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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $763 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $352 in Ratlam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,248 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $522 in Ratlam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,733 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $691 in Ratlam.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 117% more expensive than Ratlam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Ratlam 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.20 ₹488

$1.96 ₹184

165.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.16 ₹2,080

$6.80 ₹638

225.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₹426

$2.95 ₹277

53.90%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ₹246

$1.58 ₹148

65.82%

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

$0.50 ₹47.34

$0.36 ₹33.99

38.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.28

$0.13 ₹12.42

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 ₹224

$2.19 ₹206

8.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 ₹373

$5.30 ₹497

-25.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 ₹73.7

$0.62 ₹58.2

25.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹48.23

$0.48 ₹45.09

6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 ₹76.3

$0.72 ₹67.5

12.50%

Eggs

$1.04 ₹97.2

$0.82 ₹77.0

26.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.06 ₹663

$4.90 ₹460

44.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 ₹356

$2.31 ₹217

64.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₹216

$2.36 ₹222

-2.12%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 ₹71.8

$0.45 ₹42.39

68.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ₹123

$1.01 ₹94.8

29.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 ₹61.9

$0.80 ₹74.9

-17.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 ₹50.5

$0.16 ₹14.95

237.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₹55.9

$0.22 ₹20.51

172.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹60.3

$0.50 ₹46.76

28.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.09

$0.34 ₹31.71

2.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 ₹386

$3.57 ₹335

15.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.81 ₹733

$5.19 ₹487

50.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₹202

$1.61 ₹151

34.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 ₹306

$2.24 ₹210

45.54%

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

$6.95 ₹653

$5.64 ₹530

23.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹20.54

$0.28 ₹26.01

-21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.75 ₹446

$8.62 ₹809

-44.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 ₹31.32

$0.70 ₹65.9

-52.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₹127

$1.49 ₹140

-9.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₹116

$1.18 ₹111

5.08%

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

$17.8K ₹1.7M

$15.3K ₹1.4M

15.90%

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

$24.6K ₹2.3M

$19.9K ₹1.9M

23.55%

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

$50.8 ₹4,769

$28.76 ₹2,700

76.67%

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

$4.84 ₹454

$3.96 ₹371

22.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.83 ₹829

$5.89 ₹553

49.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 ₹2,177

$5.91 ₹555

292.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 ₹1,112

$6.90 ₹648

71.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 ₹446

$3.42 ₹321

38.89%

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

$118 ₹11.1K

$62.3 ₹5,849

89.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,350 ₹314.4K

$1,092 ₹102.5K

206.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.41 ₹2,760

$7.91 ₹743

271.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.15 ₹2,924

$9.39 ₹881

231.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 ₹5,158

$17.64 ₹1,656

211.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.05 ₹3,759

$29.04 ₹2,726

37.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$691 ₹64.9K

$136 ₹12.7K

409.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 ₹33.1K

$92.2 ₹8,655

281.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,822 ₹171.0K

$175 ₹16.4K

944.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$845 ₹79.3K

$144 ₹13.5K

488.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,634 ₹622.6K

$969 ₹91.0K

584.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,639 ₹247.7K

$517 ₹48.5K

410.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$730 ₹68.5K

$401 ₹37.6K

81.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

9.1

1.32%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): April 21, 2026

Last update for Ratlam: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $691 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $136 in Ratlam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 82% 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 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $7 in Ratlam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $128 vs $96 per month, with Ratlam 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 Ratlam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mumbai (Bombay) and Ratlam differ by about 117% in total monthly costs ($763 vs $352 including rent). Ratlam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 82% 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: $691 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $136 in Ratlam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Mumbai (Bombay). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ratlam – a meal for two runs $7.00 versus $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $352 in Ratlam versus $763 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ratlam but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Ratlam 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 Ratlam 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 Ratlam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.