Cost of Living in Mumbai

India

Comfortable budget (single)

$2,338/month

Range $1,477–$2,338/month

Overall 8.1Safety 9.1Housing 7.1QoL 8.7

Last updated: 2026-03

Can you afford to live in Mumbai?

Enter your monthly take-home in USD. We compare it to typical budgets for your household size (estimates, not financial advice).

Daily costs at a glance

Typical prices you'll pay in Mumbai for everyday essentials.

Coffee

$3

flat white at cafe

Beer

$4.2

pint at pub

Lunch

$12

meal at inexpensive restaurant

Groceries

$295

single-person monthly groceries

Transport

$65

monthly pass

Gym

$31

monthly membership

Full cost breakdown

Colors show how each category compares to the global average of our 100 tracked cities.

CategoryUSD/monthvs global
Rent (1-bed, city center)$1,108–$1,723 -30%
Rent (1-bed, outside center)$585–$923 -30%
Utilities (electricity, heating, water)$46–$89 -30%
Internet & Mobile$18–$31 -30%
Groceries (monthly)$234–$351 -30%
Eating out (per meal, mid-range)$31–$55 -31%
Coffee$2–$4 -25%
Public transport (monthly pass)$58–$71 -30%
Gym membership$22–$40 -30%
Cinema ticket$9–$11 -29%

Housing market

Rent vs buy snapshot for Mumbai — useful if you're comparing long-term relocation options.

Rent (1-bed center)

$1,108–$1,723/mo

Buy center (per m²)

$9,020

Buy outside (per m²)

$4,960

Price-to-rent ratio

24×

Avg mortgage rate

8.6%

💰 Mortgage estimate: a 60 m² apartment in Mumbai center at ~$9,020/m² with a 25y loan at 8.6% would cost roughly $4,394/month — compare that to the rent range above.

Local salaries (monthly net, USD)

Typical take-home in Mumbai. A green badge means the salary covers at least 2.5× the max rent for a 1-bed in the center.

RoleMonthly netCovers rent?
Average net salary$750❌ No
Software engineer (mid)$1,900❌ No
Marketing manager$1,350❌ No
Teacher (secondary)$580❌ No
Nurse (RN)$650❌ No

Local insider tips

Practical ways to cut costs that actually work in Mumbai.

Utilize the Mumbai Local trains for cost-effective and widespread travel across the city, though be prepared for crowds during peak hours.

For fresh produce and local goods, visit Dadar Market, one of Mumbai's oldest and largest markets, offering a true taste of local commerce.

Leverage UPI (Unified Payments Interface) apps like Google Pay or PhonePe for convenient and widely accepted digital payments at most vendors and services in Mumbai.

Budget scenarios

Single

$1,477–$2,338/month

Top expenses

  • Rent (1-bed center): ~$1,723/mo
  • Groceries: ~$351/mo
  • Transport: ~$71/mo

Couple

$2,338–$3,569/month

Top expenses

  • Rent (1-bed center): ~$1,723/mo
  • Groceries: ~$351/mo
  • Transport: ~$71/mo

Family

$3,385–$5,231/month

Top expenses

  • Rent (1-bed center): ~$1,723/mo
  • Groceries: ~$351/mo
  • Transport: ~$71/mo

Neighbourhood guide

Mumbai Center

Central

Urban core, transit access

Est. 1-bed rent: $1,385–$2,154/mo

Mumbai Midtown

Central

Mixed residential

Est. 1-bed rent: $1,219–$1,895/mo

Mumbai Outer

Suburban

Quieter, family-friendly

Est. 1-bed rent: $886–$1,378/mo

Quality of life scores

Housing7.1/10
Safety9.1/10
Healthcare9.1/10
Education8.7/10
Environment9.5/10
Economy7.8/10
Culture8.4/10
Internet8.8/10

Pros & cons

✅ Pros

  • Bollywood
  • Finance
  • Energy

❌ Cons

  • Slums contrast
  • Monsoon

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Estimates are for comparison only and do not constitute financial advice. Sources include our internal dataset and periodic third-party index updates.