Studies were carried out on some of the physico-chemical characteristics of urban and rural soils of Mangalore, Karnataka. The colour of the rural soil was seen as typical light brown and the colour of the city soil was found to be dark brown. pH values showed slightly alkaline (8.01±0.07) in rural soil; conductivity was 117.05 μS and 185.75 μS respectively in urban and rural soil in 1:5 soil suspension. The moisture content recorded was 1.69±0.07 % and 0.75±0.001 % and total alkalinity was 0.004±0.001 mg/100g and 0.003 mg/100g in urban and rural soil respectively. Carbonate content was absent in two samples. Bicarbonate values were found to be almost equal in both the samples (0.12±0.08 % and 0.11±0.08 % in urban and rural soil respectively). Urban soil sample recorded high value (40.0±1.63 mg/100g) of chloride than rural soil sample (7.0±0.08 mg/100g). The values of other parameters in urban and rural soil samples respectively are as follows: organic matter 0.035±0.01% and 0.042±0.01%; nitrate 0.03±0.01mg/100g and 0.05±0.01mg/100g; calcium 6.01±0.24 mg/100g and 1.68±0.33 mg/100g; magnesium 3.16±0.20 mg/100g and 2.16 ±0.33 mg/100g; iron 0.4 mg/100g and 0.2 mg/100g; sulphate 7.9±0.24 mg/100g and 6.0±0.24 mg/100g; silicate 20.03±1.39 mg/100g and 8.8±0.9 mg/100g; inorganic phosphate 0.36±0.41 mg/100g and 0.05±0.001 mg/100g.