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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $763 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $398 in Lucknow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,259 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $637 in Lucknow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,754 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $876 in Lucknow.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 92% more expensive than in Lucknow, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Lucknow 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 ₹499

$2.37 ₹228

118.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.50 ₹2,170

$11.62 ₹1,120

93.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₹453

$3.43 ₹331

37.03%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₹251

$1.50 ₹145

73.33%

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

$0.50 ₹48.66

$0.33 ₹32.06

51.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.25

$0.13 ₹12.13

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ₹225

$1.69 ₹163

37.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ₹403

$2.49 ₹240

67.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹70.2

$0.78 ₹75.7

-6.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.57

$0.52 ₹50.3

-7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₹79.4

$0.65 ₹62.8

26.15%

Eggs

$1.05 ₹101

$0.99 ₹95.4

6.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ₹662

$3.70 ₹357

85.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₹375

$2.71 ₹262

43.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₹221

$1.78 ₹172

28.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 ₹79.9

$0.65 ₹62.3

27.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₹125

$0.87 ₹83.5

49.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₹63.1

$0.56 ₹54.3

16.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₹54.9

$0.32 ₹31.24

78.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₹56.4

$0.45 ₹43.53

28.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹62.0

$0.35 ₹33.50

82.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.87

$0.34 ₹32.42

2.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 ₹407

$3.93 ₹379

7.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₹789

$8.07 ₹778

1.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₹200

$1.64 ₹158

26.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 ₹316

$2.83 ₹273

15.55%

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

$6.98 ₹673

$5.78 ₹558

20.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹21.20

$0.49 ₹46.83

-55.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.69 ₹452

$10.28 ₹992

-54.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.29

$1.14 ₹110

-67.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ₹40.24

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₹132

$1.38 ₹133

-0.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹114

$1.21 ₹117

-2.48%

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

$17.3K ₹1.7M

$15.5K ₹1.5M

11.06%

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

$24.8K ₹2.4M

$23.8K ₹2.3M

4.08%

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

$50.2 ₹4,841

$43.20 ₹4,166

16.20%

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

$5.08 ₹490

$3.64 ₹351

39.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.62 ₹831

$7.64 ₹737

12.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 ₹2,238

$22.05 ₹2,126

5.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 ₹1,143

$8.81 ₹849

34.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₹453

$3.47 ₹334

35.45%

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

$118 ₹11.4K

$56.6 ₹5,456

109.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,379 ₹325.8K

$1,645 ₹158.6K

105.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.21 ₹2,817

$26.76 ₹2,581

9.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.19 ₹3,008

$24.48 ₹2,361

27.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ₹5,453

$41.50 ₹4,002

36.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.55 ₹3,910

$25.11 ₹2,421

61.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 ₹67.2K

$148 ₹14.3K

371.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.5K

$88.8 ₹8,564

302.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 ₹172.0K

$356 ₹34.3K

401.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 ₹81.4K

$210 ₹20.2K

302.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,047 ₹583.1K

$1,152 ₹111.1K

424.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,517 ₹242.8K

$527 ₹50.8K

377.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$787 ₹75.9K

$360 ₹34.7K

118.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

8.72

5.73%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): July 13, 2026

Last update for Lucknow: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $697 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $148 in Lucknow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 118% 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: $23.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $12.00 in Lucknow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $127 vs $101 per month, with Lucknow 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 Lucknow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lucknow is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 118% 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: $697 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $148 in Lucknow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lucknow – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $23.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $763 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $398 in Lucknow – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $398 in Lucknow versus $763 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lucknow but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Lucknow the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Lucknow is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mumbai (Bombay), and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Lucknow gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.