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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $766 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $388 in Sikkim.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,262 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $620 in Sikkim.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,757 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $853 in Sikkim.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 98% more expensive than in Sikkim, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Sikkim 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 ₹493

$2.39 ₹228

115.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.87 ₹2,092

$10.49 ₹1,003

108.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₹449

$3.64 ₹348

29.12%

Cappuccino

$2.63 ₹251

$1.53 ₹147

71.90%

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

$0.47 ₹45.40

$0.37 ₹35.66

27.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹17.78

$0.14 ₹13.19

35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 ₹219

$1.69 ₹162

35.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 ₹399

$3.10 ₹296

34.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹69.8

$0.77 ₹73.9

-5.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹45.93

$0.54 ₹51.4

-11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 ₹79.8

$0.45 ₹42.97

84.44%

Eggs

$1.05 ₹100

$1.61 ₹154

-34.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.06 ₹675

$5.05 ₹483

39.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.79 ₹362

$3.11 ₹297

21.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₹221

$1.96 ₹188

17.86%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.3

$0.69 ₹66.0

17.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹121

$0.91 ₹87.4

38.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 ₹66.0

$0.50 ₹48.05

38.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 ₹50.1

$0.54 ₹52.0

-3.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.1

$0.59 ₹56.4

8.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ₹65.5

$0.45 ₹43.22

51.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.50

$0.33 ₹31.95

6.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ₹395

$2.59 ₹247

59.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.41 ₹804

$4.07 ₹389

106.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₹201

$1.37 ₹131

54.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 ₹328

$2.92 ₹279

17.47%

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

$6.96 ₹666

$3.09 ₹296

125.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹23.03

$0.30 ₹29.00

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.52 ₹432

$8.54 ₹817

-47.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 ₹31.88

$0.78 ₹74.3

-57.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ₹136

$1.41 ₹135

1.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₹118

$1.21 ₹116

1.65%

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

$17.2K ₹1.6M

$14.1K ₹1.3M

21.72%

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

$24.7K ₹2.4M

$21.7K ₹2.1M

13.72%

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

$50.0 ₹4,786

$39.59 ₹3,786

26.40%

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

$4.84 ₹463

$3.39 ₹324

42.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.88 ₹849

$7.58 ₹724

17.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.13 ₹2,212

$16.03 ₹1,533

44.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.04 ₹1,151

$7.15 ₹683

68.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.60 ₹440

$2.86 ₹273

60.84%

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

$119 ₹11.4K

$51.6 ₹4,939

131.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,313 ₹316.9K

$1,530 ₹146.3K

116.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.89 ₹2,859

$24.42 ₹2,336

22.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.14 ₹2,882

$25.56 ₹2,444

17.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.7 ₹5,327

$42.35 ₹4,050

31.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.93 ₹3,915

$31.60 ₹3,022

29.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 ₹67.1K

$122 ₹11.7K

474.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 ₹34.6K

$75.0 ₹7,171

382.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,775 ₹169.8K

$276 ₹26.4K

542.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$845 ₹80.8K

$179 ₹17.1K

372.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,137 ₹586.9K

$1,050 ₹100.4K

484.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,570 ₹245.8K

$531 ₹50.8K

383.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$767 ₹73.4K

$474 ₹45.3K

61.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

8.67

6.34%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): July 27, 2026

Last update for Sikkim: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $702 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $122 in Sikkim. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 62% 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 $10.00 in Sikkim for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $129 vs $102 per month, with Sikkim 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 Sikkim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mumbai (Bombay) and Sikkim differ by about 98% in total monthly costs ($766 vs $388 including rent). Sikkim is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 62% 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: $702 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $122 in Sikkim. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Mumbai (Bombay). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Sikkim – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $388 in Sikkim versus $766 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sikkim but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Sikkim 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 Sikkim 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 Sikkim gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.