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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $299 per month in Kollam vs $779 in Mumbai (Bombay), rent included.

A couple spends around $484 per month in Kollam vs $1,255 in Mumbai (Bombay), rent included.

A family of three spends $668 per month in Kollam vs $1,732 in Mumbai (Bombay), rent included.

Kollam is about 62% cheaper than Mumbai (Bombay), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kollam and Mumbai (Bombay) are more affordable than the global median – Kollam 78% lower, Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.14 ₹109

$5.32 ₹509

-78.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.04 ₹674

$22.40 ₹2,143

-68.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.96 ₹379

$4.63 ₹443

-14.47%

Cappuccino

$1.26 ₹120

$2.52 ₹241

-50.00%

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

$0.40 ₹38.68

$0.51 ₹48.47

-21.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 ₹11.88

$0.15 ₹14.71

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 ₹162

$2.28 ₹218

-25.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ₹285

$3.95 ₹378

-24.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 ₹56.1

$0.75 ₹71.4

-21.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 ₹45.16

$0.51 ₹49.04

-7.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.51 ₹48.93

$0.77 ₹74.0

-33.77%

Eggs

$0.82 ₹78.1

$1.08 ₹103

-24.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.29 ₹506

$7.14 ₹683

-25.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.26 ₹216

$3.88 ₹372

-41.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ₹214

$2.30 ₹220

-2.61%

Banana (1kg)

$0.58 ₹55.4

$0.81 ₹77.7

-28.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 ₹76.1

$1.26 ₹121

-37.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.45 ₹43.20

$0.64 ₹61.0

-29.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 ₹46.13

$0.58 ₹55.1

-17.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.42

$0.63 ₹60.4

-38.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 ₹37.93

$0.64 ₹61.3

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₹28.56

$0.33 ₹31.14

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.55 ₹340

$4.20 ₹402

-15.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.58 ₹247

$8.25 ₹790

-68.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 ₹211

$2.17 ₹208

1.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₹276

$3.40 ₹325

-15.29%

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

$4.63 ₹443

$7.03 ₹673

-34.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.12 ₹11.24

$0.24 ₹23.08

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.82 ₹748

$4.51 ₹432

73.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₹109

$0.37 ₹35.03

208.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 ₹153

$1.41 ₹135

12.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ₹116

$1.19 ₹114

1.68%

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

$11.7K ₹1.1M

$17.4K ₹1.7M

-32.53%

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

$15.9K ₹1.5M

$24.5K ₹2.3M

-35.17%

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

$26.84 ₹2,569

$50.8 ₹4,860

-47.15%

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

$3.29 ₹315

$4.81 ₹460

-31.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.74 ₹549

$8.75 ₹837

-34.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.11 ₹1,159

$23.11 ₹2,211

-47.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.27 ₹1,365

$11.99 ₹1,147

19.02%

Cinema Ticket

$1.72 ₹164

$4.71 ₹450

-63.48%

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

$23.69 ₹2,267

$122 ₹11.6K

-80.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,543 ₹147.6K

$3,393 ₹324.7K

-54.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.56 ₹1,776

$29.14 ₹2,789

-36.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.39 ₹1,856

$30.61 ₹2,929

-36.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$28.36 ₹2,714

$55.2 ₹5,277

-48.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.59 ₹2,640

$39.74 ₹3,803

-30.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$92.4 ₹8,842

$705 ₹67.4K

-86.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.7 ₹5,040

$357 ₹34.1K

-85.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 ₹18.9K

$1,792 ₹171.5K

-88.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$128 ₹12.2K

$825 ₹79.0K

-84.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$832 ₹79.6K

$6,436 ₹615.9K

-87.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$458 ₹43.8K

$2,627 ₹251.4K

-82.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 ₹50.9K

$744 ₹71.2K

-28.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.97

9.22

-2.71%

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

Last update for Kollam: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $92.4 in Kollam versus $705 in Mumbai (Bombay). Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 40% higher in Mumbai (Bombay), which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $7.00 in Kollam versus $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $92.0 vs $129 – making Kollam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Mumbai (Bombay) costs about 160% more than Kollam, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $449 per month in Kollam and $1,168 in Mumbai (Bombay). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kollam, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Mumbai (Bombay), though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $7.00 in Kollam and $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kollam, where all-in costs run around $299, than in Mumbai (Bombay) at $779. In Kollam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mumbai (Bombay) it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kollam costs $299 versus $779 in Mumbai (Bombay). Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kollam. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mumbai (Bombay) makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.