Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mumbai (Bombay) and Varanasi

For one person, living is cheaper in Varanasi: $289 a month against $782 in Mumbai (Bombay), rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Mumbai (Bombay)
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Mumbai (Bombay) Living Index
14

Cost of Living Index in Varanasi
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Varanasi Living Index

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Mumbai (Bombay)

🇮🇳 India

$782

/mo nomad

Varanasi

🇮🇳 India

$289

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mumbai (Bombay) and in Varanasi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mumbai (Bombay) and in Varanasi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $782 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $289 in Varanasi.

Mumbai (Bombay) $782
Varanasi $289

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,299 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $476 in Varanasi.

Mumbai (Bombay) $1,299
Varanasi $476

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,816 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $663 in Varanasi.

Mumbai (Bombay) $1,816
Varanasi $663

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 171% more expensive than in Varanasi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 ₹511

$1.82 ₹173

195.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.76 ₹1,971

$7.99 ₹759

159.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.19 ₹398

$3.10 ₹295

35.16%

Cappuccino

$2.74 ₹260

$1.57 ₹149

74.52%

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

$0.41 ₹38.77

$0.41 ₹39.31

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.04

$0.11 ₹10.47

45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ₹246

$1.60 ₹152

61.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 ₹396

$2.04 ₹194

104.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.2

$0.62 ₹58.5

20.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 ₹50.5

$0.31 ₹29.90

70.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ₹69.6

$0.53 ₹50.5

37.74%

Eggs

$0.96 ₹91.4

$0.81 ₹77.3

18.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 ₹524

$3.20 ₹304

72.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 ₹340

$2.19 ₹208

63.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 ₹203

$1.40 ₹133

52.86%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 ₹65.5

$0.60 ₹57.3

15.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 ₹116

$0.87 ₹82.7

41.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 ₹43.77

$0.32 ₹30.20

43.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 ₹34.24

$0.23 ₹21.68

56.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.12

$0.25 ₹23.77

56.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 ₹38.05

$0.44 ₹42.08

-9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.46

$0.28 ₹26.68

10.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 ₹485

$3.19 ₹303

59.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 ₹771

$5.83 ₹553

39.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₹185

$1.58 ₹150

23.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₹302

$1.87 ₹178

70.05%

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

$6.17 ₹586

$4.19 ₹398

47.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹18.99

$0.53 ₹50.7

-62.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.39 ₹512

$9.63 ₹914

-44.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 ₹29.39

$0.26 ₹24.88

19.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ₹28.01

$0.10 ₹9.62

190.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 ₹151

$1.02 ₹96.9

55.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹104

$1.05 ₹100

4.76%

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

$15.9K ₹1.5M

$12.5K ₹1.2M

26.63%

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

$22.7K ₹2.2M

$21.8K ₹2.1M

4.33%

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

$61.6 ₹5,846

$12.47 ₹1,185

393.66%

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

$4.25 ₹404

$3.66 ₹348

16.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.01 ₹855

$6.98 ₹663

29.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.24 ₹2,587

$12.63 ₹1,199

115.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.31 ₹1,264

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 ₹416

$2.86 ₹271

53.15%

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

$116 ₹11.0K

$38.92 ₹3,696

196.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,968 ₹471.7K

$1,003 ₹95.2K

395.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.16 ₹3,529

$22.70 ₹2,156

63.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.88 ₹3,787

$25.30 ₹2,403

57.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.9 ₹5,307

$37.80 ₹3,589

47.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.19 ₹4,576

$25.24 ₹2,397

90.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ₹58.0K

$111 ₹10.5K

451.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 ₹33.6K

$47.37 ₹4,499

647.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 ₹173.7K

$196 ₹18.6K

834.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$877 ₹83.3K

$140 ₹13.3K

524.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,877 ₹558.0K

$569 ₹54.0K

932.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,448 ₹232.4K

$333 ₹31.6K

635.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 ₹72.0K

$578 ₹54.9K

31.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.29

8.53

-2.81%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): October 12, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mumbai (Bombay)

$354 45.3%

Varanasi

$47 16.4% 86.6% $307

Groceries & Markets

Mumbai (Bombay)

$116 14.8%

Varanasi

$81 27.9% 30.3% $35

Eating Out

Mumbai (Bombay)

$112 14.3%

Varanasi

$57 19.7% 49.3% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Mumbai (Bombay)

$82 10.4%

Varanasi

$50 17.3% 38.7% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mumbai (Bombay)

$75 9.6%

Varanasi

$23 8% 69.1% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Mumbai (Bombay)

$36 4.6%

Varanasi

$18 6.4% 49% $18

Getting Around

Mumbai (Bombay)

$8 1%

Varanasi

$13 4.3% 57% $4.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $611 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $111 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: $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $8.00 in Varanasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $116 vs $81.0 per month, with Varanasi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇳 Mumbai (Bombay)

🇮🇳 Varanasi

🕒 Local time

09:49 9:49 AM

Same time as Mumbai (Bombay)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,442,373

3,100,000

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Mumbai (Bombay) Varanasi 1,260 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Mumbai (Bombay)
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 171% in total monthly costs ($782 vs $289 including rent). Varanasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 31% 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: $611 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $111 in Varanasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% 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.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Varanasi gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 171% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.