Mumbai vs Delhi
Salary equivalence calculator
Price-level ratio 0.933. Adjust to recalculate.
| Metric | Mumbai | Delhi | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price level index (NYC=100) | 30.0 | 28.0 | -6.7% |
| Rent index (NYC=100) | 22.0 | 16.0 | -27.3% |
| Equivalent of ₹120,000 | ₹120,000 | ₹112,000 | cheaper |
- Delhi is about 7% cheaper than Mumbai, so the same lifestyle costs less.
How far does your salary go in Delhi?
Moving from Mumbai to Delhi changes your cost of living in ways a currency conversion can't capture. What matters is purchasing power: how much the same basket of housing, food, transport and services costs in each place. On our index, where New York City = 100, Mumbai sits at 30.0 and Delhi at 28.0.
That makes Delhi roughly 7% cheaper. A salary of ₹120,000 in Mumbai translates to about ₹112,000 in Delhi. Above that and you gain in real terms; below it and you take an effective pay cut.
Housing drives the gap
Rent is the largest and most variable line in most budgets. Delhi's rent index is 16.0 versus Mumbai's 22.0.
Common mistakes
- Converting currency instead of purchasing power.
- Ignoring taxes, which vary by jurisdiction.
- Forgetting one-off relocation costs.
Bottom line
Delhi is about 7% cheaper than Mumbai, so the same lifestyle costs less. Use the calculator to plug in your real salary and compare against any concrete offer.
Rent equivalence: Mumbai vs Delhi
Based on the rent-index ratio of 0.727 (Mumbai 22.0 vs Delhi 16.0, NYC = 100).
Housing is usually the biggest single difference between two cities, and it moves independently of the overall price level. Renting the equivalent home in Delhi costs about 27% less than in Mumbai. Enter your actual rent above to see what a like-for-like place would cost after you move — a more honest gauge of affordability than a raw salary conversion, since renters and owners feel very different impacts.
Frequently asked questions
What salary do I need in Delhi to match Mumbai?
To keep the same standard of living as ₹120,000 in Mumbai, you would need roughly ₹112,000 in Delhi, a price-level ratio of 0.93.
Is Delhi more expensive than Mumbai?
No, it is about 7% cheaper overall.
How much is rent in Delhi compared to Mumbai?
Rent in Delhi is about 27% lower than in Mumbai (rent indices 22.0 vs 16.0, NYC = 100). Use the rent calculator on this page for your exact figure.
How is the equivalent salary calculated?
We multiply your salary by the ratio of the two cities' composite price-level indices (housing, food, transport, services), benchmarked so New York City = 100.
Methodology
We build a composite price-level index for each city from official regional price parities and international purchasing-power parities across housing, food, transport and services, normalized so New York City = 100. The equivalent salary is your salary multiplied by the ratio of the destination index to the origin index. It estimates the income needed to hold real purchasing power constant and does not model taxes.