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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $779 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $364 in Salem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,255 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $589 in Salem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,732 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $814 in Salem.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 114% more expensive than Salem, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Salem 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 ₹506

$2.34 ₹223

127.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.40 ₹2,133

$8.24 ₹785

171.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ₹441

$4.69 ₹446

-1.28%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₹240

$1.29 ₹123

95.35%

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

$0.51 ₹48.25

$0.46 ₹44.16

10.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.64

$0.22 ₹20.92

-31.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹217

$1.76 ₹167

29.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ₹376

$5.32 ₹507

-25.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.1

$0.58 ₹55.2

29.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹48.81

$0.39 ₹37.53

30.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.7

$0.69 ₹66.0

11.59%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹103

$0.78 ₹74.3

38.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 ₹680

$9.13 ₹870

-21.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₹370

$2.77 ₹264

40.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₹219

$2.02 ₹192

13.86%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.3

$0.77 ₹73.1

5.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹120

$1.55 ₹147

-18.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹60.7

$0.42 ₹40.19

52.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹54.8

$0.40 ₹38.12

45.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.1

$0.48 ₹45.81

31.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.0

$0.24 ₹22.90

166.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.00

$0.36 ₹34.62

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ₹400

$2.86 ₹273

46.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹786

$3.75 ₹357

120.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹207

$1.78 ₹169

21.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₹324

$2.70 ₹258

25.93%

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

$7.03 ₹670

$5.48 ₹522

28.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹22.97

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.51 ₹430

$8.47 ₹807

-46.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹34.87

$1.13 ₹107

-67.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₹135

$1.13 ₹107

24.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹113

$1.20 ₹115

-0.83%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$17.0K ₹1.6M

2.47%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$28.9K ₹2.8M

-15.06%

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

$50.8 ₹4,838

$34.50 ₹3,286

47.22%

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

$4.81 ₹458

$3.43 ₹327

40.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.75 ₹834

$7.03 ₹670

24.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 ₹2,201

$16.03 ₹1,527

44.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 ₹1,142

$11.04 ₹1,052

8.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 ₹448

$2.35 ₹223

100.43%

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

$122 ₹11.6K

$32.41 ₹3,087

274.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,393 ₹323.2K

$1,305 ₹124.3K

160.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 ₹2,776

$21.65 ₹2,062

34.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 ₹2,916

$23.68 ₹2,256

29.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 ₹5,253

$40.93 ₹3,899

34.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.74 ₹3,786

$27.60 ₹2,629

43.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₹67.1K

$101 ₹9,597

599.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.0K

$64.0 ₹6,098

457.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 ₹170.7K

$267 ₹25.5K

570.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹78.6K

$167 ₹15.9K

394.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 ₹613.1K

$1,280 ₹121.9K

402.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,627 ₹250.2K

$438 ₹41.7K

500.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ₹70.9K

$347 ₹33.1K

114.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

9.47

-2.64%

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

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

Last update for Salem: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $101 in Salem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 114% 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 $8.00 in Salem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $129 vs $109 per month, with Salem 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 Salem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mumbai (Bombay) and Salem differ by about 114% in total monthly costs ($779 vs $364 including rent). Salem is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 114% 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 $101 in Salem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Mumbai (Bombay). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Salem – a meal for two runs $8.00 versus $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $364 in Salem versus $779 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $2,000 budget is realistic in Salem but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Salem 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 Salem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 114% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.