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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $779 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $306 in Varanasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,255 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $516 in Varanasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,732 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $725 in Varanasi.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 154% more expensive than Varanasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Varanasi 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 ₹506

$2.30 ₹219

131.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.40 ₹2,133

$8.54 ₹813

162.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ₹441

$3.43 ₹327

34.99%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₹240

$1.55 ₹147

62.58%

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

$0.51 ₹48.25

$0.33 ₹31.48

54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.64

$0.13 ₹12.48

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹217

$1.75 ₹167

30.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ₹376

$2.31 ₹220

71.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.1

$0.69 ₹65.5

8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹48.81

$0.36 ₹34.75

41.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.7

$0.55 ₹52.6

40.00%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹103

$0.89 ₹84.9

21.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 ₹680

$3.56 ₹340

100.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₹370

$2.48 ₹236

56.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₹219

$1.52 ₹145

51.32%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.3

$0.64 ₹61.4

26.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹120

$0.88 ₹83.9

43.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹60.7

$0.39 ₹36.95

64.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹54.8

$0.27 ₹25.55

114.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.1

$0.25 ₹23.79

152.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.0

$0.38 ₹35.78

68.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.00

$0.31 ₹29.87

6.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ₹400

$2.79 ₹266

50.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹786

$5.84 ₹556

41.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹207

$1.66 ₹158

30.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₹324

$2.61 ₹249

30.27%

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

$7.03 ₹670

$4.41 ₹420

59.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹22.97

$0.57 ₹54.3

-57.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.51 ₹430

$10.38 ₹989

-56.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹34.87

$0.20 ₹19.04

85.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.10 ₹9.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₹135

$1.14 ₹108

23.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹113

$1.21 ₹115

-1.65%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$14.2K ₹1.4M

22.49%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$21.3K ₹2.0M

15.28%

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

$50.8 ₹4,838

$13.80 ₹1,314

268.04%

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

$4.81 ₹458

$3.52 ₹335

36.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.75 ₹834

$5.47 ₹521

59.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 ₹2,201

$12.20 ₹1,162

89.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 ₹1,142

$5.75 ₹548

108.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 ₹448

$2.93 ₹279

60.75%

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

$122 ₹11.6K

$58.1 ₹5,532

109.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,393 ₹323.2K

$913 ₹86.9K

271.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 ₹2,776

$23.25 ₹2,215

25.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 ₹2,916

$24.94 ₹2,376

22.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 ₹5,253

$40.78 ₹3,885

35.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.74 ₹3,786

$24.61 ₹2,344

61.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₹67.1K

$126 ₹12.0K

460.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.0K

$51.6 ₹4,915

591.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 ₹170.7K

$247 ₹23.6K

624.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹78.6K

$153 ₹14.6K

439.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 ₹613.1K

$573 ₹54.6K

1022.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,627 ₹250.2K

$343 ₹32.6K

666.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ₹70.9K

$568 ₹54.1K

31.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

8.72

5.73%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): May 31, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $126 in Varanasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 31% 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 $9.00 in Varanasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $129 vs $88.0 per month, with Varanasi 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 Varanasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mumbai (Bombay) and Varanasi differ by about 154% in total monthly costs ($779 vs $306 including rent). Varanasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 31% 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 $126 in Varanasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Mumbai (Bombay). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Varanasi – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $306 in Varanasi versus $779 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $2,000 budget is realistic in Varanasi but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Varanasi 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.

Expats usually find Varanasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 154% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.