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: $763 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $410 in Thanjavur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,259 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $636 in Thanjavur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,754 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $862 in Thanjavur.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Thanjavur 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 ₹498

$2.08 ₹200

148.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.50 ₹2,167

$7.16 ₹689

214.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₹452

$4.02 ₹387

16.92%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₹251

$2.19 ₹211

18.72%

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

$0.50 ₹48.58

$0.43 ₹41.01

16.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.22

$0.18 ₹17.20

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ₹224

$0.82 ₹79.0

184.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ₹403

$4.17 ₹401

0.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹70.1

$0.63 ₹60.6

15.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.49

$0.52 ₹50.5

-7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₹79.3

$0.68 ₹65.7

20.59%

Eggs

$1.05 ₹101

$0.69 ₹66.3

52.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ₹661

$7.03 ₹676

-2.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₹374

$2.31 ₹222

68.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₹220

$2.92 ₹281

-21.58%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 ₹79.8

$0.87 ₹83.7

-4.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₹125

$1.25 ₹121

4.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₹63.0

$0.47 ₹45.12

38.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₹54.8

$0.55 ₹52.8

3.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₹56.3

$0.52 ₹49.89

11.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.9

$0.60 ₹58.1

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.81

$0.35 ₹33.96

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 ₹406

$3.80 ₹366

11.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₹787

$7.26 ₹699

12.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₹200

$1.43 ₹138

45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 ₹315

$3.44 ₹331

-4.94%

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

$6.98 ₹672

$6.15 ₹592

13.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹21.17

$0.30 ₹29.06

-26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.69 ₹451

$8.87 ₹854

-47.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.23

$1.18 ₹114

-68.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₹132

$1.78 ₹172

-23.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹114

$1.22 ₹117

-3.28%

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

$17.3K ₹1.7M

-0.06%

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

$24.8K ₹2.4M

$24.5K ₹2.4M

1.19%

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

$50.2 ₹4,834

$45.62 ₹4,392

10.04%

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

$5.08 ₹489

$4.75 ₹457

6.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.62 ₹830

$9.75 ₹939

-11.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 ₹2,234

$15.99 ₹1,539

45.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 ₹1,141

$6.92 ₹666

71.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₹452

$2.97 ₹286

58.25%

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

$118 ₹11.4K

$80.3 ₹7,728

47.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,379 ₹325.3K

$1,749 ₹168.4K

93.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.21 ₹2,812

$25.49 ₹2,454

14.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.19 ₹3,003

$22.94 ₹2,209

35.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ₹5,445

$49.98 ₹4,812

13.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.55 ₹3,904

$28.57 ₹2,751

41.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 ₹67.1K

$126 ₹12.2K

451.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.4K

$75.5 ₹7,269

373.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 ₹171.7K

$275 ₹26.4K

549.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 ₹81.3K

$181 ₹17.5K

365.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,047 ₹582.2K

$878 ₹84.5K

588.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,517 ₹242.4K

$563 ₹54.2K

346.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$787 ₹75.8K

$207 ₹19.9K

280.66%

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): July 13, 2026

Last update for Thanjavur: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $697 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $126 in Thanjavur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 281% 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: $23.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $7.00 in Thanjavur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $127 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 ($763 vs $410 including rent). Thanjavur is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 281% 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: $697 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 11% 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 $23.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $410 in Thanjavur versus $763 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.