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: $783 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $363 in Thanjavur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,280 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $575 in Thanjavur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,776 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $786 in Thanjavur.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 116% more expensive than in Thanjavur, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Thanjavur 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.10 ₹489

$1.92 ₹184

165.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.90 ₹2,005

$6.34 ₹608

229.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.18 ₹401

$4.08 ₹391

2.45%

Cappuccino

$2.61 ₹251

$1.74 ₹167

50.00%

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

$0.38 ₹36.00

$0.37 ₹35.53

2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.11

$0.19 ₹18.58

-26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 ₹247

$0.76 ₹73.0

238.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 ₹410

$3.17 ₹304

34.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 ₹67.2

$0.59 ₹56.6

18.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 ₹50.2

$0.54 ₹51.5

-3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 ₹74.5

$0.65 ₹62.1

20.00%

Eggs

$0.96 ₹91.7

$0.68 ₹65.0

41.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 ₹530

$6.10 ₹586

-9.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 ₹343

$2.13 ₹204

67.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 ₹218

$2.77 ₹266

-17.69%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 ₹71.0

$0.77 ₹74.1

-3.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 ₹117

$1.42 ₹136

-14.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 ₹45.18

$0.43 ₹41.07

9.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 ₹31.97

$0.47 ₹44.85

-29.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₹35.32

$0.43 ₹41.20

-13.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 ₹41.03

$0.53 ₹51.1

-18.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.91

$0.29 ₹27.97

6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.03 ₹483

$3.36 ₹323

49.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.27 ₹794

$7.46 ₹716

10.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 ₹195

$1.27 ₹122

59.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ₹296

$2.70 ₹259

14.44%

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

$5.81 ₹557

$6.40 ₹614

-9.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹19.16

$0.24 ₹23.05

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.57 ₹534

$6.65 ₹638

-16.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 ₹30.87

$1.06 ₹102

-69.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.21

$0.35 ₹33.66

-5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 ₹152

$2.15 ₹206

-26.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₹109

$1.06 ₹102

6.60%

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

$15.9K ₹1.5M

$15.4K ₹1.5M

3.43%

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

$22.2K ₹2.1M

$20.6K ₹2.0M

7.74%

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

$60.9 ₹5,839

$38.67 ₹3,710

57.38%

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

$4.28 ₹410

$3.89 ₹373

10.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.27 ₹890

$7.89 ₹757

17.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 ₹2,505

$13.97 ₹1,341

86.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.92 ₹1,240

$6.30 ₹604

105.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 ₹462

$2.43 ₹233

97.94%

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

$118 ₹11.4K

$91.3 ₹8,758

29.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,909 ₹471.0K

$2,154 ₹206.6K

127.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.15 ₹3,373

$20.31 ₹1,948

73.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.23 ₹3,763

$16.52 ₹1,585

137.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.7 ₹5,540

$35.13 ₹3,371

64.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.14 ₹4,618

$26.26 ₹2,519

83.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$635 ₹60.9K

$122 ₹11.7K

419.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 ₹34.1K

$73.1 ₹7,014

385.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,933 ₹185.5K

$263 ₹25.2K

634.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$835 ₹80.1K

$173 ₹16.6K

382.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,093 ₹584.5K

$890 ₹85.4K

584.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,473 ₹237.2K

$545 ₹52.3K

353.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 ₹72.3K

$209 ₹20.1K

260.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.33

9.88

-15.69%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): September 12, 2026

Last update for Thanjavur: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $635 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $122 in Thanjavur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 260% 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 $6.00 in Thanjavur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $117 vs $106 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 116% in total monthly costs ($783 vs $363 including rent). Thanjavur is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 260% 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: $635 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $122 in Thanjavur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% 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 $6.00 versus $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $363 in Thanjavur versus $783 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 116% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.