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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $426 in Madurai versus $779 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $697 in Madurai versus $1,255 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $968 in Madurai versus $1,732 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Living in Madurai costs roughly 45% less than in Mumbai (Bombay), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Madurai 68% lower, Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 ₹171

$5.32 ₹509

-66.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.57 ₹1,108

$22.40 ₹2,143

-48.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 ₹489

$4.63 ₹443

10.37%

Cappuccino

$1.78 ₹170

$2.52 ₹241

-29.37%

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

$0.68 ₹65.5

$0.51 ₹48.47

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 ₹21.07

$0.15 ₹14.71

46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 ₹181

$2.28 ₹218

-17.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ₹272

$3.95 ₹378

-28.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.65 ₹61.9

$0.75 ₹71.4

-13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 ₹50.4

$0.51 ₹49.04

3.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 ₹76.4

$0.77 ₹74.0

3.90%

Eggs

$0.85 ₹81.7

$1.08 ₹103

-21.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 ₹663

$7.14 ₹683

-2.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 ₹344

$3.88 ₹372

-7.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ₹310

$2.30 ₹220

40.87%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ₹76.9

$0.81 ₹77.7

-1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ₹192

$1.26 ₹121

58.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹55.1

$0.64 ₹61.0

-9.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.8

$0.58 ₹55.1

39.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 ₹74.9

$0.63 ₹60.4

23.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ₹67.7

$0.64 ₹61.3

10.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ₹50.7

$0.33 ₹31.14

60.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 ₹432

$4.20 ₹402

7.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 ₹632

$8.25 ₹790

-19.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₹220

$2.17 ₹208

5.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 ₹420

$3.40 ₹325

29.12%

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

$6.68 ₹640

$7.03 ₹673

-4.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹23.10

$0.24 ₹23.08

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.85 ₹1,134

$4.51 ₹432

162.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 ₹99.1

$0.37 ₹35.03

181.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₹22.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₹109

$1.41 ₹135

-19.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₹117

$1.19 ₹114

2.52%

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

$18.4K ₹1.8M

$17.4K ₹1.7M

5.64%

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

$22.9K ₹2.2M

$24.5K ₹2.3M

-6.57%

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

$31.45 ₹3,009

$50.8 ₹4,860

-38.08%

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

$4.01 ₹383

$4.81 ₹460

-16.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.00 ₹766

$8.75 ₹837

-8.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.12 ₹1,638

$23.11 ₹2,211

-25.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.10 ₹680

$11.99 ₹1,147

-40.78%

Cinema Ticket

$2.69 ₹258

$4.71 ₹450

-42.89%

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

$62.2 ₹5,947

$122 ₹11.6K

-48.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,864 ₹178.4K

$3,393 ₹324.7K

-45.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.45 ₹2,531

$29.14 ₹2,789

-9.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.69 ₹2,554

$30.61 ₹2,929

-12.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.11 ₹4,604

$55.2 ₹5,277

-12.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.93 ₹4,682

$39.74 ₹3,803

23.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$115 ₹11.0K

$705 ₹67.4K

-83.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.9 ₹7,170

$357 ₹34.1K

-78.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 ₹31.0K

$1,792 ₹171.5K

-81.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₹20.1K

$825 ₹79.0K

-74.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,199 ₹114.7K

$6,436 ₹615.9K

-81.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$470 ₹44.9K

$2,627 ₹251.4K

-82.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$362 ₹34.7K

$744 ₹71.2K

-51.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.8

9.22

6.29%

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

Last update for Madurai: June 1, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $115 in Madurai and $705 in Mumbai (Bombay). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 106% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $12.00 in Madurai vs $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). Groceries flip the comparison at $136 vs $129, with Mumbai (Bombay) cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Madurai and Mumbai (Bombay) differ by about 83% in total monthly costs ($426 vs $779 including rent). Madurai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mumbai (Bombay) earns 106% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $115 in Madurai versus $705 in Mumbai (Bombay). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Mumbai (Bombay) pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Madurai – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $426 in Madurai versus $779 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $2,000 budget is realistic in Madurai but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Madurai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Madurai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.