India city cost comparator · May 2026

Compare cost of living between any two Indian cities

Pick two cities to see side-by-side rent, all-in budget, electricity utility, and highlight neighborhoods. All numbers are May 2026, mid-tier neighborhoods, single 25-30 yr old IT/services professional lifestyle.

Quick verdict

  • Single 1BHK: Mumbai is 30% more expensive than Bengaluru
  • 3-flatmate share: Mumbai is 19% more expensive than Bengaluru
  • Comparison uses midpoint of each range. Real numbers depend on neighborhood, AC usage, and lifestyle.

Bengaluru

Karnataka

1BHK rent (mid-tier)
₹22,000 – ₹32,000
2BHK rent (mid-tier)
₹38,000 – ₹55,000
Single in 1BHK, all-in
₹42,000 – ₹58,000
3-flatmate share, all-in
₹32,000 – ₹42,000
Electricity utility
BESCOM
Top neighborhoods
HSR LayoutKoramangalaWhitefield
→ Full Bengaluru cost-of-living guide

Mumbai

Maharashtra

1BHK rent (mid-tier)
₹30,000 – ₹45,000
2BHK rent (mid-tier)
₹50,000 – ₹75,000
Single in 1BHK, all-in
₹55,000 – ₹75,000
3-flatmate share, all-in
₹38,000 – ₹50,000
Electricity utility
Adani Electricity
Top neighborhoods
AndheriPowaiBandra
→ Full Mumbai cost-of-living guide

What "all-in" covers

Rent + maintenance + parking + electricity (peak summer) + internet (200 Mbps fiber) + cooking gas + cleaner (3-day/week) + groceries + cook (most metros) + Swiggy/Zomato + commute + dining out + subscriptions. Excludes one-time deposits and personal travel.

For full breakdowns including neighborhood rent matrices, state-discom slab tables, 3-flatmate worked examples, and FAQs, see our 28-city ranking pillar or per-city deep-dives.

Splitting bills with flatmates? Use Niptao's free bill-split calculator (UPI-native, no signup) — purpose-built for Indian flat-shares.