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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $382 in Varkala versus $755 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $603 in Varkala versus $1,245 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $823 in Varkala versus $1,735 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Living in Varkala costs roughly 49% less than in Mumbai (Bombay), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Varkala 71% lower, Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.40 ₹232

$5.29 ₹511

-54.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.54 ₹1,018

$21.98 ₹2,123

-52.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.62 ₹349

$4.60 ₹444

-21.30%

Cappuccino

$1.53 ₹148

$2.51 ₹243

-39.04%

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

$0.41 ₹39.25

$0.48 ₹46.18

-14.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.85

$0.15 ₹14.25

6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₹173

$2.36 ₹228

-24.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₹299

$4.12 ₹398

-24.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 ₹67.4

$0.78 ₹75.0

-10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 ₹43.29

$0.48 ₹46.79

-6.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 ₹65.3

$0.83 ₹80.4

-18.07%

Eggs

$0.91 ₹87.6

$1.04 ₹100

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.06 ₹489

$7.03 ₹679

-28.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.92 ₹282

$3.82 ₹369

-23.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 ₹192

$2.39 ₹231

-16.74%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 ₹71.1

$0.81 ₹78.6

-8.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 ₹97.7

$1.27 ₹122

-20.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 ₹51.8

$0.66 ₹63.5

-18.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 ₹36.80

$0.57 ₹55.5

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 ₹41.33

$0.62 ₹60.1

-30.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 ₹46.38

$0.69 ₹66.6

-30.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 ₹30.48

$0.35 ₹33.86

-8.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 ₹380

$4.14 ₹400

-4.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.40 ₹714

$8.20 ₹791

-9.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ₹170

$2.17 ₹210

-18.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₹282

$3.42 ₹331

-14.62%

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

$5.55 ₹536

$6.90 ₹666

-19.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₹28.97

$0.24 ₹23.22

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.69 ₹839

$4.53 ₹437

91.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₹75.1

$0.33 ₹32.16

136.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 ₹26.13

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₹137

$1.36 ₹132

4.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₹117

$1.23 ₹119

-1.63%

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

$13.7K ₹1.3M

$17.2K ₹1.7M

-20.62%

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

$21.7K ₹2.1M

$24.5K ₹2.4M

-11.67%

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

$39.35 ₹3,799

$49.57 ₹4,786

-20.62%

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

$3.56 ₹344

$4.84 ₹468

-26.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.12 ₹687

$8.63 ₹834

-17.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.16 ₹1,560

$22.66 ₹2,188

-28.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.84 ₹660

$11.92 ₹1,151

-42.62%

Cinema Ticket

$2.92 ₹282

$4.78 ₹461

-38.91%

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

$50.6 ₹4,885

$119 ₹11.5K

-57.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,567 ₹151.3K

$3,308 ₹319.4K

-52.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.37 ₹2,353

$29.54 ₹2,852

-17.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.84 ₹2,398

$30.45 ₹2,940

-18.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.10 ₹4,161

$54.9 ₹5,304

-21.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.83 ₹2,977

$39.92 ₹3,854

-22.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 ₹12.1K

$689 ₹66.5K

-81.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$77.2 ₹7,457

$360 ₹34.8K

-78.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$273 ₹26.4K

$1,796 ₹173.4K

-84.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 ₹17.6K

$846 ₹81.7K

-78.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,062 ₹102.6K

$6,201 ₹598.7K

-82.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$612 ₹59.0K

$2,550 ₹246.2K

-76.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$768 ₹74.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.67

9.22

-5.97%

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

Last update for Varkala: July 21, 2026

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $126 in Varkala and $689 in Mumbai (Bombay). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $11.00 in Varkala vs $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $106 vs $130 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

Varkala vs Mumbai (Bombay): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Varkala and Mumbai (Bombay) differ by about 98% in total monthly costs ($382 vs $755 including rent). Varkala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $573 in Varkala and $1,132 in Mumbai (Bombay) 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: $126 in Varkala versus $689 in Mumbai (Bombay). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% 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 $382 in Varkala versus $755 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, Varkala and Mumbai (Bombay) 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 98% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.