Cost of Living Comparison Between Mumbai (Bombay) and Kolkata (Calcutta) Cost of Living Comparison Between Mumbai (Bombay) and Kolkata (Calcutta)

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $766 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $426 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,262 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $665 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,757 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $905 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 80% more expensive than in Kolkata (Calcutta), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Kolkata (Calcutta) 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 ₹492

$3.23 ₹308

59.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.87 ₹2,086

$11.45 ₹1,092

91.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₹448

$4.96 ₹473

-5.24%

Cappuccino

$2.63 ₹251

$1.88 ₹180

39.89%

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

$0.47 ₹45.27

$0.40 ₹38.60

17.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹17.73

$0.14 ₹13.79

35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 ₹218

$1.70 ₹162

34.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 ₹398

$2.97 ₹283

40.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹69.6

$0.73 ₹69.5

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹45.80

$0.43 ₹40.91

11.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 ₹79.6

$0.71 ₹67.8

16.90%

Eggs

$1.05 ₹100.0

$0.97 ₹92.5

8.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.06 ₹673

$5.49 ₹524

28.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 ₹361

$2.91 ₹277

30.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₹220

$2.50 ₹239

-7.60%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.1

$0.80 ₹76.1

1.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹120

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 ₹65.8

$0.61 ₹58.6

13.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 ₹49.98

$0.37 ₹35.57

40.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.0

$0.60 ₹57.1

6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ₹65.3

$0.41 ₹38.97

65.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.41

$0.31 ₹29.22

12.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ₹394

$3.85 ₹367

7.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.41 ₹802

$9.17 ₹874

-8.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₹201

$1.68 ₹160

25.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 ₹328

$2.43 ₹232

41.15%

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

$6.96 ₹664

$7.52 ₹717

-7.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹22.96

$0.22 ₹20.93

9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.52 ₹431

$2.82 ₹269

60.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 ₹31.79

$0.55 ₹52.8

-40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₹30.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ₹136

$2.01 ₹192

-28.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₹118

$1.24 ₹118

-0.81%

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

$17.2K ₹1.6M

$15.6K ₹1.5M

9.91%

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

$24.7K ₹2.4M

$22.4K ₹2.1M

10.26%

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

$50.0 ₹4,773

$42.68 ₹4,070

17.24%

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

$4.84 ₹462

$4.02 ₹383

20.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.88 ₹847

$7.21 ₹688

23.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.13 ₹2,205

$16.02 ₹1,528

44.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.04 ₹1,148

$11.50 ₹1,097

4.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.60 ₹439

$3.98 ₹380

15.58%

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

$119 ₹11.4K

$43.92 ₹4,188

171.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,313 ₹316.0K

$1,619 ₹154.4K

104.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.89 ₹2,851

$27.83 ₹2,654

7.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.14 ₹2,874

$30.44 ₹2,903

-0.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.7 ₹5,312

$49.24 ₹4,696

13.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.93 ₹3,904

$31.37 ₹2,992

30.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 ₹67.0K

$159 ₹15.2K

340.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 ₹34.5K

$88.9 ₹8,481

307.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,775 ₹169.3K

$387 ₹36.9K

359.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$845 ₹80.6K

$192 ₹18.3K

340.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,137 ₹585.3K

$1,195 ₹113.9K

413.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,570 ₹245.1K

$578 ₹55.1K

344.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$767 ₹73.2K

$381 ₹36.3K

101.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

9.9

-6.87%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): July 27, 2026

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $702 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $159 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 101% 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 $11.00 in Kolkata (Calcutta) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $129 vs $114 per month, with Kolkata (Calcutta) 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 Kolkata (Calcutta): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kolkata (Calcutta) wins on cost – living expenses run 80% lower than in Mumbai (Bombay). Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kolkata (Calcutta) the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 101% 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: $702 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $159 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $766 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $426 in Kolkata (Calcutta) – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kolkata (Calcutta) runs roughly 60% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $426 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $766 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kolkata (Calcutta) but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Kolkata (Calcutta) the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kolkata (Calcutta) delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $426 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kolkata (Calcutta) hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kolkata (Calcutta) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.