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: $763 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $344 in Thoothukudi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,248 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $583 in Thoothukudi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,733 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $822 in Thoothukudi.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 122% more expensive than Thoothukudi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Thoothukudi 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.20 ₹488

$0.94 ₹88.5

453.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.16 ₹2,080

$9.05 ₹850

144.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ₹426

$4.63 ₹434

-1.94%

Cappuccino

$2.62 ₹246

$1.41 ₹132

85.82%

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

$0.50 ₹47.34

$0.43 ₹40.53

16.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.28

$0.18 ₹16.54

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 ₹224

$1.70 ₹160

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 ₹373

$2.88 ₹270

37.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 ₹73.7

$0.70 ₹65.7

11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹48.23

$0.46 ₹43.27

10.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 ₹76.3

$0.65 ₹60.6

24.62%

Eggs

$1.04 ₹97.2

$0.76 ₹71.4

36.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.06 ₹663

$3.55 ₹333

98.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 ₹356

$3.06 ₹287

24.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ₹216

$2.24 ₹210

3.12%

Banana (1kg)

$0.76 ₹71.8

$0.77 ₹71.9

-1.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ₹123

$1.08 ₹102

21.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 ₹61.9

$0.54 ₹50.7

22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 ₹50.5

$0.49 ₹45.91

10.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ₹55.9

$0.59 ₹55.6

1.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹60.3

$0.71 ₹67.0

-9.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.09

$0.35 ₹33.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 ₹386

$4.61 ₹433

-10.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.81 ₹733

$7.86 ₹737

-0.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 ₹202

$1.28 ₹120

68.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 ₹306

$1.66 ₹156

96.39%

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

$6.95 ₹653

$3.30 ₹310

110.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹20.54

$0.56 ₹52.6

-60.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.75 ₹446

$17.64 ₹1,655

-73.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 ₹31.32

$0.54 ₹50.6

-38.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ₹127

$1.18 ₹111

14.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ₹116

$1.18 ₹110

5.08%

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

$17.8K ₹1.7M

$11.6K ₹1.1M

53.24%

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

$24.6K ₹2.3M

$16.0K ₹1.5M

54.39%

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

$50.8 ₹4,769

$28.31 ₹2,657

79.48%

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

$4.84 ₹454

$3.15 ₹296

53.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.83 ₹829

$7.19 ₹675

22.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 ₹2,177

$20.60 ₹1,933

12.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 ₹1,112

$2.11 ₹198

461.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 ₹446

$1.73 ₹162

174.57%

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

$118 ₹11.1K

$46.17 ₹4,333

155.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,350 ₹314.4K

$2,405 ₹225.7K

39.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.41 ₹2,760

$26.65 ₹2,501

10.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.15 ₹2,924

$20.60 ₹1,934

51.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 ₹5,158

$22.44 ₹2,106

144.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.05 ₹3,759

$25.21 ₹2,366

58.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$691 ₹64.9K

$106 ₹9,911

554.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 ₹33.1K

$64.2 ₹6,026

448.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,822 ₹171.0K

$406 ₹38.1K

349.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$845 ₹79.3K

$234 ₹21.9K

261.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,634 ₹622.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,639 ₹247.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$730 ₹68.5K

$289 ₹27.1K

152.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

8.5

8.47%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): April 21, 2026

Last update for Thoothukudi: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $691 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $106 in Thoothukudi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 153% 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 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $9 in Thoothukudi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $128 vs $101 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 122% in total monthly costs ($763 vs $344 including rent). Thoothukudi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 153% 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: $691 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $106 in Thoothukudi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% 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 $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $344 in Thoothukudi versus $763 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 122% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.