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: $763 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $443 in Shillong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,259 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $684 in Shillong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,754 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $924 in Shillong.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 72% more expensive than in Shillong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Shillong 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 ₹498

$1.43 ₹138

261.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.50 ₹2,167

$10.30 ₹992

118.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₹452

$4.71 ₹454

-0.21%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₹251

$1.22 ₹118

113.11%

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

$0.50 ₹48.58

$0.36 ₹34.74

38.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.22

$0.14 ₹13.19

35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ₹224

$1.43 ₹138

62.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ₹403

$3.28 ₹316

27.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹70.1

$0.61 ₹58.7

19.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.49

$0.36 ₹35.09

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₹79.3

$0.52 ₹50.1

57.69%

Eggs

$1.05 ₹101

$0.82 ₹79.2

28.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ₹661

$4.43 ₹427

55.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₹374

$3.31 ₹319

17.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₹220

$1.93 ₹186

18.65%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 ₹79.8

$0.75 ₹71.8

10.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₹125

$0.97 ₹93.5

34.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₹63.0

$0.55 ₹53.3

18.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₹54.8

$0.29 ₹27.52

96.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₹56.3

$0.36 ₹34.64

61.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.9

$0.37 ₹35.51

72.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.81

$0.18 ₹17.51

94.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 ₹406

$4.13 ₹398

2.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₹787

$4.75 ₹457

72.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₹200

$1.49 ₹143

39.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 ₹315

$2.78 ₹267

17.63%

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

$6.98 ₹672

$4.36 ₹419

60.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹21.17

$0.30 ₹29.21

-26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.69 ₹451

$8.48 ₹816

-44.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.23

$0.80 ₹77.1

-53.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₹132

$1.43 ₹138

-4.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹114

$1.19 ₹115

-0.84%

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

$17.3K ₹1.7M

$13.7K ₹1.3M

25.98%

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

$24.8K ₹2.4M

$17.7K ₹1.7M

39.83%

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

$50.2 ₹4,834

$40.08 ₹3,859

25.25%

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

$5.08 ₹489

$3.44 ₹331

47.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.62 ₹830

$5.68 ₹547

51.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 ₹2,234

$4.53 ₹436

412.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 ₹1,141

$5.89 ₹567

101.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₹452

$2.87 ₹276

63.76%

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

$118 ₹11.4K

$32.21 ₹3,101

267.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,379 ₹325.3K

$1,919 ₹184.8K

76.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.21 ₹2,812

$25.14 ₹2,420

16.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.19 ₹3,003

$35.50 ₹3,418

-12.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ₹5,445

$46.95 ₹4,520

20.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.55 ₹3,904

$42.64 ₹4,105

-4.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 ₹67.1K

$253 ₹24.4K

174.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.4K

$156 ₹15.0K

128.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 ₹171.7K

$464 ₹44.7K

283.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 ₹81.3K

$318 ₹30.6K

165.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,047 ₹582.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,517 ₹242.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$787 ₹75.8K

$441 ₹42.5K

78.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

7.38

24.93%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): July 13, 2026

Last update for Shillong: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $697 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $253 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: $23.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $10.00 in Shillong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $127 vs $93.0 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 72% in total monthly costs ($763 vs $443 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: $697 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $253 in Shillong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Mumbai (Bombay). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Shillong – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $23.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $443 in Shillong versus $763 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 72% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.