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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $786 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $306 in Shimla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,295 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $507 in Shimla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $709 in Shimla.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 157% more expensive than in Shimla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Shimla 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 ₹493

$1.54 ₹147

235.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.80 ₹1,987

$5.41 ₹517

284.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.30 ₹410

$3.23 ₹309

33.13%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₹253

$0.90 ₹86.2

194.44%

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

$0.37 ₹35.56

$0.38 ₹36.62

-2.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.27

$0.11 ₹10.96

45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 ₹258

$1.63 ₹156

65.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 ₹405

$2.14 ₹205

98.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 ₹66.4

$0.69 ₹66.1

1.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.29

$0.39 ₹37.37

23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.8

$0.63 ₹60.6

20.63%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹97.7

$0.84 ₹80.0

21.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.75 ₹549

$4.33 ₹413

32.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 ₹337

$3.26 ₹312

8.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ₹213

$1.82 ₹174

22.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 ₹69.0

$0.76 ₹72.9

-5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 ₹117

$0.69 ₹66.1

78.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 ₹46.68

$0.47 ₹45.29

4.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 ₹33.36

$0.30 ₹29.08

16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.30

$0.34 ₹32.05

17.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ₹47.27

$0.20 ₹19.07

145.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹30.09

$0.29 ₹28.00

6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 ₹487

$3.55 ₹339

43.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹788

$8.49 ₹811

-2.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₹195

$1.49 ₹142

36.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ₹288

$2.03 ₹194

48.77%

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

$6.22 ₹594

$3.79 ₹362

64.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹19.09

$0.22 ₹21.03

-9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.93 ₹567

$8.02 ₹767

-26.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 ₹31.57

$1.02 ₹97.4

-67.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.67

$0.33 ₹31.91

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ₹156

$1.02 ₹97.6

59.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₹109

$1.04 ₹99.6

9.62%

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

$16.4K ₹1.6M

$8,394 ₹802.0K

95.50%

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

$22.4K ₹2.1M

$17.7K ₹1.7M

26.65%

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

$60.1 ₹5,739

$18.70 ₹1,786

221.23%

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

$4.37 ₹417

$3.10 ₹296

40.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.32 ₹890

$6.78 ₹648

37.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.53 ₹2,631

$13.99 ₹1,337

96.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.67 ₹1,306

$10.38 ₹992

31.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 ₹442

$3.17 ₹303

45.74%

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

$118 ₹11.3K

$41.83 ₹3,997

182.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,970 ₹474.8K

$2,179 ₹208.2K

128.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.94 ₹3,338

$25.20 ₹2,408

38.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.94 ₹3,625

$21.70 ₹2,073

74.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.3 ₹5,758

$39.02 ₹3,728

54.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.94 ₹4,771

$26.03 ₹2,487

91.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₹61.2K

$87.2 ₹8,331

634.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 ₹35.4K

$52.5 ₹5,012

606.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,937 ₹185.0K

$196 ₹18.7K

889.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 ₹83.0K

$168 ₹16.1K

416.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,174 ₹589.9K

$974 ₹93.1K

533.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,428 ₹232.0K

$517 ₹49.4K

369.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$810 ₹77.4K

$609 ₹58.2K

32.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.36

8.25

1.33%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): September 7, 2026

Last update for Shimla: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $641 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $87.2 in Shimla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 33% 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 $5.00 in Shimla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $117 vs $99.0 per month, with Shimla 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 Shimla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mumbai (Bombay) and Shimla differ by about 157% in total monthly costs ($786 vs $306 including rent). Shimla is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 33% 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: $641 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $87.2 in Shimla. 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 Shimla – a meal for two runs $5.00 versus $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $306 in Shimla versus $786 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shimla but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Shimla 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.

Safety-wise, Mumbai (Bombay) and Shimla are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Shimla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 157% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.