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: $779 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $368 in Kota.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,255 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $573 in Kota.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,732 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $777 in Kota.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 112% more expensive than Kota, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Kota 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 ₹509

$2.29 ₹219

132.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.40 ₹2,143

$8.59 ₹822

160.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ₹443

$2.84 ₹272

63.03%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₹241

$0.70 ₹67.4

260.00%

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

$0.51 ₹48.47

$0.40 ₹38.10

27.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.71

$0.18 ₹17.06

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹218

$1.71 ₹164

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ₹378

$3.27 ₹313

20.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.4

$0.62 ₹59.3

20.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹49.04

$0.43 ₹41.36

18.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹74.0

$0.76 ₹72.4

1.32%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹103

$0.94 ₹90.3

14.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 ₹683

$4.91 ₹470

45.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₹372

$2.72 ₹260

42.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₹220

$1.76 ₹169

30.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.7

$0.53 ₹50.4

52.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹121

$0.79 ₹75.5

59.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.0

$0.45 ₹42.92

42.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹55.1

$0.31 ₹29.39

87.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.4

$0.46 ₹43.95

36.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.3

$0.36 ₹34.55

77.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.14

$0.34 ₹32.52

-2.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ₹402

$3.92 ₹376

7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹790

$7.65 ₹732

7.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹208

$1.73 ₹165

25.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₹325

$3.58 ₹343

-5.03%

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

$7.03 ₹673

$4.26 ₹408

65.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹23.08

$0.59 ₹56.8

-59.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.51 ₹432

$8.82 ₹844

-48.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.03

$0.34 ₹32.26

8.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₹22.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₹135

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹114

$1.25 ₹120

-4.80%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$11.6K ₹1.1M

49.78%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$16.9K ₹1.6M

45.05%

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

$50.8 ₹4,860

$30.83 ₹2,950

64.74%

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

$4.81 ₹460

$2.88 ₹276

67.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.75 ₹837

$7.24 ₹693

20.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 ₹2,211

$10.60 ₹1,015

118.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 ₹1,147

$2.37 ₹226

405.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 ₹450

$3.45 ₹330

36.52%

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

$122 ₹11.6K

$37.11 ₹3,551

227.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,393 ₹324.7K

$723 ₹69.2K

369.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 ₹2,789

$21.00 ₹2,010

38.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 ₹2,929

$27.33 ₹2,615

12.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 ₹5,277

$50.5 ₹4,831

9.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.74 ₹3,803

$25.62 ₹2,452

55.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₹67.4K

$158 ₹15.1K

345.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.1K

$88.6 ₹8,479

302.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 ₹171.5K

$304 ₹29.1K

489.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹79.0K

$187 ₹17.9K

342.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 ₹615.9K

$569 ₹54.5K

1030.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,627 ₹251.4K

$333 ₹31.9K

688.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ₹71.2K

$420 ₹40.2K

77.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

7.5

22.93%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): May 31, 2026

Last update for Kota: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $158 in Kota. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 77% 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 $9.00 in Kota for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $129 vs $101 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 112% in total monthly costs ($779 vs $368 including rent). Kota is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 77% 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: $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $158 in Kota. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% 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 $9.00 versus $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $368 in Kota versus $779 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 112% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.