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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $779 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $382 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,255 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $604 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,732 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $827 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 104% more expensive than Thiruvananthapuram, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Thiruvananthapuram 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 ₹509

$2.27 ₹218

134.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.40 ₹2,145

$13.73 ₹1,315

63.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ₹443

$4.31 ₹413

7.42%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₹241

$1.80 ₹172

40.00%

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

$0.51 ₹48.51

$0.33 ₹32.00

54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.72

$0.23 ₹22.04

-34.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹218

$1.71 ₹164

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ₹378

$3.47 ₹332

13.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.4

$0.60 ₹57.2

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹49.08

$0.54 ₹51.6

-5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹74.1

$0.63 ₹60.7

22.22%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹103

$0.99 ₹95.1

9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 ₹684

$5.93 ₹568

20.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₹372

$2.40 ₹230

61.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₹220

$2.42 ₹231

-4.96%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.8

$0.71 ₹68.3

14.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹121

$1.27 ₹122

-0.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹61.1

$0.58 ₹55.6

10.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹55.1

$0.52 ₹49.75

11.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.5

$0.61 ₹58.4

3.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.4

$0.51 ₹48.81

25.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.17

$0.30 ₹29.08

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ₹402

$3.59 ₹344

16.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹790

$6.70 ₹641

23.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹208

$1.48 ₹142

46.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₹326

$2.81 ₹269

21.00%

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

$7.03 ₹674

$4.82 ₹462

45.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹23.10

$0.17 ₹15.89

41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.51 ₹432

$6.36 ₹609

-29.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.06

$0.96 ₹91.5

-61.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₹135

$1.79 ₹171

-21.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹114

$1.24 ₹119

-4.03%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$18.9K ₹1.8M

-8.14%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$21.5K ₹2.1M

14.21%

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

$50.8 ₹4,864

$28.02 ₹2,684

81.26%

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

$4.81 ₹461

$3.39 ₹324

41.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.75 ₹838

$7.98 ₹764

9.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 ₹2,213

$16.57 ₹1,587

39.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 ₹1,148

$11.88 ₹1,137

0.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 ₹451

$2.35 ₹225

100.43%

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

$122 ₹11.6K

$30.59 ₹2,929

297.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,393 ₹325.0K

$1,959 ₹187.6K

73.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 ₹2,791

$18.05 ₹1,729

61.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 ₹2,932

$15.97 ₹1,530

91.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 ₹5,282

$33.82 ₹3,239

63.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.74 ₹3,806

$22.06 ₹2,113

80.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₹67.5K

$144 ₹13.8K

390.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.2K

$89.9 ₹8,609

296.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 ₹171.6K

$281 ₹26.9K

538.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹79.1K

$173 ₹16.6K

376.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 ₹616.4K

$678 ₹64.9K

849.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,627 ₹251.6K

$428 ₹41.0K

514.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ₹71.3K

$241 ₹23.1K

208.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

-23.17%

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

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

Last update for Thiruvananthapuram: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $144 in Thiruvananthapuram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 208% 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 $14.00 in Thiruvananthapuram for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $129 vs $107 per month, with Thiruvananthapuram 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 Thiruvananthapuram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mumbai (Bombay) and Thiruvananthapuram differ by about 104% in total monthly costs ($779 vs $382 including rent). Thiruvananthapuram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 208% 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 $144 in Thiruvananthapuram. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Mumbai (Bombay). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Thiruvananthapuram – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $382 in Thiruvananthapuram versus $779 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $1,000 budget is realistic in Thiruvananthapuram but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Thiruvananthapuram 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 Thiruvananthapuram 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 Thiruvananthapuram gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.