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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $779 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $426 in Madurai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,255 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $697 in Madurai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,732 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $968 in Madurai.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 83% more expensive than Madurai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Madurai 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 ₹509

$1.78 ₹171

198.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.40 ₹2,143

$11.57 ₹1,108

93.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ₹443

$5.11 ₹489

-9.39%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₹241

$1.78 ₹170

41.57%

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

$0.51 ₹48.47

$0.68 ₹65.5

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.71

$0.22 ₹21.07

-31.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹218

$1.89 ₹181

20.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ₹378

$2.84 ₹272

39.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.4

$0.65 ₹61.9

15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹49.04

$0.53 ₹50.4

-3.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹74.0

$0.80 ₹76.4

-3.75%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹103

$0.85 ₹81.7

27.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 ₹683

$6.93 ₹663

3.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₹372

$3.59 ₹344

8.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₹220

$3.24 ₹310

-29.01%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.7

$0.80 ₹76.9

1.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹121

$2.00 ₹192

-37.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.0

$0.58 ₹55.1

10.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹55.1

$0.81 ₹77.8

-28.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.4

$0.78 ₹74.9

-19.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.3

$0.71 ₹67.7

-9.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.14

$0.53 ₹50.7

-37.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ₹402

$4.51 ₹432

-6.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹790

$6.61 ₹632

24.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹208

$2.30 ₹220

-5.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₹325

$4.39 ₹420

-22.55%

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

$7.03 ₹673

$6.68 ₹640

5.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹23.08

$0.24 ₹23.10

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.51 ₹432

$11.85 ₹1,134

-61.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.03

$1.04 ₹99.1

-64.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 ₹22.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₹135

$1.14 ₹109

23.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹114

$1.22 ₹117

-2.46%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$18.4K ₹1.8M

-5.34%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$22.9K ₹2.2M

7.03%

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

$50.8 ₹4,860

$31.45 ₹3,009

61.49%

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

$4.81 ₹460

$4.01 ₹383

19.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.75 ₹837

$8.00 ₹766

9.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 ₹2,211

$17.12 ₹1,638

34.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 ₹1,147

$7.10 ₹680

68.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 ₹450

$2.69 ₹258

75.09%

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

$122 ₹11.6K

$62.2 ₹5,947

95.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,393 ₹324.7K

$1,864 ₹178.4K

82.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 ₹2,789

$26.45 ₹2,531

10.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 ₹2,929

$26.69 ₹2,554

14.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 ₹5,277

$48.11 ₹4,604

14.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.74 ₹3,803

$48.93 ₹4,682

-18.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₹67.4K

$115 ₹11.0K

514.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.1K

$74.9 ₹7,170

375.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 ₹171.5K

$324 ₹31.0K

453.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹79.0K

$210 ₹20.1K

293.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 ₹615.9K

$1,199 ₹114.7K

436.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,627 ₹251.4K

$470 ₹44.9K

459.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ₹71.2K

$362 ₹34.7K

105.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

9.8

-5.92%

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

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

Last update for Madurai: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $115 in Madurai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 106% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $12.00 in Madurai. Groceries flip the comparison at $129 vs $136, with Mumbai (Bombay) cheaper for home cooking.

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 Madurai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mumbai (Bombay) and Madurai differ by about 83% in total monthly costs ($779 vs $426 including rent). Madurai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 106% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $115 in Madurai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Mumbai (Bombay) pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Madurai – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $426 in Madurai versus $779 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $2,000 budget is realistic in Madurai but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Madurai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Madurai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.