8K

467.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ₹33.6K

$77.3 ₹7,301

360.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 ₹180.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$863 ₹81.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,242 ₹589.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,324 ₹219.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$804 ₹75.9K

$360 ₹34.0K

123.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.36

9.27

-9.82%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): August 30, 2026

Last update for Howrah: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $652 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $115 in Howrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 123% 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: $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $10.00 in Howrah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $117 vs $112 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 112% 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 123% 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: $652 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $115 in Howrah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $118 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $26.48 in Howrah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Howrah – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $375 in Howrah versus $795 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 $375 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 112% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.