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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $779 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $400 in Karnal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,255 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $640 in Karnal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,732 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $881 in Karnal.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 95% more expensive than Karnal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Karnal 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 ₹509

$2.07 ₹198

157.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.40 ₹2,143

$10.52 ₹1,007

112.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ₹443

$2.86 ₹274

61.89%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₹241

$2.17 ₹208

16.13%

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

$0.51 ₹48.47

$0.41 ₹38.87

24.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.71

$0.13 ₹12.40

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹218

$1.85 ₹177

23.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ₹378

$2.63 ₹252

50.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.4

$0.71 ₹67.8

5.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹49.04

$0.50 ₹47.42

2.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹74.0

$0.86 ₹82.7

-10.47%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹103

$1.10 ₹106

-1.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 ₹683

$5.98 ₹572

19.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₹372

$3.51 ₹336

10.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₹220

$2.07 ₹198

11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.7

$0.83 ₹79.6

-2.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹121

$1.04 ₹99.9

21.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.0

$0.45 ₹42.77

42.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹55.1

$0.24 ₹22.84

141.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.4

$0.30 ₹28.38

110.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.3

$0.72 ₹68.9

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.14

$0.29 ₹27.69

13.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ₹402

$4.36 ₹418

-3.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹790

$8.64 ₹827

-4.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹208

$1.49 ₹143

45.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₹325

$2.36 ₹226

44.07%

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

$7.03 ₹673

$6.84 ₹655

2.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹23.08

$0.30 ₹29.05

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.51 ₹432

$8.55 ₹819

-47.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.03

$0.34 ₹32.42

8.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.10 ₹9.25

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₹135

$2.29 ₹220

-38.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹114

$1.15 ₹110

3.48%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$9,227 ₹882.9K

88.37%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$28.3K ₹2.7M

-13.19%

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

$50.8 ₹4,860

$34.33 ₹3,286

47.95%

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

$4.81 ₹460

$4.16 ₹398

15.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.75 ₹837

$5.75 ₹550

52.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 ₹2,211

$16.14 ₹1,544

43.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 ₹1,147

$7.22 ₹690

66.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 ₹450

$2.99 ₹287

57.53%

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

$122 ₹11.6K

$88.3 ₹8,454

37.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,393 ₹324.7K

$1,703 ₹163.0K

99.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 ₹2,789

$26.24 ₹2,511

11.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 ₹2,929

$27.14 ₹2,597

12.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 ₹5,277

$57.3 ₹5,482

-3.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.74 ₹3,803

$34.85 ₹3,335

14.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₹67.4K

$126 ₹12.1K

457.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.1K

$75.4 ₹7,217

372.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 ₹171.5K

$270 ₹25.9K

562.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹79.0K

$182 ₹17.4K

353.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 ₹615.9K

$1,133 ₹108.4K

468.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,627 ₹251.4K

$370 ₹35.5K

609.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ₹71.2K

$431 ₹41.2K

72.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

8.88

3.83%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): May 31, 2026

Last update for Karnal: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $126 in Karnal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 73% 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 $11.00 in Karnal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $129 vs $114 per month, with Karnal 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 Karnal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karnal is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 73% 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 $126 in Karnal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Karnal – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $779 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $400 in Karnal – a 95% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $400 in Karnal versus $779 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $1,500 budget is realistic in Karnal but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Karnal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Karnal is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mumbai (Bombay), and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mumbai (Bombay) and Karnal 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 Karnal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.