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: $786 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $344 in Karnal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,295 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $556 in Karnal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $768 in Karnal.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 128% more expensive than in Karnal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Karnal 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 ₹493

$1.55 ₹148

232.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.80 ₹1,987

$10.48 ₹1,002

98.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.30 ₹410

$2.04 ₹195

110.78%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₹253

$1.57 ₹150

68.79%

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

$0.37 ₹35.56

$0.41 ₹38.72

-9.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.27

$0.12 ₹11.47

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 ₹258

$1.36 ₹130

98.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 ₹405

$2.35 ₹224

80.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 ₹66.4

$0.53 ₹50.5

32.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.29

$0.51 ₹48.75

-5.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.8

$0.72 ₹68.7

5.56%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹97.7

$0.87 ₹83.5

17.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.75 ₹549

$4.78 ₹457

20.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 ₹337

$3.26 ₹311

8.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ₹213

$2.27 ₹216

-1.76%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 ₹69.0

$0.59 ₹56.4

22.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 ₹117

$1.21 ₹116

1.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 ₹46.68

$0.36 ₹33.95

36.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 ₹33.36

$0.27 ₹25.69

29.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.30

$0.29 ₹27.75

37.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ₹47.27

$0.62 ₹59.0

-20.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹30.09

$0.27 ₹25.71

14.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 ₹487

$3.52 ₹337

44.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹788

$8.82 ₹843

-6.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₹195

$1.20 ₹115

70.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ₹288

$1.65 ₹157

83.03%

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

$6.22 ₹594

$6.48 ₹619

-4.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹19.09

$0.14 ₹13.53

42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.93 ₹567

$17.12 ₹1,636

-65.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 ₹31.57

$0.31 ₹29.39

6.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.67

$0.12 ₹11.12

175.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ₹156

$1.55 ₹148

5.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₹109

$1.03 ₹98.0

10.68%

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

$16.4K ₹1.6M

$7,905 ₹755.2K

107.60%

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

$22.4K ₹2.1M

$12.8K ₹1.2M

74.54%

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

$60.1 ₹5,739

$43.86 ₹4,190

36.96%

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

$4.37 ₹417

$2.68 ₹256

63.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.32 ₹890

$5.90 ₹564

57.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.53 ₹2,631

$13.12 ₹1,254

109.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.67 ₹1,306

$4.33 ₹413

215.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 ₹442

$2.58 ₹247

79.07%

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

$118 ₹11.3K

$26.51 ₹2,533

345.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,970 ₹474.8K

$633 ₹60.5K

685.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.94 ₹3,338

$12.81 ₹1,224

172.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.94 ₹3,625

$28.36 ₹2,710

33.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.3 ₹5,758

$48.42 ₹4,626

24.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.94 ₹4,771

$22.57 ₹2,156

121.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₹61.2K

$66.1 ₹6,313

869.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 ₹35.4K

$45.30 ₹4,328

718.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,937 ₹185.0K

$183 ₹17.4K

960.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 ₹83.0K

$132 ₹12.6K

559.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,174 ₹589.9K

$1,154 ₹110.3K

434.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,428 ₹232.0K

$371 ₹35.4K

555.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$810 ₹77.4K

$445 ₹42.5K

81.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.36

8.58

-2.56%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): September 7, 2026

Last update for Karnal: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $641 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $66.1 in Karnal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 82% 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 Karnal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $117 vs $103 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 128% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 82% 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: $641 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $66.1 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 $10.00 versus $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $786 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $344 in Karnal – a 128% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $344 in Karnal versus $786 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 128% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.