Cost of Living Comparison Between Mumbai (Bombay) and McLeod Ganj Cost of Living Comparison Between Mumbai (Bombay) and McLeod Ganj

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $786 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $387 in McLeod Ganj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,295 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $606 in McLeod Ganj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $825 in McLeod Ganj.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 103% more expensive than in McLeod Ganj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 ₹493

$2.28 ₹218

126.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.80 ₹1,987

$10.30 ₹984

101.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.30 ₹410

$3.50 ₹335

22.86%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₹253

$1.58 ₹151

67.72%

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

$0.37 ₹35.56

$0.40 ₹38.63

-7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.27

$0.15 ₹14.06

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 ₹258

$1.71 ₹163

57.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 ₹405

$3.02 ₹288

40.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 ₹66.4

$0.65 ₹62.4

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.29

$0.45 ₹43.13

6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.8

$0.67 ₹63.8

13.43%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹97.7

$0.94 ₹89.4

8.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.75 ₹549

$4.97 ₹475

15.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 ₹337

$3.04 ₹291

16.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ₹213

$2.00 ₹191

11.50%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 ₹69.0

$0.75 ₹71.4

-4.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 ₹117

$0.95 ₹91.2

29.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 ₹46.68

$0.54 ₹51.4

-9.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 ₹33.36

$0.35 ₹33.84

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.30

$0.46 ₹43.55

-13.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ₹47.27

$0.46 ₹43.63

6.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹30.09

$0.34 ₹32.62

-8.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 ₹487

$3.96 ₹379

28.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹788

$7.24 ₹692

13.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₹195

$1.70 ₹163

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ₹288

$2.76 ₹264

9.42%

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

$6.22 ₹594

$5.58 ₹533

11.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹19.09

$0.30 ₹28.95

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.93 ₹567

$8.64 ₹825

-31.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 ₹31.57

$0.85 ₹81.0

-61.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.67

$0.27 ₹25.90

22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ₹156

$1.47 ₹141

10.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₹109

$1.22 ₹117

-6.56%

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

$16.4K ₹1.6M

$14.2K ₹1.4M

15.63%

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

$22.4K ₹2.1M

$22.1K ₹2.1M

1.34%

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

$60.1 ₹5,739

$39.47 ₹3,771

52.19%

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

$4.37 ₹417

$3.43 ₹327

27.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.32 ₹890

$7.05 ₹673

32.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.53 ₹2,631

$16.22 ₹1,550

69.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.67 ₹1,306

$6.87 ₹656

98.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 ₹442

$2.99 ₹286

54.52%

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

$118 ₹11.3K

$51.7 ₹4,940

128.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,970 ₹474.8K

$1,539 ₹147.0K

222.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.94 ₹3,338

$23.96 ₹2,289

45.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.94 ₹3,625

$25.37 ₹2,423

49.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.3 ₹5,758

$43.44 ₹4,150

38.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.94 ₹4,771

$30.97 ₹2,959

61.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₹61.2K

$124 ₹11.9K

415.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 ₹35.4K

$75.6 ₹7,223

390.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,937 ₹185.0K

$273 ₹26.1K

610.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 ₹83.0K

$179 ₹17.1K

386.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,174 ₹589.9K

$1,068 ₹102.0K

478.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,428 ₹232.0K

$600 ₹57.3K

304.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$810 ₹77.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.36

8.67

-3.58%

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

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

Last update for McLeod Ganj: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $641 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $124 in McLeod Ganj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $10.00 in McLeod Ganj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $117 vs $105 per month, with McLeod Ganj 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 McLeod Ganj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mumbai (Bombay) and McLeod Ganj differ by about 103% in total monthly costs ($786 vs $387 including rent). McLeod Ganj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,178 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $581 in McLeod Ganj 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: $641 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $124 in McLeod Ganj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in McLeod Ganj – 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 $387 in McLeod Ganj – a 103% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $387 in McLeod Ganj versus $786 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $2,000 budget is realistic in McLeod Ganj but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes McLeod Ganj 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.

Safety-wise, Mumbai (Bombay) and McLeod Ganj are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find McLeod Ganj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 103% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.