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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $783 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $395 in Kochi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,280 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $618 in Kochi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,776 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $841 in Kochi, rent included.

Mumbai (Bombay) costs about 98% more than Kochi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mumbai (Bombay) and Kochi are more affordable than the global median – Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Kochi 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.10 ₹489

$1.56 ₹149

226.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.90 ₹2,005

$8.28 ₹795

152.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.18 ₹401

$3.73 ₹358

12.06%

Cappuccino

$2.61 ₹251

$1.30 ₹124

100.77%

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

$0.38 ₹36.00

$0.40 ₹38.09

-5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.11

$0.12 ₹11.11

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 ₹247

$1.63 ₹156

57.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 ₹410

$2.15 ₹206

98.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 ₹67.2

$0.64 ₹61.0

9.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 ₹50.2

$0.52 ₹50.3

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 ₹74.5

$0.58 ₹55.4

34.48%

Eggs

$0.96 ₹91.7

$0.98 ₹94.0

-2.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 ₹530

$7.18 ₹689

-23.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 ₹343

$3.61 ₹346

-1.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 ₹218

$2.33 ₹223

-2.15%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 ₹71.0

$0.70 ₹67.0

5.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₹117

$1.01 ₹97.0

20.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 ₹45.18

$0.47 ₹45.08

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 ₹31.97

$0.39 ₹37.04

-15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₹35.32

$0.51 ₹48.85

-27.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 ₹41.03

$0.57 ₹54.3

-24.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.91

$0.29 ₹27.63

6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.03 ₹483

$5.04 ₹484

-0.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.27 ₹794

$8.03 ₹771

2.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₹195

$1.64 ₹157

23.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ₹296

$2.54 ₹244

21.65%

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

$5.81 ₹557

$4.80 ₹461

21.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹19.16

$0.32 ₹31.06

-37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.57 ₹534

$14.26 ₹1,368

-60.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 ₹30.87

$0.70 ₹67.6

-54.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.21

$0.30 ₹28.31

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 ₹152

$1.26 ₹121

26.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹109

$1.10 ₹106

2.73%

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

$15.9K ₹1.5M

$12.4K ₹1.2M

28.51%

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

$22.2K ₹2.1M

$17.4K ₹1.7M

27.52%

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

$60.9 ₹5,839

$31.86 ₹3,057

91.02%

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

$4.28 ₹410

$3.29 ₹315

30.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.27 ₹890

$6.59 ₹632

40.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 ₹2,505

$16.35 ₹1,568

59.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.92 ₹1,240

$9.21 ₹883

40.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 ₹462

$1.85 ₹178

160.00%

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

$118 ₹11.4K

$56.7 ₹5,435

109.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,909 ₹471.0K

$1,838 ₹176.4K

167.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.15 ₹3,373

$25.23 ₹2,420

39.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.23 ₹3,763

$17.23 ₹1,653

127.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.7 ₹5,540

$35.92 ₹3,446

60.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.14 ₹4,618

$26.50 ₹2,542

81.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$635 ₹60.9K

$173 ₹16.6K

267.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 ₹34.1K

$101 ₹9,717

250.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,933 ₹185.5K

$380 ₹36.5K

408.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$835 ₹80.1K

$204 ₹19.5K

310.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,093 ₹584.5K

$971 ₹93.1K

527.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,473 ₹237.2K

$1,206 ₹115.7K

104.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 ₹72.3K

$467 ₹44.8K

61.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

8.6

-3.14%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): September 12, 2026

Last update for Kochi: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $635 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $173 in Kochi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 62% higher in Mumbai (Bombay), which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $8.00 in Kochi. Groceries tell a different story – $117 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $117 in Kochi – so Mumbai (Bombay) wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kochi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mumbai (Bombay) is pricier by about 98%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,174 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) and $593 in Kochi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kochi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Mumbai (Bombay) – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $8.00 in Kochi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kochi, where all-in costs run around $395, than in Mumbai (Bombay) at $783. In Kochi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mumbai (Bombay) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kochi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kochi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mumbai (Bombay) makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.