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: $763 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $396 in Karnal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,259 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $646 in Karnal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,754 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $897 in Karnal.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 93% more expensive than in Karnal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Karnal 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 ₹499

$2.00 ₹193

158.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.50 ₹2,170

$10.41 ₹1,004

116.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₹453

$2.95 ₹284

59.32%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₹251

$2.23 ₹215

16.59%

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

$0.50 ₹48.66

$0.43 ₹41.57

16.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.25

$0.13 ₹12.44

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ₹225

$1.76 ₹169

32.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ₹403

$2.67 ₹258

56.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹70.2

$0.69 ₹66.1

5.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.57

$0.50 ₹47.77

-4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₹79.4

$0.87 ₹83.8

-5.75%

Eggs

$1.05 ₹101

$1.13 ₹109

-7.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ₹662

$5.97 ₹576

15.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₹375

$3.55 ₹342

9.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₹221

$2.17 ₹209

5.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 ₹79.9

$0.79 ₹76.3

5.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₹125

$1.05 ₹101

23.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₹63.1

$0.46 ₹44.15

41.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₹54.9

$0.24 ₹23.06

137.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₹56.4

$0.30 ₹28.51

93.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹62.0

$0.67 ₹64.3

-4.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.87

$0.31 ₹30.35

12.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 ₹407

$4.52 ₹436

-6.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₹789

$8.78 ₹847

-6.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₹200

$1.55 ₹150

34.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 ₹316

$2.39 ₹230

36.82%

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

$6.98 ₹673

$6.84 ₹659

2.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹21.20

$0.30 ₹29.06

-26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.69 ₹452

$8.69 ₹838

-46.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.29

$0.37 ₹35.33

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.12 ₹11.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₹132

$2.37 ₹229

-42.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹114

$1.11 ₹107

6.31%

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

$17.3K ₹1.7M

$9,254 ₹892.4K

86.51%

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

$24.8K ₹2.4M

$27.6K ₹2.7M

-10.26%

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

$50.2 ₹4,841

$34.49 ₹3,326

45.55%

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

$5.08 ₹490

$4.15 ₹400

22.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.62 ₹831

$5.64 ₹544

52.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 ₹2,238

$16.03 ₹1,546

44.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 ₹1,143

$7.05 ₹680

68.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₹453

$2.85 ₹275

64.91%

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

$118 ₹11.4K

$90.6 ₹8,733

30.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,379 ₹325.8K

$1,696 ₹163.6K

99.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.21 ₹2,817

$25.96 ₹2,503

12.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.19 ₹3,008

$26.63 ₹2,568

17.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ₹5,453

$56.2 ₹5,422

0.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.55 ₹3,910

$34.82 ₹3,358

16.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 ₹67.2K

$124 ₹11.9K

462.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.5K

$75.0 ₹7,228

376.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 ₹172.0K

$270 ₹26.0K

561.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 ₹81.4K

$180 ₹17.4K

368.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,047 ₹583.1K

$1,162 ₹112.1K

420.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,517 ₹242.8K

$368 ₹35.5K

583.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$787 ₹75.9K

$435 ₹42.0K

80.72%

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): July 13, 2026

Last update for Karnal: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $697 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $124 in Karnal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 81% 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 $10.00 in Karnal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $127 vs $115 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 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 81% 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 $124 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 $23.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $763 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $396 in Karnal – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $396 in Karnal versus $763 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 93% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.