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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $781 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $542 in Malda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,281 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $680 in Malda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,781 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $819 in Malda.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 44% more expensive than Malda, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Malda 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.13 ₹488

$3.16 ₹301

62.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.35 ₹2,126

$11.53 ₹1,097

93.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₹446

$3.42 ₹326

37.13%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₹252

$1.88 ₹179

40.96%

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

$0.47 ₹44.56

$0.38 ₹35.69

23.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.19

$0.13 ₹12.13

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹217

$1.78 ₹169

28.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 ₹392

$2.94 ₹280

40.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 ₹70.2

$0.58 ₹55.3

27.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 ₹49.55

$0.43 ₹40.51

20.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 ₹79.5

$0.53 ₹50.7

58.49%

Eggs

$1.07 ₹102

$0.80 ₹76.5

33.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.05 ₹671

$5.32 ₹506

32.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ₹374

$2.61 ₹248

50.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 ₹223

$2.42 ₹231

-3.31%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.1

$0.79 ₹74.9

-2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ₹125

$1.25 ₹119

4.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹60.6

$0.66 ₹62.4

-3.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 ₹50.0

$0.30 ₹28.71

76.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹59.7

$0.33 ₹31.47

90.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ₹65.7

$0.44 ₹42.03

56.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.47

$0.15 ₹14.12

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 ₹396

$4.06 ₹386

2.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.59 ₹817

$8.33 ₹792

3.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₹203

$1.74 ₹165

22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₹309

$2.51 ₹239

29.08%

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

$7.22 ₹686

$2.41 ₹230

199.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹22.96

$0.28 ₹26.42

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.73 ₹450

$8.84 ₹841

-46.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹34.92

$0.59 ₹56.4

-37.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.65

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ₹136

$2.07 ₹197

-30.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₹116

$1.18 ₹113

3.39%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$15.7K ₹1.5M

10.74%

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

$25.4K ₹2.4M

$22.5K ₹2.1M

13.04%

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

$51.2 ₹4,865

$41.81 ₹3,976

22.34%

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

$5.03 ₹478

$4.04 ₹384

24.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.65 ₹823

$5.91 ₹562

46.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.99 ₹2,186

$16.14 ₹1,535

42.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.83 ₹1,125

$6.95 ₹661

70.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 ₹431

$4.10 ₹390

10.49%

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

$121 ₹11.5K

$43.41 ₹4,128

179.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,356 ₹319.1K

$1,569 ₹149.2K

113.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.19 ₹2,776

$8.13 ₹773

259.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.76 ₹2,925

$8.10 ₹770

279.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ₹5,385

$48.72 ₹4,633

16.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.02 ₹3,901

$9.10 ₹865

350.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 ₹66.1K

$291 ₹27.6K

139.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 ₹33.3K

$229 ₹21.8K

52.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,778 ₹169.1K

$403 ₹38.4K

340.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$835 ₹79.4K

$178 ₹17.0K

368.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,331 ₹602.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,639 ₹251.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$737 ₹70.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

9.9

-6.87%

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

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

Last update for Malda: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $695 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $291 in Malda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $12.00 in Malda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $130 vs $105 per month, with Malda 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 Malda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malda is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,171 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $813 in Malda to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $695 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $291 in Malda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Mumbai (Bombay). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Malda – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $542 in Malda versus $781 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $1,500 budget is realistic in Malda but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Malda the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Malda 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 Malda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.