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: $773 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $501 in Kathmandu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,252 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $782 in Kathmandu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,731 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $1,063 in Kathmandu.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 54% more expensive than Kathmandu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 ₹494

$1.78 NPR 266

197.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.39 ₹2,086

$19.20 NPR 2,862

16.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 ₹441

$6.65 NPR 991

-28.87%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₹242

$1.90 NPR 284

36.84%

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

$0.47 ₹44.04

$0.49 NPR 73.8

-4.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹17.32

$0.15 NPR 22.74

26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 ₹215

$2.55 NPR 380

-9.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 ₹378

$3.62 NPR 540

11.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹69.5

$0.89 NPR 132

-15.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹44.51

$0.54 NPR 80.8

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 ₹71.1

$0.94 NPR 139

-19.15%

Eggs

$1.09 ₹102

$1.77 NPR 264

-38.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.82 ₹636

$9.22 NPR 1,375

-26.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ₹367

$3.12 NPR 465

25.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.05 NPR 902

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₹215

$2.18 NPR 326

5.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 ₹72.2

$1.09 NPR 162

-28.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ₹118

$1.25 NPR 187

1.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 ₹64.9

$0.65 NPR 96.4

7.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 ₹49.43

$0.49 NPR 72.8

8.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹59.1

$0.72 NPR 107

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹59.7

$0.50 NPR 74.0

28.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ₹33.14

$0.25 NPR 36.92

44.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.24 ₹395

$2.85 NPR 425

48.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 ₹741

$6.66 NPR 993

19.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 ₹200

$2.34 NPR 350

-8.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 ₹304

$3.35 NPR 499

-2.69%

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

$6.84 ₹637

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹20.44

$0.23 NPR 34.39

-4.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.53 ₹422

$10.79 NPR 1,608

-58.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 ₹33.96

$2.21 NPR 329

-83.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 NPR 159

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₹133

$3.67 NPR 546

-61.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹111

$1.26 NPR 188

-5.56%

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

$17.5K ₹1.6M

$31.7K NPR 4.7M

-44.69%

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

$25.0K ₹2.3M

$41.2K NPR 6.1M

-39.29%

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

$50.9 ₹4,745

$32.83 NPR 4,894

55.13%

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

$5.05 ₹470

$5.00 NPR 746

1.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.98 ₹836

$9.86 NPR 1,469

-8.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.88 ₹2,131

$21.99 NPR 3,277

4.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.19 ₹1,136

$7.17 NPR 1,069

70.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.77 ₹445

$3.32 NPR 494

43.67%

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

$121 ₹11.2K

$93.0 NPR 13.9K

29.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,359 ₹312.9K

$3,703 NPR 552.0K

-9.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.83 ₹2,779

$24.62 NPR 3,670

21.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.56 ₹2,847

$27.47 NPR 4,095

11.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.7 ₹5,187

$58.3 NPR 8,688

-4.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.84 ₹3,711

$40.32 NPR 6,010

-1.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$694 ₹64.7K

$192 NPR 28.6K

261.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 ₹32.6K

$99.7 NPR 14.9K

251.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,790 ₹166.7K

$347 NPR 51.8K

415.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$835 ₹77.8K

$189 NPR 28.2K

341.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,475 ₹603.3K

$2,382 NPR 355.1K

171.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,667 ₹248.5K

$1,359 NPR 202.6K

96.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$708 ₹66.0K

$241 NPR 36.0K

193.38%

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): April 14, 2026

Last update for Kathmandu: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $694 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $192 in Kathmandu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 193% 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 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $19 in Kathmandu. Groceries flip the comparison at $127 vs $152, 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 54% 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.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 193% 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: $694 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $192 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 $773 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $501 in Kathmandu – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $501 in Kathmandu versus $773 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 $501 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 54% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.