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: $783 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $423 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,280 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $658 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,776 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $893 in Kolkata (Calcutta).

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 85% more expensive than in Kolkata (Calcutta), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Kolkata (Calcutta) 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.10 ₹489

$2.05 ₹196

148.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.90 ₹2,005

$15.47 ₹1,485

35.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.18 ₹401

$4.10 ₹393

1.95%

Cappuccino

$2.61 ₹251

$1.66 ₹160

57.23%

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

$0.38 ₹36.00

$0.43 ₹41.44

-11.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.11

$0.14 ₹13.07

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 ₹247

$1.84 ₹176

39.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 ₹410

$3.22 ₹309

32.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 ₹67.2

$0.64 ₹61.5

9.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 ₹50.2

$0.46 ₹44.06

13.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 ₹74.5

$0.72 ₹68.7

8.33%

Eggs

$0.96 ₹91.7

$1.02 ₹97.7

-5.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 ₹530

$5.48 ₹526

0.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 ₹343

$2.97 ₹285

20.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 ₹218

$2.36 ₹226

-3.39%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 ₹71.0

$0.76 ₹73.0

-2.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₹117

$1.49 ₹143

-18.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 ₹45.18

$0.68 ₹65.2

-30.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 ₹31.97

$0.29 ₹28.14

13.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₹35.32

$0.39 ₹37.37

-5.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 ₹41.03

$0.33 ₹31.19

30.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.91

$0.28 ₹26.96

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.03 ₹483

$5.03 ₹482

Wine (Bottle)

$8.27 ₹794

$10.29 ₹988

-19.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₹195

$1.66 ₹159

22.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ₹296

$2.77 ₹265

11.55%

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

$5.81 ₹557

$6.48 ₹621

-10.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹19.16

$0.15 ₹14.16

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.57 ₹534

$2.58 ₹248

115.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 ₹30.87

$0.86 ₹82.8

-62.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.21

$0.32 ₹30.89

3.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 ₹152

$1.61 ₹154

-1.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹109

$1.08 ₹103

4.63%

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

$15.9K ₹1.5M

$14.5K ₹1.4M

9.60%

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

$22.2K ₹2.1M

$21.5K ₹2.1M

2.95%

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

$60.9 ₹5,839

$55.0 ₹5,278

10.63%

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

$4.28 ₹410

$4.85 ₹465

-11.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.27 ₹890

$6.81 ₹653

36.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 ₹2,505

$14.89 ₹1,429

75.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.92 ₹1,240

$10.88 ₹1,044

18.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 ₹462

$3.34 ₹320

44.01%

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

$118 ₹11.4K

$41.18 ₹3,951

187.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,909 ₹471.0K

$1,997 ₹191.6K

145.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.15 ₹3,373

$24.12 ₹2,314

45.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.23 ₹3,763

$23.22 ₹2,228

68.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.7 ₹5,540

$33.14 ₹3,180

74.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.14 ₹4,618

$25.98 ₹2,492

85.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$635 ₹60.9K

$152 ₹14.5K

319.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 ₹34.1K

$92.2 ₹8,849

284.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,933 ₹185.5K

$385 ₹36.9K

402.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$835 ₹80.1K

$201 ₹19.3K

315.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,093 ₹584.5K

$1,204 ₹115.5K

405.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,473 ₹237.2K

$620 ₹59.5K

298.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 ₹72.3K

$406 ₹38.9K

85.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

9.17

-9.16%

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

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

Last update for Kolkata (Calcutta): September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $635 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $152 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 86% 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: $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $15.00 in Kolkata (Calcutta) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $117 vs $116 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 85% 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 86% 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: $635 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $152 in Kolkata (Calcutta). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $783 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $423 in Kolkata (Calcutta) – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kolkata (Calcutta) runs roughly 116% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $423 in Kolkata (Calcutta) versus $783 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 $423 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 85% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.