Cost of Living Comparison Between Mumbai (Bombay) and Kota Cost of Living Comparison Between Mumbai (Bombay) and Kota

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $795 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $334 in Kota.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,311 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $543 in Kota.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,827 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $751 in Kota.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 138% more expensive than in Kota, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Kota 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 ₹503

$2.04 ₹194

159.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.42 ₹2,034

$8.39 ₹797

155.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.29 ₹407

$2.55 ₹242

68.24%

Cappuccino

$2.61 ₹248

$0.70 ₹66.7

272.86%

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

$0.41 ₹38.49

$0.39 ₹36.60

5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.13

$0.17 ₹15.83

-17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ₹246

$1.59 ₹151

62.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 ₹395

$3.14 ₹298

32.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 ₹66.0

$0.64 ₹60.6

7.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 ₹46.29

$0.43 ₹41.08

13.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ₹69.2

$0.63 ₹59.8

15.87%

Eggs

$0.95 ₹90.0

$0.82 ₹77.7

15.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.69 ₹540

$4.44 ₹422

28.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ₹330

$2.58 ₹245

34.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 ₹223

$1.62 ₹154

44.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 ₹63.7

$0.55 ₹52.6

21.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 ₹114

$0.68 ₹64.5

76.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 ₹47.45

$0.41 ₹38.91

21.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 ₹35.75

$0.30 ₹28.90

26.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.38

$0.40 ₹38.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ₹46.41

$0.33 ₹31.67

48.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹27.14

$0.33 ₹31.40

-12.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.98 ₹473

$4.27 ₹406

16.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 ₹781

$7.56 ₹718

8.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₹200

$1.54 ₹146

36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ₹299

$1.85 ₹176

70.27%

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

$5.95 ₹565

$4.96 ₹471

19.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹18.97

$0.51 ₹48.49

-60.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.88 ₹558

$26.48 ₹2,514

-77.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 ₹29.22

$0.33 ₹31.73

-6.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.44

$0.20 ₹18.95

65.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 ₹147

$1.07 ₹102

44.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹105

$1.09 ₹104

0.92%

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

$16.2K ₹1.5M

$15.8K ₹1.5M

2.84%

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

$22.6K ₹2.1M

$17.2K ₹1.6M

31.45%

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

$59.1 ₹5,613

$13.03 ₹1,237

353.65%

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

$4.38 ₹416

$2.59 ₹246

69.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.34 ₹887

$6.44 ₹611

45.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.20 ₹2,583

$10.63 ₹1,009

155.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.11 ₹1,340

$4.29 ₹407

228.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 ₹439

$3.11 ₹295

48.55%

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

$118 ₹11.2K

$34.45 ₹3,271

241.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,947 ₹469.8K

$665 ₹63.1K

643.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.63 ₹3,194

$22.27 ₹2,115

51.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.59 ₹3,665

$33.38 ₹3,170

15.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 ₹5,677

$35.18 ₹3,341

69.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.89 ₹4,643

$20.81 ₹1,976

134.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 ₹61.9K

$143 ₹13.6K

355.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ₹33.8K

$81.3 ₹7,717

337.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 ₹181.1K

$274 ₹26.0K

595.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$863 ₹81.9K

$173 ₹16.4K

399.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,242 ₹592.7K

$555 ₹52.7K

1024.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,324 ₹220.6K

$341 ₹32.4K

580.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$804 ₹76.3K

$433 ₹41.1K

85.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.36

7.5

11.47%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): August 30, 2026

Last update for Kota: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $652 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $143 in Kota. 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 $8.00 in Kota for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $117 vs $92.0 per month, with Kota 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 Kota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mumbai (Bombay) and Kota differ by about 138% in total monthly costs ($795 vs $334 including rent). Kota is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

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: $652 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $143 in Kota. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Mumbai (Bombay). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kota – a meal for two runs $8.00 versus $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $334 in Kota versus $795 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kota but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Kota 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.

Expats usually find Kota gentler on the wallet – expenses run 138% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.