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: $765 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $430 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,268 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $678 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,770 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $925 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 78% more expensive than Kolkata (Calcutta), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Kolkata (Calcutta) 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.37 ₹508

$3.21 ₹304

67.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.77 ₹2,060

$11.40 ₹1,079

90.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 ₹434

$4.96 ₹469

-7.46%

Cappuccino

$2.56 ₹242

$1.79 ₹169

43.02%

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

$0.47 ₹44.20

$0.38 ₹35.62

23.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.26

$0.12 ₹11.60

58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 ₹213

$1.77 ₹167

27.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 ₹391

$2.97 ₹281

39.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 ₹69.9

$0.73 ₹69.0

1.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹45.74

$0.40 ₹37.76

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 ₹74.4

$0.70 ₹65.8

12.86%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹102

$0.97 ₹91.9

11.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 ₹679

$5.35 ₹506

34.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.94 ₹372

$2.86 ₹271

37.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₹218

$2.45 ₹232

-5.71%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 ₹77.4

$0.85 ₹80.6

-3.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₹123

$1.31 ₹124

-0.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹60.5

$0.62 ₹58.2

3.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₹54.1

$0.37 ₹35.41

54.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 ₹58.9

$0.59 ₹56.0

5.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹60.2

$0.42 ₹39.73

52.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.33

$0.31 ₹29.23

12.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 ₹398

$4.04 ₹382

4.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.22 ₹778

$8.70 ₹823

-5.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₹199

$1.67 ₹158

25.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 ₹312

$2.43 ₹230

35.80%

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

$7.25 ₹686

$7.37 ₹697

-1.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹20.67

$0.22 ₹20.72

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.59 ₹434

$2.82 ₹267

62.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 ₹31.57

$0.60 ₹56.5

-45.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ₹27.89

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₹133

$2.01 ₹190

-29.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹112

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

$17.6K ₹1.7M

$15.5K ₹1.5M

13.45%

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

$24.9K ₹2.4M

$22.8K ₹2.2M

9.27%

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

$51.3 ₹4,855

$42.24 ₹3,997

21.50%

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

$5.05 ₹478

$3.94 ₹372

28.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.01 ₹852

$7.37 ₹698

22.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.71 ₹2,149

$16.33 ₹1,545

39.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.11 ₹1,145

$11.68 ₹1,105

3.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 ₹452

$4.08 ₹386

17.16%

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

$119 ₹11.3K

$44.11 ₹4,173

170.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,361 ₹318.0K

$1,596 ₹151.0K

110.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.66 ₹2,806

$27.96 ₹2,645

6.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.13 ₹2,945

$30.70 ₹2,905

1.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.4 ₹5,242

$49.88 ₹4,719

11.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.58 ₹3,839

$31.43 ₹2,973

29.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$689 ₹65.2K

$160 ₹15.2K

329.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 ₹33.5K

$88.0 ₹8,329

301.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,843 ₹174.3K

$388 ₹36.7K

374.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 ₹80.5K

$192 ₹18.1K

343.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,359 ₹601.6K

$1,160 ₹109.7K

448.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,719 ₹257.2K

$582 ₹55.0K

367.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ₹70.4K

$398 ₹37.7K

86.87%

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): June 15, 2026

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $689 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $160 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 87% 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 $112 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 78% 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.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 87% 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: $689 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $160 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $765 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $430 in Kolkata (Calcutta) – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kolkata (Calcutta) runs roughly 63% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $430 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $765 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 $430 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 78% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.