Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Kolkata (Calcutta): $434 a month against $813 in Mumbai (Bombay), rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

39

Cost of Living Index in Mumbai (Bombay)
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Mumbai (Bombay) Living Index
21

Cost of Living Index in Kolkata (Calcutta)
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Kolkata (Calcutta) Living Index

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Mumbai (Bombay)

🇮🇳 India

$813

/mo nomad

Kolkata (Calcutta)

🇮🇳 India

$434

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mumbai (Bombay) and in Kolkata (Calcutta)

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mumbai (Bombay) and in Kolkata (Calcutta) actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $813 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $434 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Mumbai (Bombay) $813
Kolkata (Calcutta) $434

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,352 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $691 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Mumbai (Bombay) $1,352
Kolkata (Calcutta) $691

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,891 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $948 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Mumbai (Bombay) $1,891
Kolkata (Calcutta) $948

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 87% more expensive than in Kolkata (Calcutta), and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 40% lower, Kolkata (Calcutta) 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 ₹508

$2.08 ₹198

157.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.87 ₹1,982

$13.98 ₹1,327

49.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.08 ₹387

$4.15 ₹394

-1.69%

Cappuccino

$2.78 ₹264

$1.66 ₹158

67.47%

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

$0.40 ₹38.24

$0.45 ₹42.69

-11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.42

$0.12 ₹11.11

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.64 ₹251

$1.95 ₹185

35.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 ₹404

$3.01 ₹286

41.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 ₹70.5

$0.67 ₹63.4

10.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₹51.3

$0.50 ₹47.53

8.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 ₹74.1

$0.74 ₹70.2

5.41%

Eggs

$1.00 ₹95.1

$1.08 ₹102

-7.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.61 ₹533

$5.20 ₹494

7.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 ₹340

$3.00 ₹285

19.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 ₹206

$2.42 ₹230

-10.33%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 ₹65.8

$0.81 ₹77.0

-14.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 ₹114

$1.36 ₹129

-11.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 ₹46.33

$0.66 ₹62.5

-25.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 ₹31.71

$0.30 ₹28.66

10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₹35.53

$0.47 ₹44.83

-21.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 ₹41.79

$0.31 ₹29.00

41.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.64

$0.28 ₹26.82

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.00 ₹475

$5.10 ₹484

-1.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.34 ₹792

$10.36 ₹983

-19.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₹189

$1.76 ₹167

13.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 ₹296

$2.82 ₹267

10.64%

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

$6.01 ₹570

$7.01 ₹666

-14.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹18.95

$0.18 ₹16.66

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.90 ₹655

$3.12 ₹296

121.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 ₹29.84

$0.81 ₹76.7

-61.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ₹29.41

$0.31 ₹29.20

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 ₹153

$1.61 ₹152

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹105

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

$15.6K ₹1.5M

$13.1K ₹1.2M

18.64%

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

$22.4K ₹2.1M

$23.3K ₹2.2M

-3.73%

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

$61.9 ₹5,873

$52.5 ₹4,987

17.76%

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

$4.52 ₹429

$5.16 ₹490

-12.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.97 ₹852

$7.36 ₹699

21.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.11 ₹3,524

$15.76 ₹1,496

135.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.11 ₹1,340

$11.45 ₹1,088

23.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 ₹476

$3.19 ₹303

57.05%

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

$119 ₹11.3K

$43.26 ₹4,107

175.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,948 ₹469.8K

$1,997 ₹189.6K

147.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.37 ₹3,453

$27.19 ₹2,581

33.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.71 ₹3,675

$26.01 ₹2,470

48.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.7 ₹5,196

$35.95 ₹3,413

52.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.03 ₹4,561

$29.01 ₹2,754

65.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 ₹60.7K

$167 ₹15.9K

282.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 ₹35.3K

$103 ₹9,802

260.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,093 ₹198.7K

$392 ₹37.2K

434.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$925 ₹87.8K

$241 ₹22.9K

283.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,706 ₹541.8K

$1,097 ₹104.2K

420.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,560 ₹243.1K

$612 ₹58.1K

318.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$757 ₹71.9K

$379 ₹36.0K

99.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.29

9.08

-8.70%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): October 26, 2026

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mumbai (Bombay)

$372 45.7%

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$103 23.8% 72.2% $268

Groceries & Markets

Mumbai (Bombay)

$117 14.4%

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$117 27% 0.2% $0.2

Eating Out

Mumbai (Bombay)

$112 13.8%

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$67 15.5% 40.2% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Mumbai (Bombay)

$80 9.8%

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$53 12.3% 33.6% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mumbai (Bombay)

$75 9.3%

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$65 15% 13.7% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Mumbai (Bombay)

$47 5.8%

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$22 5.1% 53% $25

Getting Around

Mumbai (Bombay)

$9.6 1.2%

Kolkata (Calcutta)

$6.2 1.4% 35.5% $3.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $640 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $167 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 100% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $21 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $14 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Groceries flip the comparison at $117 vs $117, with Mumbai (Bombay) cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇮🇳 Mumbai (Bombay)

🇮🇳 Kolkata (Calcutta)

🕒 Local time

17:08 5:08 PM

Same time as Mumbai (Bombay)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,442,373

4,486,679

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Mumbai (Bombay) Kolkata (Calcutta) 1,660 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Mumbai (Bombay)
Kolkata (Calcutta)

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 47% 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 100% 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: $640 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $167 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kolkata (Calcutta) runs roughly 55% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

All in, you’ll spend $813 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $434 in Kolkata (Calcutta) – Kolkata (Calcutta) is about 47% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $434 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $813 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $800 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 cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Kolkata (Calcutta) wins on affordability, Mumbai (Bombay) on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.