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 $763 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $296 in Kottayam, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,259 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $486 in Kottayam, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,754 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $676 in Kottayam, rent included.

Mumbai (Bombay) costs about 158% more than Kottayam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 ₹498

$1.18 ₹113

338.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.50 ₹2,167

$9.68 ₹932

132.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₹452

$3.98 ₹384

18.09%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₹251

$0.60 ₹58.2

333.33%

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

$0.50 ₹48.58

$0.37 ₹35.93

35.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.22

$0.13 ₹12.62

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ₹224

$1.37 ₹132

70.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ₹403

$2.96 ₹285

41.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹70.1

$0.59 ₹57.0

23.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.49

$0.44 ₹42.29

9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₹79.3

$0.77 ₹74.2

6.49%

Eggs

$1.05 ₹101

$0.87 ₹84.1

20.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ₹661

$2.38 ₹229

188.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₹374

$3.03 ₹292

28.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₹220

$2.38 ₹229

-3.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 ₹79.8

$0.61 ₹58.6

36.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₹125

$1.14 ₹110

14.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₹63.0

$0.49 ₹46.84

32.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₹54.8

$0.51 ₹48.90

11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₹56.3

$0.45 ₹43.67

28.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.9

$0.42 ₹40.84

52.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.81

$0.35 ₹34.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 ₹406

$4.04 ₹389

4.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₹787

$3.81 ₹367

114.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₹200

$1.71 ₹164

21.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 ₹315

$3.57 ₹344

-8.40%

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

$6.98 ₹672

$4.68 ₹451

49.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹21.17

$0.28 ₹26.83

-21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.69 ₹451

$8.88 ₹855

-47.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.23

$1.18 ₹114

-68.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 ₹28.42

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₹132

$1.64 ₹158

-16.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹114

$1.17 ₹112

0.85%

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

$17.3K ₹1.7M

$9,304 ₹895.8K

85.51%

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

$24.8K ₹2.4M

$15.3K ₹1.5M

61.82%

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

$50.2 ₹4,834

$27.02 ₹2,601

85.79%

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

$5.08 ₹489

$3.43 ₹330

48.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.62 ₹830

$8.15 ₹785

5.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 ₹2,234

$8.87 ₹854

161.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 ₹1,141

$11.74 ₹1,130

0.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₹452

$2.08 ₹200

125.96%

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

$118 ₹11.4K

$57.2 ₹5,510

106.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,379 ₹325.3K

$1,537 ₹148.0K

119.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.21 ₹2,812

$23.58 ₹2,270

23.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.19 ₹3,003

$17.57 ₹1,691

77.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ₹5,445

$25.53 ₹2,458

121.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.55 ₹3,904

$17.31 ₹1,666

134.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 ₹67.1K

$141 ₹13.6K

393.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.4K

$58.9 ₹5,673

506.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 ₹171.7K

$288 ₹27.8K

518.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 ₹81.3K

$161 ₹15.5K

425.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,047 ₹582.2K

$954 ₹91.8K

534.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,517 ₹242.4K

$556 ₹53.6K

352.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$787 ₹75.8K

$284 ₹27.4K

176.88%

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): July 13, 2026

Last update for Kottayam: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $697 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $141 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 177% 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 $10.00 in Kottayam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $127 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 158% 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 $1,145 per month in Mumbai (Bombay) and $444 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 $763 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $296 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 $296, than in Mumbai (Bombay) at $763. 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 $296 versus $763 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.