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: $786 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $386 in Lucknow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,295 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $592 in Lucknow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $797 in Lucknow.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 104% more expensive than in Lucknow, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Lucknow 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 ₹493

$1.89 ₹181

173.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.80 ₹1,987

$10.38 ₹992

100.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.30 ₹410

$3.11 ₹297

38.26%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₹253

$1.59 ₹152

66.67%

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

$0.37 ₹35.56

$0.37 ₹35.65

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.27

$0.12 ₹11.26

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 ₹258

$1.64 ₹156

64.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 ₹405

$2.38 ₹228

78.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 ₹66.4

$0.74 ₹71.1

-5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.29

$0.45 ₹42.90

6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.8

$0.59 ₹56.8

28.81%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹97.7

$1.01 ₹96.9

0.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.75 ₹549

$3.67 ₹351

56.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 ₹337

$2.59 ₹247

36.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ₹213

$1.71 ₹163

30.41%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 ₹69.0

$0.63 ₹59.9

14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 ₹117

$0.93 ₹89.1

32.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 ₹46.68

$0.51 ₹48.53

-3.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 ₹33.36

$0.30 ₹28.38

16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.30

$0.45 ₹42.56

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ₹47.27

$0.45 ₹43.12

8.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹30.09

$0.32 ₹30.78

-3.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 ₹487

$5.07 ₹484

0.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹788

$8.62 ₹823

-4.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₹195

$1.66 ₹159

22.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ₹288

$2.58 ₹246

17.05%

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

$6.22 ₹594

$5.72 ₹546

8.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹19.09

$0.44 ₹41.85

-54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.93 ₹567

$5.21 ₹498

13.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 ₹31.57

$0.92 ₹88.1

-64.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.67

$0.22 ₹21.03

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ₹156

$1.19 ₹114

36.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₹109

$1.12 ₹107

1.79%

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

$16.4K ₹1.6M

$12.5K ₹1.2M

31.63%

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

$22.4K ₹2.1M

$22.1K ₹2.1M

1.61%

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

$60.1 ₹5,739

$53.2 ₹5,080

12.98%

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

$4.37 ₹417

$3.66 ₹350

19.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.32 ₹890

$8.78 ₹839

6.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.53 ₹2,631

$15.75 ₹1,505

74.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.67 ₹1,306

$6.97 ₹666

96.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 ₹442

$3.26 ₹311

41.72%

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

$118 ₹11.3K

$39.71 ₹3,794

197.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,970 ₹474.8K

$1,008 ₹96.3K

393.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.94 ₹3,338

$23.50 ₹2,246

48.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.94 ₹3,625

$24.67 ₹2,357

53.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.3 ₹5,758

$38.15 ₹3,645

57.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.94 ₹4,771

$25.32 ₹2,419

97.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₹61.2K

$129 ₹12.3K

397.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 ₹35.4K

$77.4 ₹7,391

379.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,937 ₹185.0K

$355 ₹33.9K

445.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 ₹83.0K

$173 ₹16.5K

401.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,174 ₹589.9K

$1,300 ₹124.2K

374.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,428 ₹232.0K

$551 ₹52.6K

340.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$810 ₹77.4K

$339 ₹32.4K

139.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.36

8.53

-1.99%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): September 7, 2026

Last update for Lucknow: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $641 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $129 in Lucknow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 139% 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 $10.00 in Lucknow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $117 vs $99.0 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 104% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 139% 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: $641 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $129 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 $10.00 versus $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $786 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $386 in Lucknow – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $386 in Lucknow versus $786 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 104% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.