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

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

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

Mumbai (Bombay) costs about 160% more than Kollam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 ₹509

$1.14 ₹109

366.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.40 ₹2,143

$7.04 ₹674

218.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ₹443

$3.96 ₹379

16.92%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₹241

$1.26 ₹120

100.00%

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

$0.51 ₹48.47

$0.40 ₹38.68

27.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.71

$0.12 ₹11.88

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹218

$1.69 ₹162

34.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ₹378

$2.97 ₹285

33.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.4

$0.59 ₹56.1

27.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹49.04

$0.47 ₹45.16

8.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹74.0

$0.51 ₹48.93

50.98%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹103

$0.82 ₹78.1

31.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 ₹683

$5.29 ₹506

34.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₹372

$2.26 ₹216

71.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₹220

$2.24 ₹214

2.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.7

$0.58 ₹55.4

39.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹121

$0.79 ₹76.1

59.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.0

$0.45 ₹43.20

42.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹55.1

$0.48 ₹46.13

20.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.4

$0.39 ₹37.42

61.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.3

$0.40 ₹37.93

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.14

$0.30 ₹28.56

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ₹402

$3.55 ₹340

18.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹790

$2.58 ₹247

219.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹208

$2.20 ₹211

-1.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₹325

$2.88 ₹276

18.06%

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

$7.03 ₹673

$4.63 ₹443

51.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹23.08

$0.12 ₹11.24

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.51 ₹432

$7.82 ₹748

-42.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.03

$1.14 ₹109

-67.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₹135

$1.59 ₹153

-11.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹114

$1.21 ₹116

-1.65%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$11.7K ₹1.1M

48.21%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$15.9K ₹1.5M

54.26%

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

$50.8 ₹4,860

$26.84 ₹2,569

89.23%

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

$4.81 ₹460

$3.29 ₹315

46.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.75 ₹837

$5.74 ₹549

52.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 ₹2,211

$12.11 ₹1,159

90.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 ₹1,147

$14.27 ₹1,365

-15.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 ₹450

$1.72 ₹164

173.84%

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

$122 ₹11.6K

$23.69 ₹2,267

413.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,393 ₹324.7K

$1,543 ₹147.6K

119.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 ₹2,789

$18.56 ₹1,776

57.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 ₹2,929

$19.39 ₹1,856

57.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 ₹5,277

$28.36 ₹2,714

94.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.74 ₹3,803

$27.59 ₹2,640

44.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₹67.4K

$92.4 ₹8,842

662.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.1K

$52.7 ₹5,040

577.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 ₹171.5K

$198 ₹18.9K

805.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹79.0K

$128 ₹12.2K

545.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 ₹615.9K

$832 ₹79.6K

673.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,627 ₹251.4K

$458 ₹43.8K

473.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ₹71.2K

$532 ₹50.9K

40.05%

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): May 31, 2026

Last update for Kollam: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $92.4 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 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 $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $7.00 in Kollam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $129 vs $92.0 – 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 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 $1,168 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) and $449 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 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 $22.00 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 $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.