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: $763 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $431 in Madurai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,259 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $698 in Madurai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,754 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $966 in Madurai.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 77% more expensive than in Madurai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Madurai 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 ₹499

$1.79 ₹172

188.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.50 ₹2,170

$11.45 ₹1,104

96.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₹453

$5.08 ₹489

-7.48%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₹251

$1.75 ₹169

48.57%

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

$0.50 ₹48.66

$0.68 ₹65.4

-26.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.25

$0.20 ₹19.27

-5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ₹225

$1.82 ₹176

28.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ₹403

$2.98 ₹288

40.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹70.2

$0.60 ₹58.3

21.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.57

$0.53 ₹51.3

-9.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₹79.4

$0.76 ₹73.1

7.89%

Eggs

$1.05 ₹101

$0.89 ₹86.1

17.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ₹662

$7.07 ₹681

-2.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₹375

$3.71 ₹358

4.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₹221

$3.26 ₹314

-29.75%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 ₹79.9

$0.79 ₹76.5

5.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₹125

$1.98 ₹191

-34.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₹63.1

$0.56 ₹54.4

16.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₹54.9

$0.81 ₹78.4

-29.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₹56.4

$0.78 ₹75.7

-25.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹62.0

$0.70 ₹67.8

-8.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.87

$0.52 ₹50.6

-32.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 ₹407

$4.48 ₹432

-5.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₹789

$6.82 ₹657

19.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₹200

$2.21 ₹214

-5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 ₹316

$4.49 ₹433

-27.17%

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

$6.98 ₹673

$6.63 ₹639

5.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹21.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.69 ₹452

$11.71 ₹1,129

-59.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.29

$1.07 ₹103

-65.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 ₹21.14

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₹132

$1.14 ₹110

20.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹114

$1.16 ₹112

1.72%

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

$17.3K ₹1.7M

$17.8K ₹1.7M

-3.00%

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

$24.8K ₹2.4M

$22.8K ₹2.2M

9.02%

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

$50.2 ₹4,841

$31.76 ₹3,063

58.06%

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

$5.08 ₹490

$3.94 ₹380

28.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.62 ₹831

$7.60 ₹733

13.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 ₹2,238

$17.43 ₹1,681

33.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 ₹1,143

$7.14 ₹689

65.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₹453

$2.69 ₹259

74.72%

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

$118 ₹11.4K

$61.1 ₹5,891

93.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,379 ₹325.8K

$1,921 ₹185.2K

75.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.21 ₹2,817

$26.64 ₹2,569

9.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.19 ₹3,008

$27.65 ₹2,667

12.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ₹5,453

$49.12 ₹4,737

15.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.55 ₹3,910

$49.08 ₹4,733

-17.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 ₹67.2K

$116 ₹11.2K

499.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.5K

$74.8 ₹7,213

377.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 ₹172.0K

$325 ₹31.3K

449.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 ₹81.4K

$204 ₹19.7K

314.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,047 ₹583.1K

$1,195 ₹115.3K

405.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,517 ₹242.8K

$473 ₹45.7K

431.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$787 ₹75.9K

$353 ₹34.0K

123.09%

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): July 13, 2026

Last update for Madurai: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $697 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $116 in Madurai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 123% 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: $23.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $11.00 in Madurai. Groceries flip the comparison at $127 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 77% in total monthly costs ($763 vs $431 including rent). Madurai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 123% higher in Mumbai (Bombay), 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: $697 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $116 in Madurai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Mumbai (Bombay) pay roughly 7% 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 $11.00 versus $23.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $431 in Madurai versus $763 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 77% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.