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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $795 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $406 in Shillong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,311 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $645 in Shillong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,827 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $884 in Shillong.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 96% more expensive than in Shillong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Shillong 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 ₹503

$2.91 ₹277

82.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.42 ₹2,033

$11.38 ₹1,080

88.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.29 ₹407

$4.76 ₹452

-9.87%

Cappuccino

$2.61 ₹248

$1.60 ₹152

63.12%

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

$0.41 ₹38.48

$0.44 ₹41.45

-6.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.12

$0.17 ₹16.40

-17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ₹246

$1.25 ₹118

107.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 ₹395

$3.37 ₹319

23.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 ₹66.0

$0.66 ₹62.5

4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 ₹46.28

$0.35 ₹32.82

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ₹69.2

$0.60 ₹56.8

21.67%

Eggs

$0.95 ₹90.0

$0.92 ₹87.5

3.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.69 ₹540

$4.01 ₹381

41.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ₹330

$2.42 ₹229

43.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 ₹223

$2.12 ₹201

10.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 ₹63.7

$0.66 ₹62.5

1.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 ₹114

$0.90 ₹85.2

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 ₹47.44

$0.55 ₹52.3

-9.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 ₹35.75

$0.33 ₹31.44

15.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.37

$0.38 ₹35.80

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ₹46.40

$0.20 ₹18.98

145.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹27.14

$0.25 ₹23.57

16.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.98 ₹472

$4.97 ₹472

0.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 ₹781

$4.59 ₹436

79.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₹200

$1.24 ₹117

69.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ₹299

$1.99 ₹189

58.29%

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

$5.95 ₹565

$4.93 ₹468

20.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹18.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.88 ₹558

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 ₹29.21

$0.68 ₹65.0

-54.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.43

$0.30 ₹28.87

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 ₹147

$1.30 ₹123

19.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹105

$1.03 ₹98.2

6.80%

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

$16.2K ₹1.5M

$12.6K ₹1.2M

29.15%

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

$22.6K ₹2.1M

$16.2K ₹1.5M

39.53%

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

$59.1 ₹5,612

$34.28 ₹3,255

72.43%

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

$4.38 ₹416

$3.18 ₹302

37.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.34 ₹887

$6.17 ₹585

51.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.20 ₹2,582

$10.12 ₹961

168.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.11 ₹1,340

$5.30 ₹503

166.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 ₹439

$3.08 ₹293

50.00%

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

$118 ₹11.2K

$27.60 ₹2,620

326.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,947 ₹469.7K

$1,168 ₹110.8K

323.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.63 ₹3,193

$17.42 ₹1,654

93.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.59 ₹3,664

$21.65 ₹2,055

78.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 ₹5,675

$37.08 ₹3,521

61.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.89 ₹4,642

$27.72 ₹2,632

76.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 ₹61.9K

$213 ₹20.2K

206.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ₹33.8K

$133 ₹12.7K

166.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 ₹181.1K

$730 ₹69.3K

161.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$863 ₹81.9K

$284 ₹27.0K

203.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,242 ₹592.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,324 ₹220.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$804 ₹76.3K

$451 ₹42.8K

78.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.36

7.38

13.28%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): August 30, 2026

Last update for Shillong: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $652 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $213 in Shillong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 78% 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: $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $11.00 in Shillong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $117 vs $86.0 per month, with Shillong 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 Shillong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mumbai (Bombay) and Shillong differ by about 96% in total monthly costs ($795 vs $406 including rent). Shillong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 78% 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: $652 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $213 in Shillong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $118 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $27.60 in Shillong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Shillong – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $406 in Shillong versus $795 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $1,000 budget is realistic in Shillong but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Shillong 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 Shillong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.