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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $779 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $298 in Kottayam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,255 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $498 in Kottayam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,732 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $697 in Kottayam, rent included.

Mumbai (Bombay) costs about 161% more than Kottayam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 ₹506

$1.19 ₹113

347.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.40 ₹2,133

$10.03 ₹955

123.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ₹441

$3.96 ₹378

16.92%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₹240

$0.61 ₹57.7

313.11%

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

$0.51 ₹48.25

$0.40 ₹38.48

27.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.64

$0.16 ₹15.18

-6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹217

$1.38 ₹131

65.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ₹376

$2.84 ₹270

39.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.1

$0.62 ₹59.2

20.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹48.81

$0.43 ₹41.24

18.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.7

$0.78 ₹74.3

-1.28%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹103

$0.82 ₹78.1

31.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 ₹680

$2.27 ₹216

214.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₹370

$3.04 ₹289

27.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₹219

$2.29 ₹218

0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.3

$0.63 ₹59.8

28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹120

$1.14 ₹108

10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹60.7

$0.49 ₹46.84

30.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹54.8

$0.47 ₹45.24

23.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.1

$0.46 ₹43.39

36.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.0

$0.40 ₹38.07

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.00

$0.33 ₹31.30

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ₹400

$4.16 ₹396

0.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹786

$3.97 ₹378

107.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹207

$1.72 ₹163

26.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₹324

$3.55 ₹338

-4.23%

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

$7.03 ₹670

$4.49 ₹428

56.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹22.97

$0.30 ₹28.61

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.51 ₹430

$8.52 ₹812

-47.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹34.87

$1.18 ₹113

-68.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₹30.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₹135

$1.68 ₹160

-16.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹113

$1.18 ₹112

0.85%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$9,374 ₹892.9K

85.41%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$15.2K ₹1.4M

61.93%

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

$50.8 ₹4,838

$27.76 ₹2,644

82.96%

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

$4.81 ₹458

$3.39 ₹323

41.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.75 ₹834

$8.49 ₹809

3.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 ₹2,201

$8.86 ₹844

160.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 ₹1,142

$11.69 ₹1,114

2.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 ₹448

$2.10 ₹200

124.29%

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

$122 ₹11.6K

$57.6 ₹5,482

111.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,393 ₹323.2K

$1,564 ₹149.0K

116.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 ₹2,776

$23.36 ₹2,225

24.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 ₹2,916

$17.48 ₹1,665

75.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 ₹5,253

$25.68 ₹2,446

114.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.74 ₹3,786

$17.46 ₹1,663

127.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₹67.1K

$139 ₹13.2K

408.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.0K

$58.0 ₹5,527

514.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 ₹170.7K

$287 ₹27.4K

523.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹78.6K

$165 ₹15.7K

399.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 ₹613.1K

$957 ₹91.1K

572.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,627 ₹250.2K

$548 ₹52.2K

379.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ₹70.9K

$291 ₹27.8K

155.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

9.36

-1.50%

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

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

Last update for Kottayam: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $139 in Kottayam. 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 156% 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 $10.00 in Kottayam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $129 vs $93.0 – making Kottayam 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 Kottayam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mumbai (Bombay) costs about 161% more than Kottayam, 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 $448 in Kottayam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $779 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $298 in Kottayam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 89% less in Kottayam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kottayam, where all-in costs run around $298, than in Mumbai (Bombay) at $779. In Kottayam 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. Kottayam costs $298 versus $779 in Mumbai (Bombay). Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Kottayam. 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.