🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $759 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $1,484 in Mexico City.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,262 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $2,381 in Mexico City.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,766 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $3,278 in Mexico City.
🙂Living in Mumbai (Bombay) costs roughly 49% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) is 43% below, Mexico City is 11% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mumbai (Bombay)
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.31₹504
$12.98MX$227
-59.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.21₹2,108
$53.1MX$929
-58.15%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.67₹443
$9.72MX$170
-51.95%
Cappuccino
$2.62₹249
$3.75MX$65.6
-30.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.51₹48.04
$1.57MX$27.46
-67.52%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15₹14.08
$1.13MX$19.76
-86.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.27₹216
$3.18MX$55.7
-28.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.09₹388
$4.66MX$81.6
-12.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mumbai (Bombay)
Mexico City
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.80₹75.7
$1.62MX$28.37
-50.62%
White Bread(500g)
$0.52₹49.64
$2.71MX$47.36
-80.81%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.82₹77.5
$1.88MX$32.89
-56.38%
Eggs
$1.09₹104
$2.51MX$43.90
-56.57%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.02₹666
$10.08MX$176
-30.36%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.89₹369
$8.29MX$145
-53.08%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$11.94MX$209
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.38₹226
$2.86MX$50.1
-16.78%
Banana(1kg)
$0.80₹76.3
$1.75MX$30.62
-54.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.30₹123
$2.08MX$36.48
-37.50%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.65₹61.7
$1.97MX$34.46
-67.01%
Potato(1kg)
$0.57₹53.7
$2.16MX$37.79
-73.61%
Onion(1kg)
$0.63₹60.2
$2.18MX$38.16
-71.10%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.63₹60.1
$1.39MX$24.34
-54.68%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.33₹31.00
$1.12MX$19.69
-70.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.00₹380
$4.20MX$73.5
-4.76%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.07₹766
$14.25MX$249
-43.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.16₹205
$1.76MX$30.85
22.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.39₹322
$3.68MX$64.5
-7.88%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
$7.13₹677
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Mumbai (Bombay)
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.24₹22.82
$0.39MX$6.74
-38.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$4.63₹440
$18.66MX$327
-75.19%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.34₹32.17
$1.39MX$24.26
-75.54%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$0.30MX$5.32
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.40₹133
$5.42MX$94.9
-74.17%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.22₹116
$1.35MX$23.63
-9.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.3K₹1.6M
$18.9KMX$330.5K
-8.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K₹2.4M
$23.2KMX$405.2K
9.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mumbai (Bombay)
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$50.2₹4,764
$40.82MX$714
22.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.00₹474
$27.50MX$481
-81.82%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.79₹835
$30.38MX$532
-71.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mumbai (Bombay)
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$23.18₹2,201
$53.4MX$935
-56.62%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.81₹1,121
$26.30MX$460
-55.10%
Cinema Ticket
$4.70₹446
$6.27MX$110
-25.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mumbai (Bombay)
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$121₹11.5K
$436MX$7,632
-72.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,385₹321.4K
$10.5KMX$183.2K
-67.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mumbai (Bombay)
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$29.30₹2,782
$56.8MX$993
-48.38%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.72₹2,917
$44.79MX$784
-31.41%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$55.0₹5,225
$103MX$1,799
-46.47%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$39.51₹3,751
$108MX$1,888
-63.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mumbai (Bombay)
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$694₹65.9K
$1,000MX$17.5K
-30.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$359₹34.1K
$620MX$10.9K
-42.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,797₹170.6K
$2,137MX$37.4K
-15.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$821₹77.9K
$1,235MX$21.6K
-33.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,515₹618.6K
$3,865MX$67.6K
68.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,661₹252.6K
$2,332MX$40.8K
14.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mumbai (Bombay)
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$719₹68.3K
$1,067MX$18.7K
-32.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.22
11.34
-18.69%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): April 26, 2026
Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $694 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Mexico City pays 48% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $130 vs $286 per month, with Mumbai (Bombay) cheaper across the board.
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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mumbai (Bombay) and Mexico City?
Mumbai (Bombay) and Mexico City differ by about 95% in total monthly costs ($759 vs $1,484 including rent). Mumbai (Bombay) is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Mexico City earns 48% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Mumbai (Bombay) and Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $694 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Mumbai (Bombay) and Mexico City?
A monthly transit pass in Mumbai (Bombay) runs roughly 303% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mumbai (Bombay) and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $121 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $759 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mumbai (Bombay) but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Mumbai (Bombay) the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mumbai (Bombay) and Mexico City?
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.
Where should expats move: Mumbai (Bombay) or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Mumbai (Bombay) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mumbai (Bombay) vs other spots: cost of living compared