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: $795 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $288 in Varanasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,311 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $470 in Varanasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,827 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $653 in Varanasi.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 176% more expensive than in Varanasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Varanasi 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 ₹503

$1.87 ₹177

183.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.42 ₹2,034

$7.80 ₹741

174.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.29 ₹407

$3.16 ₹300

35.76%

Cappuccino

$2.61 ₹248

$1.60 ₹152

63.12%

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

$0.41 ₹38.49

$0.35 ₹33.01

17.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.13

$0.10 ₹9.07

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ₹246

$1.55 ₹147

67.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 ₹395

$2.05 ₹195

102.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 ₹66.0

$0.66 ₹62.3

4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 ₹46.29

$0.29 ₹27.34

68.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ₹69.2

$0.56 ₹53.4

30.36%

Eggs

$0.95 ₹90.0

$0.82 ₹77.5

15.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.69 ₹540

$3.13 ₹297

81.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ₹330

$2.25 ₹213

54.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 ₹223

$1.43 ₹135

63.64%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 ₹63.7

$0.61 ₹57.9

9.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 ₹114

$0.89 ₹84.5

34.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 ₹47.45

$0.31 ₹29.79

61.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 ₹35.75

$0.24 ₹22.75

58.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.38

$0.24 ₹22.58

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ₹46.41

$0.46 ₹43.58

6.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹27.14

$0.28 ₹26.90

3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.98 ₹473

$3.07 ₹291

62.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 ₹781

$5.63 ₹535

46.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₹200

$1.64 ₹156

28.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ₹299

$2.44 ₹232

29.10%

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

$5.95 ₹565

$4.03 ₹382

47.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹18.97

$0.51 ₹48.65

-60.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.88 ₹558

$9.74 ₹925

-39.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 ₹29.22

$0.18 ₹16.71

72.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.44

$0.10 ₹9.12

230.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 ₹147

$1.03 ₹98.0

50.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹105

$1.09 ₹104

0.92%

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

$16.2K ₹1.5M

$12.7K ₹1.2M

28.31%

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

$22.6K ₹2.1M

$18.9K ₹1.8M

20.06%

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

$59.1 ₹5,613

$12.54 ₹1,191

371.37%

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

$4.38 ₹416

$3.57 ₹339

22.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.34 ₹887

$6.73 ₹639

38.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.20 ₹2,583

$10.93 ₹1,038

148.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.11 ₹1,340

$5.11 ₹485

176.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 ₹439

$2.95 ₹280

56.61%

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

$118 ₹11.2K

$39.10 ₹3,713

200.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,947 ₹469.8K

$1,007 ₹95.6K

391.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.63 ₹3,194

$21.17 ₹2,010

58.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.59 ₹3,665

$25.46 ₹2,418

51.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 ₹5,677

$37.20 ₹3,532

60.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.89 ₹4,643

$25.59 ₹2,430

91.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 ₹61.9K

$113 ₹10.7K

478.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ₹33.8K

$47.28 ₹4,490

652.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 ₹181.1K

$201 ₹19.1K

849.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$863 ₹81.9K

$139 ₹13.2K

519.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,242 ₹592.7K

$577 ₹54.8K

982.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,324 ₹220.6K

$339 ₹32.2K

584.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$804 ₹76.3K

$567 ₹53.9K

41.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.36

8.53

-1.99%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): August 30, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $652 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $113 in Varanasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 42% 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: $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $8.00 in Varanasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $117 vs $82.0 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 176% in total monthly costs ($795 vs $288 including rent). Varanasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 42% 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: $652 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $113 in Varanasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% 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 $8.00 versus $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $288 in Varanasi versus $795 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 176% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.