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: $763 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $309 in Varanasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,259 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $519 in Varanasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,754 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $729 in Varanasi.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 147% more expensive than in Varanasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Varanasi 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 ₹498

$2.35 ₹226

120.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.50 ₹2,167

$8.59 ₹827

161.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₹452

$3.41 ₹328

37.83%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₹251

$1.53 ₹148

69.93%

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

$0.50 ₹48.58

$0.31 ₹29.58

61.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.22

$0.12 ₹11.82

58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ₹224

$1.75 ₹169

33.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ₹403

$2.36 ₹228

77.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹70.1

$0.64 ₹61.5

14.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.49

$0.40 ₹38.05

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₹79.3

$0.55 ₹53.1

49.09%

Eggs

$1.05 ₹101

$0.96 ₹92.2

9.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ₹661

$3.42 ₹329

100.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₹374

$2.53 ₹244

53.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₹220

$1.50 ₹144

52.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 ₹79.8

$0.66 ₹63.2

25.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₹125

$0.88 ₹84.9

47.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₹63.0

$0.36 ₹34.46

80.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₹54.8

$0.27 ₹25.66

111.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₹56.3

$0.25 ₹24.07

132.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.9

$0.37 ₹35.73

72.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.81

$0.29 ₹27.74

20.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 ₹406

$2.80 ₹269

50.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₹787

$5.77 ₹556

41.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₹200

$1.74 ₹167

19.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 ₹315

$2.62 ₹252

24.81%

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

$6.98 ₹672

$4.56 ₹439

53.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹21.17

$0.56 ₹53.7

-60.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.69 ₹451

$10.56 ₹1,016

-55.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.23

$0.20 ₹19.23

85.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.10 ₹10.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₹132

$1.13 ₹109

21.24%

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

$14.1K ₹1.4M

22.28%

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

$24.8K ₹2.4M

$21.0K ₹2.0M

18.26%

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

$50.2 ₹4,834

$14.01 ₹1,349

258.32%

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

$5.08 ₹489

$3.66 ₹352

38.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.62 ₹830

$5.50 ₹530

56.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 ₹2,234

$12.64 ₹1,217

83.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 ₹1,141

$5.79 ₹558

104.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₹452

$2.88 ₹278

63.19%

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

$118 ₹11.4K

$56.8 ₹5,471

108.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,379 ₹325.3K

$949 ₹91.3K

256.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.21 ₹2,812

$23.35 ₹2,249

25.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.19 ₹3,003

$24.61 ₹2,369

26.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ₹5,445

$40.78 ₹3,926

38.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.55 ₹3,904

$24.86 ₹2,393

63.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 ₹67.1K

$128 ₹12.3K

444.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.4K

$51.6 ₹4,970

592.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 ₹171.7K

$248 ₹23.8K

620.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 ₹81.3K

$156 ₹15.1K

440.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,047 ₹582.2K

$553 ₹53.3K

993.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,517 ₹242.4K

$334 ₹32.1K

654.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$787 ₹75.8K

$577 ₹55.5K

36.39%

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): July 13, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $697 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $128 in Varanasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 36% 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 $9.00 in Varanasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $127 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 147% in total monthly costs ($763 vs $309 including rent). Varanasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 36% 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 $128 in Varanasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% 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 $23.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $309 in Varanasi versus $763 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 147% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.