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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $763 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $456 in Rishikesh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,259 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $710 in Rishikesh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,754 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $964 in Rishikesh.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 67% more expensive than in Rishikesh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Rishikesh 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 ₹499

$3.41 ₹329

51.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.50 ₹2,170

$9.63 ₹929

133.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₹453

$2.93 ₹283

60.41%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₹251

$2.07 ₹200

25.60%

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

$0.50 ₹48.66

$0.44 ₹42.25

13.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.25

$0.17 ₹16.13

11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ₹225

$2.07 ₹199

12.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ₹403

$2.34 ₹226

78.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹70.2

$0.69 ₹66.1

5.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.57

$0.30 ₹29.34

60.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₹79.4

$0.86 ₹83.0

-4.65%

Eggs

$1.05 ₹101

$1.02 ₹98.8

2.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ₹662

$5.98 ₹577

14.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₹375

$3.46 ₹334

12.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₹221

$2.11 ₹203

8.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 ₹79.9

$0.89 ₹86.0

-6.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₹125

$1.05 ₹102

23.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₹63.1

$0.64 ₹61.3

1.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₹54.9

$0.39 ₹38.00

46.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₹56.4

$0.37 ₹35.23

56.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹62.0

$0.74 ₹71.4

-13.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.87

$0.37 ₹35.30

-5.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 ₹407

$2.26 ₹218

86.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₹789

$9.07 ₹874

-9.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₹200

$1.71 ₹165

21.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 ₹316

$2.76 ₹266

18.48%

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

$6.98 ₹673

$7.16 ₹690

-2.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹21.20

$0.30 ₹29.17

-26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.69 ₹452

$23.50 ₹2,267

-80.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.29

$1.14 ₹110

-67.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₹132

$2.40 ₹231

-42.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹114

$1.15 ₹111

2.61%

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

$17.3K ₹1.7M

$18.8K ₹1.8M

-8.43%

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

$24.8K ₹2.4M

$28.6K ₹2.8M

-13.22%

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

$50.2 ₹4,841

$52.8 ₹5,088

-4.85%

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

$5.08 ₹490

$3.75 ₹362

35.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.62 ₹831

$8.44 ₹814

2.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 ₹2,238

$12.98 ₹1,252

78.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 ₹1,143

$7.15 ₹690

65.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₹453

$4.75 ₹458

-1.05%

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

$118 ₹11.4K

$90.2 ₹8,701

31.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,379 ₹325.8K

$1,666 ₹160.7K

102.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.21 ₹2,817

$22.82 ₹2,201

28.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.19 ₹3,008

$23.51 ₹2,267

32.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ₹5,453

$56.4 ₹5,434

0.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.55 ₹3,910

$35.16 ₹3,391

15.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 ₹67.2K

$58.3 ₹5,618

1095.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.5K

$76.7 ₹7,394

365.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 ₹172.0K

$278 ₹26.8K

540.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 ₹81.4K

$178 ₹17.2K

374.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,047 ₹583.1K

$1,161 ₹112.0K

420.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,517 ₹242.8K

$911 ₹87.8K

176.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$787 ₹75.9K

$210 ₹20.3K

274.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

7.25

27.17%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): July 13, 2026

Last update for Rishikesh: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $697 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $58.3 in Rishikesh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 274% 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: $23.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $10.00 in Rishikesh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $127 vs $117 per month, with Rishikesh 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 Rishikesh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mumbai (Bombay) and Rishikesh differ by about 67% in total monthly costs ($763 vs $456 including rent). Rishikesh is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 274% 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: $697 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $58.3 in Rishikesh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Mumbai (Bombay). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Rishikesh – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $23.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $456 in Rishikesh versus $763 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rishikesh but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Rishikesh 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 Rishikesh 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 Rishikesh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.