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 $783 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $281 in Kollam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,280 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $456 in Kollam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,776 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $630 in Kollam, rent included.

Mumbai (Bombay) costs about 178% 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 79% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.10 ₹489

$1.02 ₹98.0

400.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.90 ₹2,005

$6.14 ₹589

240.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.18 ₹401

$3.59 ₹345

16.43%

Cappuccino

$2.61 ₹251

$1.40 ₹134

86.43%

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

$0.38 ₹36.00

$0.41 ₹39.29

-7.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.11

$0.15 ₹14.58

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 ₹247

$1.12 ₹107

129.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 ₹410

$2.68 ₹257

59.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 ₹67.2

$0.57 ₹54.8

22.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 ₹50.2

$0.40 ₹38.54

30.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 ₹74.5

$0.47 ₹45.22

65.96%

Eggs

$0.96 ₹91.7

$0.75 ₹71.5

28.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 ₹530

$5.27 ₹506

4.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 ₹343

$2.04 ₹196

75.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 ₹218

$1.64 ₹158

39.02%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 ₹71.0

$0.58 ₹56.0

27.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₹117

$0.68 ₹64.8

79.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 ₹45.18

$0.39 ₹37.50

20.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 ₹31.97

$0.43 ₹41.44

-23.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₹35.32

$0.35 ₹33.89

5.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 ₹41.03

$0.36 ₹34.46

19.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.91

$0.30 ₹29.07

3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.03 ₹483

$5.09 ₹488

-1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.27 ₹794

$2.64 ₹254

213.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₹195

$1.67 ₹160

21.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ₹296

$2.75 ₹264

12.36%

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

$5.81 ₹557

$4.16 ₹399

39.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹19.16

$0.15 ₹14.47

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.57 ₹534

$7.16 ₹687

-22.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 ₹30.87

$1.02 ₹98.1

-68.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.21

$0.26 ₹24.91

26.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 ₹152

$1.60 ₹154

-0.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹109

$1.06 ₹102

6.60%

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

$15.9K ₹1.5M

$10.4K ₹999.3K

52.72%

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

$22.2K ₹2.1M

$16.4K ₹1.6M

35.01%

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

$60.9 ₹5,839

$32.97 ₹3,163

84.59%

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

$4.28 ₹410

$2.93 ₹281

46.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.27 ₹890

$5.23 ₹502

77.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 ₹2,505

$13.31 ₹1,277

96.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.92 ₹1,240

$12.75 ₹1,223

1.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 ₹462

$1.53 ₹147

214.38%

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

$118 ₹11.4K

$20.74 ₹1,990

471.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,909 ₹471.0K

$1,328 ₹127.4K

269.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.15 ₹3,373

$16.33 ₹1,567

115.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.23 ₹3,763

$21.68 ₹2,080

80.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.7 ₹5,540

$24.98 ₹2,396

131.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.14 ₹4,618

$24.08 ₹2,310

99.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$635 ₹60.9K

$82.3 ₹7,892

671.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 ₹34.1K

$46.28 ₹4,441

666.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,933 ₹185.5K

$182 ₹17.5K

962.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$835 ₹80.1K

$114 ₹10.9K

631.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,093 ₹584.5K

$828 ₹79.4K

636.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,473 ₹237.2K

$443 ₹42.5K

458.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 ₹72.3K

$530 ₹50.9K

42.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

9.13

-8.76%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): September 12, 2026

Last update for Kollam: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $635 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $82.3 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 42% 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 $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $6.00 in Kollam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $117 vs $83.0 – 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 178% 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 $1,174 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) and $422 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 $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $6.00 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 $281, than in Mumbai (Bombay) at $783. 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 $281 versus $783 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.