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: $763 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $337 in Shimla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,248 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $539 in Shimla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,733 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $742 in Shimla.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 127% more expensive than Shimla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Shimla 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.20 ₹488

$1.78 ₹167

192.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.16 ₹2,080

$5.90 ₹554

275.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₹426

$3.56 ₹334

27.53%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ₹246

$0.93 ₹87.2

181.72%

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

$0.50 ₹47.34

$0.31 ₹29.53

61.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.28

$0.15 ₹14.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 ₹224

$1.62 ₹152

46.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 ₹373

$2.30 ₹216

72.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 ₹73.7

$0.75 ₹70.7

4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹48.23

$0.44 ₹41.38

15.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 ₹76.3

$0.64 ₹59.8

26.56%

Eggs

$1.04 ₹97.2

$0.86 ₹80.3

20.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.06 ₹663

$4.36 ₹409

61.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 ₹356

$3.70 ₹347

2.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₹216

$1.97 ₹185

17.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 ₹71.8

$0.70 ₹65.5

8.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ₹123

$0.82 ₹76.7

59.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 ₹61.9

$0.56 ₹52.3

17.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 ₹50.5

$0.35 ₹32.54

54.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₹55.9

$0.44 ₹41.34

36.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹60.3

$0.22 ₹20.63

190.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.09

$0.34 ₹31.54

2.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 ₹386

$4.46 ₹418

-7.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.81 ₹733

$5.26 ₹494

48.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₹202

$1.69 ₹159

27.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 ₹306

$2.25 ₹211

44.89%

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

$6.95 ₹653

$5.91 ₹555

17.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹20.54

$0.22 ₹20.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.75 ₹446

$8.78 ₹824

-45.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 ₹31.32

$0.83 ₹77.8

-60.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₹127

$1.18 ₹110

14.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₹116

$1.19 ₹111

4.20%

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

$17.8K ₹1.7M

$15.0K ₹1.4M

18.86%

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

$24.6K ₹2.3M

$19.7K ₹1.8M

25.18%

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

$50.8 ₹4,769

$19.05 ₹1,788

166.72%

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

$4.84 ₹454

$3.45 ₹324

40.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.83 ₹829

$7.69 ₹721

14.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 ₹2,177

$14.60 ₹1,370

58.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 ₹1,112

$7.20 ₹676

64.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 ₹446

$3.44 ₹323

38.08%

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

$118 ₹11.1K

$46.07 ₹4,324

156.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,350 ₹314.4K

$2,352 ₹220.8K

42.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.41 ₹2,760

$33.31 ₹3,127

-11.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.15 ₹2,924

$28.80 ₹2,704

8.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 ₹5,158

$46.18 ₹4,334

19.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.05 ₹3,759

$29.10 ₹2,731

37.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$691 ₹64.9K

$94.6 ₹8,878

630.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 ₹33.1K

$58.3 ₹5,467

504.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,822 ₹171.0K

$223 ₹20.9K

718.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$845 ₹79.3K

$138 ₹13.0K

511.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,634 ₹622.6K

$955 ₹89.6K

594.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,639 ₹247.7K

$515 ₹48.3K

412.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$730 ₹68.5K

$577 ₹54.1K

26.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

8.25

11.76%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): April 21, 2026

Last update for Shimla: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $691 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $95 in Shimla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 27% 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 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $6 in Shimla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $128 vs $100 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 127% in total monthly costs ($763 vs $337 including rent). Shimla is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 27% 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: $691 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $94.6 in Shimla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% 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 $6.00 versus $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $337 in Shimla versus $763 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 127% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.