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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $779 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $418 in Thanjavur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,255 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $640 in Thanjavur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,732 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $862 in Thanjavur.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 86% more expensive than Thanjavur, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Thanjavur 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 ₹509

$2.06 ₹197

158.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.40 ₹2,143

$7.10 ₹679

215.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ₹443

$4.13 ₹395

12.11%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₹241

$2.18 ₹208

15.60%

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

$0.51 ₹48.47

$0.39 ₹37.31

30.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.71

$0.17 ₹16.10

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹218

$0.80 ₹76.4

185.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ₹378

$4.04 ₹387

-2.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.4

$0.58 ₹55.8

29.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹49.04

$0.49 ₹47.00

4.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹74.0

$0.67 ₹63.6

14.93%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹103

$0.74 ₹70.7

45.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 ₹683

$7.07 ₹677

0.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₹372

$2.27 ₹217

70.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₹220

$2.91 ₹278

-20.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.7

$0.87 ₹83.4

-6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹121

$1.32 ₹126

-4.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.0

$0.50 ₹47.70

28.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹55.1

$0.55 ₹52.3

5.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.4

$0.52 ₹49.67

21.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.3

$0.59 ₹56.5

8.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.14

$0.35 ₹33.93

-5.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ₹402

$3.70 ₹354

13.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹790

$7.77 ₹744

6.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹208

$1.48 ₹142

46.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₹325

$3.39 ₹325

0.29%

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

$7.03 ₹673

$6.01 ₹575

16.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹23.08

$0.30 ₹29.13

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.51 ₹432

$8.75 ₹837

-48.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.03

$1.15 ₹110

-67.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₹135

$1.75 ₹168

-19.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹114

$1.22 ₹116

-2.46%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$17.3K ₹1.7M

0.33%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$24.0K ₹2.3M

2.32%

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

$50.8 ₹4,860

$46.15 ₹4,416

10.05%

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

$4.81 ₹460

$4.65 ₹445

3.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.75 ₹837

$9.47 ₹906

-7.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 ₹2,211

$15.76 ₹1,508

46.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 ₹1,147

$7.04 ₹673

70.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 ₹450

$2.95 ₹282

59.66%

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

$122 ₹11.6K

$80.5 ₹7,700

51.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,393 ₹324.7K

$1,738 ₹166.3K

95.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 ₹2,789

$25.49 ₹2,440

14.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 ₹2,929

$22.50 ₹2,153

36.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 ₹5,277

$50.2 ₹4,804

9.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.74 ₹3,803

$29.13 ₹2,788

36.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₹67.4K

$126 ₹12.0K

460.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.1K

$76.1 ₹7,282

368.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 ₹171.5K

$271 ₹25.9K

562.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹79.0K

$177 ₹16.9K

366.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 ₹615.9K

$1,010 ₹96.7K

537.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,627 ₹251.4K

$561 ₹53.7K

367.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ₹71.2K

$208 ₹19.9K

257.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

9.31

-0.97%

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

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

Last update for Thanjavur: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $126 in Thanjavur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 257% 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 $7.00 in Thanjavur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $129 vs $115 per month, with Thanjavur 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 Thanjavur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mumbai (Bombay) and Thanjavur differ by about 86% in total monthly costs ($779 vs $418 including rent). Thanjavur is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 257% 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 $126 in Thanjavur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Mumbai (Bombay). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Thanjavur – a meal for two runs $7.00 versus $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $418 in Thanjavur versus $779 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $1,000 budget is realistic in Thanjavur but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Thanjavur 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 Thanjavur 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 Thanjavur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.