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: $795 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $394 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,311 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $625 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,827 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $855 in Thiruvananthapuram.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 102% more expensive than in Thiruvananthapuram, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 ₹501

$2.57 ₹243

106.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.42 ₹2,023

$10.59 ₹1,001

102.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.29 ₹405

$4.01 ₹379

6.98%

Cappuccino

$2.61 ₹246

$1.89 ₹179

38.10%

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

$0.41 ₹38.29

$0.41 ₹38.44

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.06

$0.20 ₹19.15

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ₹245

$2.15 ₹203

20.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 ₹393

$2.67 ₹253

55.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 ₹65.7

$0.55 ₹51.9

25.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 ₹46.05

$0.56 ₹52.6

-12.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ₹68.9

$0.60 ₹56.4

21.67%

Eggs

$0.95 ₹89.6

$0.82 ₹77.2

15.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.69 ₹537

$5.29 ₹500

7.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ₹329

$2.86 ₹270

21.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 ₹222

$2.21 ₹209

5.88%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 ₹63.4

$0.73 ₹68.7

-8.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 ₹114

$1.15 ₹109

4.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 ₹47.21

$0.46 ₹42.99

8.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 ₹35.57

$0.48 ₹45.43

-20.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.18

$0.48 ₹45.34

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ₹46.17

$0.52 ₹48.76

-5.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹27.00

$0.30 ₹28.42

-3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.98 ₹470

$4.31 ₹407

15.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 ₹777

$5.23 ₹494

57.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₹199

$1.79 ₹169

17.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ₹298

$3.15 ₹297

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

$5.95 ₹562

$5.00 ₹472

19.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹18.87

$0.20 ₹18.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.88 ₹556

$2.95 ₹279

99.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 ₹29.07

$1.76 ₹166

-82.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.28

$0.27 ₹25.53

22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 ₹146

$2.61 ₹246

-40.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹104

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

$16.2K ₹1.5M

$10.5K ₹995.3K

54.08%

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

$22.6K ₹2.1M

$27.2K ₹2.6M

-16.89%

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

$59.1 ₹5,584

$34.30 ₹3,240

72.33%

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

$4.38 ₹414

$3.46 ₹327

26.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.34 ₹883

$8.04 ₹760

16.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.20 ₹2,570

$14.11 ₹1,333

92.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.11 ₹1,333

$7.75 ₹732

82.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 ₹437

$2.13 ₹201

116.90%

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

$118 ₹11.1K

$33.02 ₹3,120

256.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,947 ₹467.4K

$1,983 ₹187.4K

149.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.63 ₹3,177

$20.54 ₹1,940

63.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.59 ₹3,646

$19.63 ₹1,854

96.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 ₹5,648

$37.75 ₹3,566

58.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.89 ₹4,619

$25.98 ₹2,454

88.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 ₹61.6K

$180 ₹17.0K

262.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ₹33.6K

$97.5 ₹9,208

265.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 ₹180.2K

$355 ₹33.6K

436.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$863 ₹81.5K

$217 ₹20.5K

298.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,242 ₹589.7K

$667 ₹63.0K

836.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,324 ₹219.5K

$431 ₹40.7K

439.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$804 ₹75.9K

$238 ₹22.5K

237.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.36

10.64

-21.43%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): August 30, 2026

Last update for Thiruvananthapuram: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $652 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $180 in Thiruvananthapuram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 238% 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 $11.00 in Thiruvananthapuram for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $117 vs $103 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 102% in total monthly costs ($795 vs $394 including rent). Thiruvananthapuram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 238% 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: $652 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $180 in Thiruvananthapuram. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% 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 $11.00 versus $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $394 in Thiruvananthapuram versus $795 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 102% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.