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: $781 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $345 in Thoothukudi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,281 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $583 in Thoothukudi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,781 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $821 in Thoothukudi.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 127% more expensive than Thoothukudi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Thoothukudi 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.13 ₹489

$0.91 ₹87.0

463.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.35 ₹2,131

$9.02 ₹860

147.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.69 ₹447

$4.55 ₹434

3.08%

Cappuccino

$2.65 ₹253

$1.46 ₹139

81.51%

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

$0.47 ₹44.67

$0.46 ₹44.12

2.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.23

$0.19 ₹17.81

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹217

$1.78 ₹169

28.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 ₹393

$2.98 ₹284

38.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 ₹70.4

$0.69 ₹65.9

7.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 ₹49.68

$0.43 ₹40.83

20.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 ₹79.7

$0.60 ₹56.8

40.00%

Eggs

$1.07 ₹102

$0.80 ₹76.7

33.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.05 ₹672

$3.63 ₹346

94.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ₹375

$3.07 ₹293

28.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 ₹223

$2.25 ₹215

4.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.3

$0.75 ₹71.7

2.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ₹125

$1.08 ₹103

21.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹60.8

$0.51 ₹48.29

25.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 ₹50.1

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹59.8

$0.59 ₹56.3

6.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ₹65.9

$0.73 ₹69.6

-5.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.55

$0.35 ₹33.75

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 ₹397

$4.63 ₹442

-10.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.59 ₹819

$8.10 ₹772

6.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₹204

$1.27 ₹121

68.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₹309

$1.65 ₹157

96.36%

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

$7.22 ₹688

$3.44 ₹328

109.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹23.02

$0.60 ₹57.4

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.73 ₹451

$17.46 ₹1,665

-72.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.01

$0.54 ₹51.2

-31.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ₹136

$1.13 ₹108

26.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₹117

$1.17 ₹112

4.27%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$11.9K ₹1.1M

46.44%

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

$25.4K ₹2.4M

$16.4K ₹1.6M

54.49%

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

$51.2 ₹4,877

$28.19 ₹2,688

81.45%

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

$5.03 ₹479

$3.15 ₹300

59.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.65 ₹825

$6.86 ₹654

26.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.99 ₹2,192

$21.27 ₹2,028

8.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.83 ₹1,128

$2.13 ₹203

455.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 ₹432

$1.71 ₹163

164.91%

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

$121 ₹11.6K

$46.73 ₹4,455

159.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,356 ₹320.0K

$2,364 ₹225.4K

41.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.19 ₹2,783

$26.61 ₹2,537

9.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.76 ₹2,933

$20.07 ₹1,913

53.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ₹5,399

$21.70 ₹2,069

160.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.02 ₹3,911

$25.15 ₹2,398

63.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 ₹66.3K

$107 ₹10.2K

547.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 ₹33.4K

$64.3 ₹6,135

443.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,778 ₹169.6K

$410 ₹39.1K

333.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$835 ₹79.6K

$236 ₹22.5K

254.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,331 ₹603.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,639 ₹251.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$737 ₹70.2K

$277 ₹26.4K

165.64%

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): June 7, 2026

Last update for Thoothukudi: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $695 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $107 in Thoothukudi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 166% 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 $9.00 in Thoothukudi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $130 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 127% in total monthly costs ($781 vs $345 including rent). Thoothukudi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 166% 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: $695 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $107 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 $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $345 in Thoothukudi versus $781 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 127% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.