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: $755 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $349 in Thoothukudi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,245 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $589 in Thoothukudi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,735 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $829 in Thoothukudi.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 116% more expensive than in Thoothukudi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 ₹511

$0.89 ₹86.2

494.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.98 ₹2,123

$9.24 ₹892

137.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.60 ₹444

$4.76 ₹460

-3.36%

Cappuccino

$2.51 ₹243

$1.40 ₹135

79.29%

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

$0.48 ₹46.18

$0.46 ₹44.84

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.25

$0.17 ₹16.38

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ₹228

$1.76 ₹170

34.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 ₹398

$2.83 ₹273

45.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 ₹75.0

$0.65 ₹63.1

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.79

$0.43 ₹41.13

11.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 ₹80.4

$0.63 ₹61.2

31.75%

Eggs

$1.04 ₹100

$0.82 ₹79.0

26.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.03 ₹679

$3.55 ₹343

98.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.82 ₹369

$3.09 ₹298

23.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 ₹231

$2.15 ₹207

11.16%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹78.6

$0.77 ₹74.0

5.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 ₹122

$1.04 ₹100

22.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 ₹63.5

$0.53 ₹51.5

24.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₹55.5

$0.50 ₹48.20

14.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 ₹60.1

$0.59 ₹57.3

5.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ₹66.6

$0.68 ₹65.8

1.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.86

$0.35 ₹33.90

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ₹400

$4.79 ₹462

-13.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 ₹791

$7.76 ₹750

5.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹210

$1.27 ₹123

70.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 ₹331

$1.66 ₹160

106.02%

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

$6.90 ₹666

$3.28 ₹317

110.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹23.22

$0.56 ₹53.6

-57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.53 ₹437

$17.23 ₹1,664

-73.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.33 ₹32.16

$0.53 ₹51.2

-37.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ₹132

$1.18 ₹114

15.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ₹119

$1.22 ₹118

0.82%

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

$17.2K ₹1.7M

$11.5K ₹1.1M

49.55%

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

$24.5K ₹2.4M

$16.2K ₹1.6M

51.88%

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

$49.57 ₹4,786

$27.85 ₹2,689

77.99%

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

$4.84 ₹468

$3.15 ₹304

53.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.63 ₹834

$7.11 ₹687

21.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.66 ₹2,188

$20.96 ₹2,023

8.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.92 ₹1,151

$2.04 ₹197

484.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 ₹461

$1.77 ₹171

170.06%

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

$119 ₹11.5K

$46.98 ₹4,536

152.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,308 ₹319.4K

$2,424 ₹234.0K

36.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.54 ₹2,852

$26.21 ₹2,530

12.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.45 ₹2,940

$20.39 ₹1,969

49.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.9 ₹5,304

$22.37 ₹2,160

145.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.92 ₹3,854

$25.40 ₹2,453

57.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$689 ₹66.5K

$107 ₹10.3K

545.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 ₹34.8K

$64.6 ₹6,241

456.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,796 ₹173.4K

$407 ₹39.3K

341.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$846 ₹81.7K

$236 ₹22.8K

258.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,201 ₹598.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,550 ₹246.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$768 ₹74.2K

$274 ₹26.4K

180.71%

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): July 20, 2026

Last update for Thoothukudi: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $689 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $107 in Thoothukudi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 181% 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 $100 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 116% in total monthly costs ($755 vs $349 including rent). Thoothukudi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 181% 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: $689 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 30% 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 $349 in Thoothukudi versus $755 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 116% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.