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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $763 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $298 in Kollam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,259 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $481 in Kollam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,754 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $664 in Kollam, rent included.

Mumbai (Bombay) costs about 156% more than Kollam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mumbai (Bombay) and Kollam are more affordable than the global median – Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Kollam 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 ₹498

$1.19 ₹114

334.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.50 ₹2,166

$6.86 ₹661

227.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₹452

$4.10 ₹395

14.63%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₹251

$1.30 ₹125

100.00%

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

$0.50 ₹48.58

$0.40 ₹38.58

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.22

$0.13 ₹12.80

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ₹224

$1.78 ₹172

30.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ₹403

$2.93 ₹282

42.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹70.1

$0.63 ₹60.6

15.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.49

$0.44 ₹42.31

9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₹79.3

$0.48 ₹46.41

70.83%

Eggs

$1.05 ₹101

$0.87 ₹83.4

20.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ₹661

$5.28 ₹509

30.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₹374

$2.25 ₹217

72.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₹220

$2.16 ₹208

6.02%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 ₹79.7

$0.63 ₹60.2

31.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₹125

$0.74 ₹71.0

75.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₹63.0

$0.45 ₹43.31

44.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₹54.8

$0.49 ₹47.02

16.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₹56.3

$0.36 ₹34.93

61.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.9

$0.42 ₹40.62

52.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.81

$0.30 ₹28.58

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 ₹406

$3.55 ₹342

18.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₹787

$2.62 ₹253

212.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₹200

$2.28 ₹220

-8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 ₹315

$2.82 ₹272

15.96%

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

$6.98 ₹672

$4.48 ₹431

55.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹21.17

$0.11 ₹10.14

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.69 ₹451

$8.08 ₹778

-41.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.23

$1.14 ₹110

-67.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₹30.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₹132

$1.61 ₹155

-14.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹114

$1.17 ₹113

0.85%

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

$17.3K ₹1.7M

$11.4K ₹1.1M

51.02%

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

$24.8K ₹2.4M

$16.0K ₹1.5M

55.23%

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

$50.2 ₹4,833

$27.57 ₹2,654

82.08%

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

$5.08 ₹489

$3.41 ₹328

48.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.62 ₹830

$5.86 ₹564

47.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 ₹2,234

$12.04 ₹1,159

92.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 ₹1,141

$14.35 ₹1,382

-17.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₹452

$1.76 ₹169

167.05%

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

$118 ₹11.4K

$23.47 ₹2,260

404.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,379 ₹325.3K

$1,548 ₹149.1K

118.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.21 ₹2,812

$18.58 ₹1,789

57.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.19 ₹3,003

$19.42 ₹1,870

60.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ₹5,444

$28.25 ₹2,719

100.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.55 ₹3,904

$27.39 ₹2,637

48.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 ₹67.1K

$92.9 ₹8,942

650.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.4K

$52.4 ₹5,042

582.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 ₹171.7K

$203 ₹19.5K

778.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 ₹81.3K

$129 ₹12.4K

553.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,047 ₹582.1K

$836 ₹80.4K

623.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,517 ₹242.4K

$458 ₹44.1K

449.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$787 ₹75.8K

$527 ₹50.7K

49.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

8.97

2.79%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): July 13, 2026

Last update for Kollam: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $697 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $92.9 in Kollam. 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 49% 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 $23.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $7.00 in Kollam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $127 vs $93.0 – 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

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

Mumbai (Bombay) costs about 156% 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 $1,145 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) and $448 in Kollam. 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 38% 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 $23.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $7.00 in Kollam. 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 $298, than in Mumbai (Bombay) at $763. 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 $298 versus $763 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.