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: $759 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $544 in Malda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,262 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $684 in Malda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,766 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $824 in Malda.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 40% more expensive than Malda, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Malda 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.31 ₹503

$3.26 ₹308

62.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.21 ₹2,101

$11.62 ₹1,099

91.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.67 ₹442

$3.52 ₹333

32.67%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ₹248

$1.79 ₹169

46.37%

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

$0.51 ₹47.87

$0.40 ₹38.11

27.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.03

$0.15 ₹14.08

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 ₹215

$1.72 ₹163

31.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 ₹387

$2.88 ₹273

42.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 ₹75.4

$0.63 ₹59.3

26.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 ₹49.47

$0.43 ₹40.62

20.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₹77.3

$0.49 ₹46.43

67.35%

Eggs

$1.09 ₹103

$0.80 ₹76.1

36.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.02 ₹664

$5.41 ₹512

29.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₹368

$2.53 ₹240

53.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ₹225

$2.51 ₹237

-5.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ₹76.0

$0.79 ₹75.1

1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₹123

$1.28 ₹121

1.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₹61.5

$0.65 ₹61.4

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₹53.5

$0.28 ₹26.26

103.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.0

$0.33 ₹31.62

90.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ₹59.9

$0.42 ₹39.33

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹30.89

$0.17 ₹16.25

94.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 ₹379

$3.86 ₹365

3.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 ₹764

$9.81 ₹928

-17.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₹204

$1.68 ₹159

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ₹321

$2.48 ₹235

36.69%

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

$7.13 ₹675

$2.50 ₹237

185.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹22.74

$0.30 ₹28.43

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.63 ₹439

$8.64 ₹817

-46.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 ₹32.06

$0.55 ₹52.2

-38.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ₹26.20

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 ₹133

$2.08 ₹196

-32.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₹116

$1.24 ₹117

-1.61%

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

$17.3K ₹1.6M

$15.9K ₹1.5M

8.41%

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

$25.3K ₹2.4M

$22.9K ₹2.2M

10.28%

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

$50.2 ₹4,748

$41.19 ₹3,897

21.83%

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

$5.00 ₹473

$3.85 ₹364

29.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.79 ₹832

$5.78 ₹547

52.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.18 ₹2,193

$16.15 ₹1,528

43.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.81 ₹1,117

$6.99 ₹662

68.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₹445

$4.02 ₹380

16.92%

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

$121 ₹11.4K

$43.03 ₹4,072

180.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,385 ₹320.3K

$1,600 ₹151.4K

111.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.30 ₹2,772

$8.06 ₹763

263.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.72 ₹2,907

$8.03 ₹760

282.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 ₹5,207

$48.87 ₹4,624

12.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.51 ₹3,738

$9.14 ₹865

332.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$694 ₹65.7K

$289 ₹27.4K

139.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 ₹33.9K

$231 ₹21.8K

55.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,797 ₹170.0K

$411 ₹38.9K

337.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$821 ₹77.7K

$182 ₹17.2K

351.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,515 ₹616.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,661 ₹251.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$719 ₹68.0K

$378 ₹35.8K

90.22%

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): April 26, 2026

Last update for Malda: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $694 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $289 in Malda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 90% 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 $12.00 in Malda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $130 vs $109 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 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 90% 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: $694 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $289 in Malda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% 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 $544 in Malda versus $759 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 40% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.