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: $766 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $356 in Ratlam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,262 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $525 in Ratlam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,757 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $695 in Ratlam.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 115% more expensive than in Ratlam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Ratlam 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 ₹493

$1.90 ₹182

171.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.87 ₹2,092

$6.83 ₹653

220.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₹449

$2.97 ₹284

58.25%

Cappuccino

$2.63 ₹251

$1.57 ₹150

67.52%

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

$0.47 ₹45.40

$0.34 ₹32.21

38.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹17.78

$0.16 ₹14.99

18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 ₹219

$2.24 ₹214

2.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 ₹399

$5.29 ₹506

-21.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹69.8

$0.66 ₹62.7

10.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹45.93

$0.49 ₹46.59

-2.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 ₹79.8

$0.72 ₹68.8

15.28%

Eggs

$1.05 ₹100

$0.83 ₹79.3

26.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.06 ₹675

$4.71 ₹450

49.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 ₹362

$2.40 ₹229

57.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₹221

$2.38 ₹227

-2.94%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.3

$0.45 ₹43.15

80.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹121

$0.95 ₹90.8

32.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 ₹66.0

$0.77 ₹73.8

-10.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 ₹50.1

$0.17 ₹16.67

205.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.1

$0.22 ₹20.92

190.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ₹65.5

$0.54 ₹51.9

25.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.50

$0.36 ₹34.82

-2.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ₹395

$3.41 ₹326

21.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.41 ₹804

$7.85 ₹750

7.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₹201

$1.54 ₹148

37.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 ₹328

$2.24 ₹214

53.12%

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

$6.96 ₹666

$5.58 ₹534

24.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹23.03

$0.30 ₹29.04

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.52 ₹432

$8.76 ₹838

-48.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 ₹31.88

$0.64 ₹60.9

-48.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ₹136

$1.47 ₹140

-2.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₹118

$1.16 ₹111

6.03%

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

$17.2K ₹1.6M

$15.2K ₹1.5M

12.70%

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

$24.7K ₹2.4M

$20.5K ₹2.0M

20.70%

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

$50.0 ₹4,786

$29.64 ₹2,835

68.83%

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

$4.84 ₹463

$3.90 ₹373

24.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.88 ₹849

$5.64 ₹540

57.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.13 ₹2,212

$5.83 ₹558

296.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.04 ₹1,151

$6.92 ₹662

73.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.60 ₹440

$3.58 ₹343

28.49%

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

$119 ₹11.4K

$62.2 ₹5,950

91.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,313 ₹316.9K

$1,118 ₹106.9K

196.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.89 ₹2,859

$8.19 ₹783

264.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.14 ₹2,882

$9.38 ₹897

221.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.7 ₹5,327

$17.61 ₹1,684

216.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.93 ₹3,915

$28.77 ₹2,752

42.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 ₹67.1K

$138 ₹13.2K

407.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 ₹34.6K

$93.5 ₹8,944

287.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,775 ₹169.8K

$174 ₹16.6K

919.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$845 ₹80.8K

$143 ₹13.6K

493.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,137 ₹586.9K

$2,257 ₹215.9K

171.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,570 ₹245.8K

$684 ₹65.4K

275.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$767 ₹73.4K

$388 ₹37.1K

97.86%

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): July 27, 2026

Last update for Ratlam: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $702 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $138 in Ratlam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 98% 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 $7.00 in Ratlam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $129 vs $101 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 115% in total monthly costs ($766 vs $356 including rent). Ratlam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 98% 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: $702 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $138 in Ratlam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% 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 $356 in Ratlam versus $766 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 115% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.