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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $765 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $495 in Kathmandu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,268 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $789 in Kathmandu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,770 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $1,083 in Kathmandu.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 55% more expensive than in Kathmandu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Kathmandu 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.37 ₹507

$1.87 NPR 283

187.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.77 ₹2,053

$19.02 NPR 2,872

14.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 ₹433

$6.56 NPR 991

-30.03%

Cappuccino

$2.56 ₹241

$1.82 NPR 275

40.66%

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

$0.47 ₹44.07

$0.54 NPR 81.4

-12.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.21

$0.17 NPR 25.55

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 ₹213

$2.63 NPR 397

-14.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 ₹389

$3.68 NPR 556

12.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 ₹69.7

$0.81 NPR 122

-8.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹45.61

$0.55 NPR 83.1

-12.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 ₹74.2

$0.98 NPR 148

-19.39%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹101

$1.79 NPR 270

-39.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 ₹677

$9.02 NPR 1,362

-20.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.94 ₹371

$3.22 NPR 486

22.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.09 NPR 919

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₹218

$2.28 NPR 344

1.32%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 ₹77.2

$1.10 NPR 166

-25.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₹123

$1.25 NPR 189

4.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹60.3

$0.64 NPR 96.9

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₹53.9

$0.52 NPR 79.1

9.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 ₹58.8

$0.67 NPR 101

-7.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹60.0

$0.49 NPR 74.0

30.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.23

$0.25 NPR 37.61

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 ₹397

$2.93 NPR 443

43.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.22 ₹776

$7.71 NPR 1,164

6.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₹198

$2.29 NPR 345

-8.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ₹311

$3.33 NPR 502

-0.90%

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

$7.25 ₹684

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹20.61

$0.23 NPR 34.85

-4.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.59 ₹433

$10.72 NPR 1,619

-57.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 ₹31.48

$2.21 NPR 334

-85.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 NPR 166

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₹133

$3.67 NPR 554

-61.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹112

$1.28 NPR 193

-7.81%

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

$17.6K ₹1.7M

$31.6K NPR 4.8M

-44.44%

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

$24.9K ₹2.4M

$39.9K NPR 6.0M

-37.53%

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

$51.3 ₹4,841

$32.60 NPR 4,921

57.42%

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

$5.05 ₹476

$5.00 NPR 755

1.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.01 ₹850

$9.76 NPR 1,473

-7.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.71 ₹2,142

$22.54 NPR 3,403

0.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.11 ₹1,142

$7.20 NPR 1,087

68.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 ₹451

$3.30 NPR 499

44.85%

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

$119 ₹11.2K

$89.6 NPR 13.5K

33.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,361 ₹317.0K

$3,831 NPR 578.4K

-12.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.66 ₹2,798

$24.39 NPR 3,682

21.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.13 ₹2,936

$28.03 NPR 4,232

11.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.4 ₹5,226

$58.5 NPR 8,826

-5.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.58 ₹3,828

$40.36 NPR 6,093

0.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$689 ₹65.0K

$194 NPR 29.3K

254.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 ₹33.4K

$103 NPR 15.5K

245.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,843 ₹173.8K

$336 NPR 50.7K

448.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 ₹80.3K

$187 NPR 28.2K

356.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,359 ₹599.8K

$2,336 NPR 352.6K

172.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,719 ₹256.4K

$1,334 NPR 201.5K

103.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ₹70.2K

$279 NPR 42.2K

166.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

12.08

-23.68%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): June 15, 2026

Last update for Kathmandu: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $689 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $194 in Kathmandu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 167% 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 $19.00 in Kathmandu. Groceries flip the comparison at $129 vs $154, with Mumbai (Bombay) cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kathmandu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kathmandu wins on cost – living expenses run 55% lower than in Mumbai (Bombay). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kathmandu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 167% 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: $689 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $194 in Kathmandu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kathmandu – a meal for two runs $19.00 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 $765 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $495 in Kathmandu – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $495 in Kathmandu versus $765 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kathmandu but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Kathmandu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kathmandu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $495 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kathmandu hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kathmandu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.