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 $779 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $420 in Kochi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,255 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $686 in Kochi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,732 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $952 in Kochi, rent included.

Mumbai (Bombay) costs about 85% more than Kochi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mumbai (Bombay) and Kochi are more affordable than the global median – Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Kochi 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 ₹509

$1.70 ₹162

212.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.40 ₹2,143

$9.50 ₹909

135.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ₹443

$4.69 ₹449

-1.28%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₹241

$1.44 ₹138

75.00%

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

$0.51 ₹48.47

$0.44 ₹42.03

15.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.71

$0.18 ₹17.46

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹218

$1.79 ₹172

27.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ₹378

$2.88 ₹275

37.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.4

$0.64 ₹61.4

17.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹49.04

$0.57 ₹54.1

-10.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹74.0

$0.60 ₹57.3

28.33%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹103

$1.02 ₹97.3

5.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 ₹683

$7.54 ₹722

-5.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₹372

$4.23 ₹405

-8.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₹220

$2.23 ₹213

3.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.7

$0.78 ₹74.2

3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹121

$1.08 ₹103

16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.0

$0.67 ₹63.7

-4.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹55.1

$0.49 ₹46.73

18.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.4

$0.56 ₹53.6

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.3

$0.72 ₹68.6

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.14

$0.32 ₹31.02

3.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ₹402

$4.60 ₹441

-8.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹790

$7.90 ₹756

4.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹208

$1.88 ₹180

15.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₹325

$2.65 ₹254

28.30%

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

$7.03 ₹673

$4.84 ₹463

45.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹23.08

$0.21 ₹20.06

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.51 ₹432

$15.76 ₹1,509

-71.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.03

$0.53 ₹50.8

-30.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.38

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₹135

$1.13 ₹109

24.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹114

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$16.4K ₹1.6M

6.28%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$22.4K ₹2.1M

9.63%

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

$50.8 ₹4,860

$27.37 ₹2,619

85.57%

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

$4.81 ₹460

$3.08 ₹295

56.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.75 ₹837

$6.92 ₹662

26.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 ₹2,211

$19.01 ₹1,819

21.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 ₹1,147

$12.13 ₹1,161

-1.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 ₹450

$2.03 ₹195

132.02%

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

$122 ₹11.6K

$73.9 ₹7,074

64.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,393 ₹324.7K

$2,349 ₹224.8K

44.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 ₹2,789

$26.27 ₹2,514

10.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 ₹2,929

$20.27 ₹1,940

51.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 ₹5,277

$36.57 ₹3,499

50.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.74 ₹3,803

$25.20 ₹2,412

57.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₹67.4K

$185 ₹17.7K

281.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.1K

$106 ₹10.1K

236.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 ₹171.5K

$457 ₹43.8K

291.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹79.0K

$260 ₹24.8K

217.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 ₹615.9K

$1,079 ₹103.3K

496.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,627 ₹251.4K

$1,200 ₹114.8K

118.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ₹71.2K

$453 ₹43.4K

64.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

8.5

8.47%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): May 31, 2026

Last update for Kochi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $185 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 64% 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 $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $10.00 in Kochi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $129 vs $126 – making Kochi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 85%, 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 $1,168 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) and $630 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.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Mumbai (Bombay), though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $10.00 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 $420, than in Mumbai (Bombay) at $779. 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.