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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $779 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $888 in Surat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,255 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $942 in Surat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,732 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $996 in Surat.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) costs roughly 12% less than in Surat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Surat 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 ₹506

$3.58 ₹341

48.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.40 ₹2,133

$11.41 ₹1,087

96.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ₹441

$3.42 ₹326

35.38%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₹240

$1.74 ₹166

44.83%

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

$0.51 ₹48.25

$0.40 ₹37.82

27.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.64

$0.20 ₹19.44

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹217

$3.13 ₹298

-27.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ₹376

$3.95 ₹377

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.1

$0.73 ₹69.6

2.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹48.81

$0.53 ₹50.3

-3.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.7

$0.67 ₹64.3

14.93%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹103

$1.03 ₹98.0

4.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 ₹680

$5.13 ₹489

39.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₹370

$3.11 ₹296

24.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₹219

$1.43 ₹137

60.84%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.3

$0.64 ₹61.1

26.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹120

$0.95 ₹90.8

32.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹60.7

$0.61 ₹58.1

4.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹54.8

$0.36 ₹34.22

61.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.1

$0.44 ₹41.69

43.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.0

$0.60 ₹56.9

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.00

$0.35 ₹32.92

-5.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ₹400

$3.86 ₹368

8.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹786

$7.56 ₹720

9.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹207

$2.57 ₹245

-15.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₹324

$4.01 ₹382

-15.21%

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

$7.03 ₹670

$8.42 ₹802

-16.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹22.97

$0.24 ₹22.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.51 ₹430

$5.65 ₹538

-20.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹34.87

$0.97 ₹92.7

-61.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₹135

$1.18 ₹113

19.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹113

$1.13 ₹108

5.31%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$11.6K ₹1.1M

49.95%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$21.5K ₹2.0M

14.30%

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

$50.8 ₹4,838

$38.31 ₹3,649

32.58%

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

$4.81 ₹458

$3.37 ₹321

42.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.75 ₹834

$7.72 ₹736

13.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 ₹2,201

$17.76 ₹1,691

30.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 ₹1,142

$6.74 ₹642

77.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 ₹448

$2.90 ₹276

62.41%

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

$122 ₹11.6K

$48.91 ₹4,659

148.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,393 ₹323.2K

$1,294 ₹123.2K

162.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 ₹2,776

$24.00 ₹2,286

21.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 ₹2,916

$24.62 ₹2,345

24.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 ₹5,253

$42.46 ₹4,045

29.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.74 ₹3,786

$42.48 ₹4,047

-6.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₹67.1K

$241 ₹23.0K

192.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.0K

$557 ₹53.1K

-36.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 ₹170.7K

$506 ₹48.2K

254.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹78.6K

$275 ₹26.2K

200.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 ₹613.1K

$693 ₹66.1K

828.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,627 ₹250.2K

$306 ₹29.2K

758.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ₹70.9K

$327 ₹31.2K

127.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

9.2

0.22%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): May 31, 2026

Last update for Surat: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $241 in Surat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 127% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $11.00 in Surat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $129 vs $113 per month, with Surat 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 Surat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mumbai (Bombay) and Surat differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($779 vs $888 including rent). Mumbai (Bombay) is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 127% 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 $241 in Surat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Surat pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Mumbai (Bombay) – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $11.00 in Surat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $779 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $888 in Surat, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mumbai (Bombay) but tight or insufficient in Surat. The gap between the two cities makes Mumbai (Bombay) 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 Surat 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 Mumbai (Bombay) gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Surat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.