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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $786 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $330 in Thoothukudi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,295 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $560 in Thoothukudi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $790 in Thoothukudi.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 138% more expensive than in Thoothukudi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Thoothukudi 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 ₹493

$1.21 ₹115

326.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.80 ₹1,987

$8.66 ₹827

140.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.30 ₹410

$3.60 ₹344

19.44%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₹253

$1.29 ₹123

105.43%

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

$0.37 ₹35.56

$0.39 ₹37.56

-5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.27

$0.12 ₹11.60

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 ₹258

$1.69 ₹161

59.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 ₹405

$2.06 ₹196

105.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 ₹66.4

$0.60 ₹57.5

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.29

$0.38 ₹36.32

26.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.8

$0.60 ₹57.7

26.67%

Eggs

$1.02 ₹97.7

$0.69 ₹65.8

47.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.75 ₹549

$3.27 ₹313

75.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 ₹337

$2.69 ₹257

31.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ₹213

$1.95 ₹187

14.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 ₹69.0

$0.73 ₹69.3

-1.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 ₹117

$1.03 ₹98.7

19.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 ₹46.68

$0.46 ₹44.25

6.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 ₹33.36

$0.36 ₹34.64

-2.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.30

$0.52 ₹49.48

-23.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ₹47.27

$0.56 ₹54.0

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹30.09

$0.30 ₹28.52

3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 ₹487

$5.20 ₹497

-1.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹788

$7.95 ₹759

3.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₹195

$1.12 ₹107

82.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ₹288

$1.51 ₹144

100.00%

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

$6.22 ₹594

$3.01 ₹288

106.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹19.09

$0.51 ₹48.92

-60.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.93 ₹567

$15.90 ₹1,519

-62.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 ₹31.57

$0.50 ₹48.13

-34.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.67

$0.13 ₹12.85

153.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ₹156

$1.17 ₹112

39.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₹109

$1.11 ₹106

2.70%

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

$16.4K ₹1.6M

$10.7K ₹1.0M

53.21%

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

$22.4K ₹2.1M

$14.9K ₹1.4M

50.84%

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

$60.1 ₹5,739

$32.65 ₹3,120

83.98%

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

$4.37 ₹417

$3.12 ₹299

40.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.32 ₹890

$7.08 ₹677

31.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.53 ₹2,631

$19.06 ₹1,821

44.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.67 ₹1,306

$1.89 ₹180

623.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 ₹442

$1.58 ₹151

192.41%

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

$118 ₹11.3K

$41.76 ₹3,990

182.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,970 ₹474.8K

$1,892 ₹180.7K

162.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.94 ₹3,338

$26.09 ₹2,493

33.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.94 ₹3,625

$18.05 ₹1,724

110.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.3 ₹5,758

$19.94 ₹1,905

202.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.94 ₹4,771

$26.80 ₹2,561

86.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 ₹61.2K

$99.4 ₹9,499

544.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 ₹35.4K

$58.4 ₹5,581

534.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,937 ₹185.0K

$376 ₹35.9K

415.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 ₹83.0K

$209 ₹20.0K

314.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,174 ₹589.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,428 ₹232.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$810 ₹77.4K

$284 ₹27.1K

185.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.36

8.6

-2.79%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): September 7, 2026

Last update for Thoothukudi: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $641 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $99.4 in Thoothukudi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 185% 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 $9.00 in Thoothukudi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $117 vs $91.0 per month, with Thoothukudi 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 Thoothukudi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mumbai (Bombay) and Thoothukudi differ by about 138% in total monthly costs ($786 vs $330 including rent). Thoothukudi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 185% 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: $641 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $99.4 in Thoothukudi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Mumbai (Bombay). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Thoothukudi – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $330 in Thoothukudi versus $786 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $2,000 budget is realistic in Thoothukudi but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Thoothukudi 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.

Expats usually find Thoothukudi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 138% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.