Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mumbai (Bombay) and Thiruvananthapuram

For one person, living is cheaper in Thiruvananthapuram: $391 a month against $782 in Mumbai (Bombay), rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Mumbai (Bombay)
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Mumbai (Bombay) Living Index
19

Cost of Living Index in Thiruvananthapuram
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Thiruvananthapuram Living Index

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Mumbai (Bombay)

🇮🇳 India

$782

/mo nomad

Thiruvananthapuram

🇮🇳 India

$391

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mumbai (Bombay) and in Thiruvananthapuram

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mumbai (Bombay) and in Thiruvananthapuram actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $782 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $391 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Mumbai (Bombay) $782
Thiruvananthapuram $391

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,299 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $615 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Mumbai (Bombay) $1,299
Thiruvananthapuram $615

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,816 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $840 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Mumbai (Bombay) $1,816
Thiruvananthapuram $840

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 100% more expensive than in Thiruvananthapuram, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Thiruvananthapuram 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 ₹511

$2.53 ₹240

112.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.76 ₹1,971

$10.30 ₹978

101.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.19 ₹398

$3.56 ₹338

17.70%

Cappuccino

$2.74 ₹260

$1.83 ₹174

49.73%

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

$0.41 ₹38.77

$0.40 ₹37.90

2.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.04

$0.19 ₹18.28

-15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ₹246

$2.04 ₹194

26.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.17 ₹396

$2.67 ₹254

56.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.2

$0.56 ₹53.5

33.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 ₹50.5

$0.53 ₹50.3

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ₹69.6

$0.56 ₹53.3

30.36%

Eggs

$0.96 ₹91.4

$0.88 ₹83.1

9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.52 ₹524

$5.43 ₹516

1.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 ₹340

$2.69 ₹255

33.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 ₹203

$2.21 ₹210

-3.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 ₹65.5

$0.81 ₹77.3

-14.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 ₹116

$1.15 ₹109

6.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 ₹43.77

$0.45 ₹43.04

2.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 ₹34.24

$0.44 ₹41.89

-18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.39 ₹37.12

$0.49 ₹46.16

-20.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 ₹38.05

$0.57 ₹53.8

-29.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.46

$0.30 ₹28.81

3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 ₹485

$4.47 ₹424

14.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 ₹771

$5.36 ₹509

51.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 ₹185

$1.75 ₹167

11.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₹302

$3.07 ₹292

3.58%

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

$6.17 ₹586

$4.76 ₹452

29.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹18.99

$0.20 ₹18.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.39 ₹512

$2.91 ₹276

85.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 ₹29.39

$1.68 ₹160

-81.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ₹28.01

$0.25 ₹23.54

16.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 ₹151

$2.58 ₹245

-38.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹104

$1.11 ₹105

-0.90%

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

$15.9K ₹1.5M

$13.7K ₹1.3M

16.05%

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

$22.7K ₹2.2M

$30.9K ₹2.9M

-26.38%

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

$61.6 ₹5,846

$35.03 ₹3,327

75.74%

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

$4.25 ₹404

$3.42 ₹325

24.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.01 ₹855

$7.76 ₹737

16.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.24 ₹2,587

$14.02 ₹1,332

94.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.31 ₹1,264

$7.77 ₹737

71.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 ₹416

$2.11 ₹201

107.58%

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

$116 ₹11.0K

$37.77 ₹3,587

206.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,968 ₹471.7K

$2,091 ₹198.5K

137.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.16 ₹3,529

$21.80 ₹2,071

70.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.88 ₹3,787

$17.95 ₹1,705

122.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.9 ₹5,307

$36.91 ₹3,505

51.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.19 ₹4,576

$27.57 ₹2,618

74.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ₹58.0K

$175 ₹16.6K

248.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 ₹33.6K

$98.9 ₹9,390

258.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 ₹173.7K

$361 ₹34.3K

406.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$877 ₹83.3K

$214 ₹20.3K

310.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,877 ₹558.0K

$851 ₹80.8K

590.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,448 ₹232.4K

$453 ₹43.0K

440.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 ₹72.0K

$241 ₹22.9K

214.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.29

10.31

-19.59%

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

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

Last update for Thiruvananthapuram: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mumbai (Bombay)

$354 45.3%

Thiruvananthapuram

$99 25.3% 72.1% $255

Groceries & Markets

Mumbai (Bombay)

$116 14.8%

Thiruvananthapuram

$103 26.4% 10.9% $13

Eating Out

Mumbai (Bombay)

$112 14.3%

Thiruvananthapuram

$71 18.1% 36.8% $41

Clothing & Footwear

Mumbai (Bombay)

$82 10.4%

Thiruvananthapuram

$47 12% 42.4% $35

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mumbai (Bombay)

$75 9.6%

Thiruvananthapuram

$46 11.8% 38.2% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Mumbai (Bombay)

$36 4.6%

Thiruvananthapuram

$18 4.7% 49.3% $18

Getting Around

Mumbai (Bombay)

$8 1%

Thiruvananthapuram

$6.6 1.7% 16.9% $1.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $611 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $175 in Thiruvananthapuram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 215% 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 $10.00 in Thiruvananthapuram for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $116 vs $103 per month, with Thiruvananthapuram cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇳 Mumbai (Bombay)

🇮🇳 Thiruvananthapuram

🕒 Local time

21:21 9:21 PM

Same time as Mumbai (Bombay)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,442,373

744,983

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.37 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Mumbai (Bombay) Thiruvananthapuram 1,250 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Mumbai (Bombay)
Thiruvananthapuram

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 100% in total monthly costs ($782 vs $391 including rent). Thiruvananthapuram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 215% 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: $611 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $175 in Thiruvananthapuram. 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 Thiruvananthapuram – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Thiruvananthapuram gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 100% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.