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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $763 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $380 in Varkala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,248 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $612 in Varkala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,733 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $845 in Varkala.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 101% more expensive than Varkala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Varkala 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.20 ₹488

$2.37 ₹222

119.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.16 ₹2,080

$10.56 ₹991

109.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₹426

$3.65 ₹342

24.38%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ₹246

$1.56 ₹147

67.95%

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

$0.50 ₹47.34

$0.41 ₹38.09

21.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.28

$0.15 ₹13.82

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 ₹224

$1.70 ₹160

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 ₹373

$3.15 ₹296

26.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 ₹73.7

$0.71 ₹66.5

9.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹48.23

$0.49 ₹45.60

4.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 ₹76.3

$0.71 ₹66.6

14.08%

Eggs

$1.04 ₹97.2

$0.89 ₹83.5

16.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.06 ₹663

$4.91 ₹461

43.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 ₹356

$3.02 ₹283

25.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₹216

$2.06 ₹194

12.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 ₹71.8

$0.69 ₹65.1

10.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ₹123

$1.00 ₹93.5

31.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 ₹61.9

$0.50 ₹46.48

32.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 ₹50.5

$0.38 ₹35.73

42.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₹55.9

$0.45 ₹42.68

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹60.3

$0.49 ₹46.19

30.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.09

$0.31 ₹29.52

12.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 ₹386

$4.02 ₹377

2.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.81 ₹733

$7.21 ₹677

8.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₹202

$1.78 ₹167

21.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 ₹306

$2.79 ₹261

16.85%

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

$6.95 ₹653

$5.58 ₹523

24.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹20.54

$0.30 ₹28.34

-26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.75 ₹446

$8.64 ₹810

-45.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 ₹31.32

$0.78 ₹73.5

-57.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₹25.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₹127

$1.44 ₹135

-6.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₹116

$1.17 ₹110

5.98%

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

$17.8K ₹1.7M

$13.9K ₹1.3M

28.27%

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

$24.6K ₹2.3M

$22.1K ₹2.1M

11.37%

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

$50.8 ₹4,769

$38.30 ₹3,595

32.66%

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

$4.84 ₹454

$3.40 ₹320

42.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.83 ₹829

$7.42 ₹696

19.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 ₹2,177

$16.06 ₹1,507

44.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 ₹1,112

$6.95 ₹652

70.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 ₹446

$2.99 ₹281

58.86%

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

$118 ₹11.1K

$52.0 ₹4,876

127.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,350 ₹314.4K

$1,554 ₹145.9K

115.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.41 ₹2,760

$24.28 ₹2,279

21.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.15 ₹2,924

$25.62 ₹2,404

21.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 ₹5,158

$42.26 ₹3,966

30.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.05 ₹3,759

$30.19 ₹2,834

32.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$691 ₹64.9K

$126 ₹11.8K

450.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 ₹33.1K

$74.7 ₹7,013

371.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,822 ₹171.0K

$279 ₹26.2K

552.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$845 ₹79.3K

$177 ₹16.6K

377.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,634 ₹622.6K

$1,073 ₹100.7K

518.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,639 ₹247.7K

$602 ₹56.5K

338.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$730 ₹68.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

8.67

6.34%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): April 21, 2026

Last update for Varkala: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $691 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $126 in Varkala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $22 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $11 in Varkala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $128 vs $106 per month, with Varkala 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 Varkala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mumbai (Bombay) and Varkala differ by about 101% in total monthly costs ($763 vs $380 including rent). Varkala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,145 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $569 in Varkala to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $691 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $126 in Varkala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Mumbai (Bombay). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Varkala – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $380 in Varkala versus $763 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $2,000 budget is realistic in Varkala but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Varkala 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 Varkala 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 Varkala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 101% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.