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: $779 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $440 in Rishikesh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,255 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $689 in Rishikesh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,732 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $938 in Rishikesh.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 77% more expensive than Rishikesh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Rishikesh 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 ₹509

$3.44 ₹329

54.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.40 ₹2,143

$9.75 ₹933

129.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ₹443

$2.95 ₹283

56.95%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₹241

$2.15 ₹205

17.21%

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

$0.51 ₹48.47

$0.41 ₹38.94

24.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.71

$0.19 ₹17.71

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹218

$2.09 ₹200

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ₹378

$2.38 ₹228

65.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.4

$0.70 ₹66.7

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹49.04

$0.30 ₹29.04

70.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹74.0

$0.88 ₹84.1

-12.50%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹103

$1.02 ₹98.1

5.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 ₹683

$6.19 ₹592

15.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₹372

$3.41 ₹326

13.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₹220

$2.08 ₹199

10.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.7

$0.82 ₹78.6

-1.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹121

$1.02 ₹97.4

23.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.0

$0.63 ₹59.9

1.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹55.1

$0.37 ₹35.26

56.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.4

$0.34 ₹32.13

85.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.3

$0.70 ₹66.5

-8.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.14

$0.33 ₹31.92

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ₹402

$2.27 ₹218

85.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹790

$9.36 ₹896

-11.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹208

$1.77 ₹169

22.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₹325

$2.75 ₹264

23.64%

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

$7.03 ₹673

$6.79 ₹650

3.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹23.08

$0.30 ₹29.12

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.51 ₹432

$23.03 ₹2,204

-80.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.03

$1.19 ₹114

-68.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₹135

$2.36 ₹226

-40.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹114

$1.21 ₹115

-1.65%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$19.1K ₹1.8M

-8.89%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$27.5K ₹2.6M

-10.81%

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

$50.8 ₹4,860

$53.1 ₹5,077

-4.28%

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

$4.81 ₹460

$3.77 ₹361

27.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.75 ₹837

$8.81 ₹843

-0.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 ₹2,211

$12.67 ₹1,213

82.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 ₹1,147

$6.82 ₹653

75.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 ₹450

$4.63 ₹443

1.73%

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

$122 ₹11.6K

$90.4 ₹8,649

34.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,393 ₹324.7K

$1,690 ₹161.7K

100.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 ₹2,789

$23.22 ₹2,222

25.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 ₹2,929

$23.43 ₹2,242

30.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 ₹5,277

$58.3 ₹5,576

-5.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.74 ₹3,803

$34.92 ₹3,342

13.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₹67.4K

$57.0 ₹5,458

1135.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.1K

$75.8 ₹7,253

370.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 ₹171.5K

$279 ₹26.7K

542.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹79.0K

$182 ₹17.4K

353.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 ₹615.9K

$1,167 ₹111.7K

451.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,627 ₹251.4K

$920 ₹88.0K

185.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ₹71.2K

$205 ₹19.6K

262.55%

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): May 31, 2026

Last update for Rishikesh: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $57.0 in Rishikesh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 263% 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 $10.00 in Rishikesh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $129 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 77% in total monthly costs ($779 vs $440 including rent). Rishikesh is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 263% 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: $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $57.0 in Rishikesh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% 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 $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $440 in Rishikesh versus $779 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 77% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.