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: $779 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $449 in Shillong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,255 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $696 in Shillong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,732 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $944 in Shillong.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 74% more expensive than Shillong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Shillong 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 ₹509

$1.39 ₹133

282.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.40 ₹2,143

$10.66 ₹1,020

110.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ₹443

$4.56 ₹436

1.54%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₹241

$1.18 ₹113

113.56%

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

$0.51 ₹48.47

$0.36 ₹34.58

41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.71

$0.12 ₹11.42

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹218

$1.43 ₹137

59.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ₹378

$3.29 ₹315

20.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.4

$0.65 ₹62.1

15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹49.04

$0.37 ₹34.96

37.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹74.0

$0.52 ₹49.80

48.08%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹103

$0.85 ₹81.6

27.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 ₹683

$4.41 ₹422

61.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₹372

$3.32 ₹318

16.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₹220

$1.85 ₹177

24.32%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.7

$0.75 ₹72.2

8.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹121

$0.92 ₹88.0

36.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.0

$0.60 ₹57.6

6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹55.1

$0.31 ₹29.74

87.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.4

$0.36 ₹34.30

75.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.3

$0.37 ₹35.25

72.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.14

$0.17 ₹15.88

94.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ₹402

$4.08 ₹391

2.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹790

$4.63 ₹443

78.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹208

$1.53 ₹146

41.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₹325

$2.81 ₹268

21.00%

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

$7.03 ₹673

$4.21 ₹403

66.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹23.08

$0.30 ₹28.91

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.51 ₹432

$8.88 ₹850

-49.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.03

$0.76 ₹73.1

-51.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₹135

$1.48 ₹141

-4.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹114

$1.15 ₹111

3.48%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$13.9K ₹1.3M

24.59%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$18.0K ₹1.7M

36.38%

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

$50.8 ₹4,860

$39.75 ₹3,804

27.77%

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

$4.81 ₹460

$3.31 ₹317

45.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.75 ₹837

$5.70 ₹546

53.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 ₹2,211

$4.59 ₹439

403.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 ₹1,147

$5.93 ₹568

102.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 ₹450

$2.98 ₹286

58.05%

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

$122 ₹11.6K

$32.18 ₹3,080

277.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,393 ₹324.7K

$1,908 ₹182.6K

77.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 ₹2,789

$25.38 ₹2,429

14.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 ₹2,929

$35.62 ₹3,409

-14.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 ₹5,277

$45.79 ₹4,381

20.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.74 ₹3,803

$42.26 ₹4,044

-5.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₹67.4K

$254 ₹24.3K

177.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.1K

$158 ₹15.1K

125.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 ₹171.5K

$466 ₹44.6K

284.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹79.0K

$319 ₹30.5K

158.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 ₹615.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,627 ₹251.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ₹71.2K

$438 ₹41.9K

69.96%

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): May 31, 2026

Last update for Shillong: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $254 in Shillong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 70% 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 $11.00 in Shillong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $129 vs $94.0 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 74% in total monthly costs ($779 vs $449 including rent). Shillong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 70% 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 $254 in Shillong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% 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 $11.00 versus $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $449 in Shillong versus $779 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 74% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.