Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mumbai (Bombay) and Thoothukudi

For one person, living is cheaper in Thoothukudi: $325 a month against $813 in Mumbai (Bombay), rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

39

Cost of Living Index in Mumbai (Bombay)
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Mumbai (Bombay) Living Index
16

Cost of Living Index in Thoothukudi
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Thoothukudi Living Index

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Mumbai (Bombay)

🇮🇳 India

$813

/mo nomad

Thoothukudi

🇮🇳 India

$325

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mumbai (Bombay) and in Thoothukudi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mumbai (Bombay) and in Thoothukudi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $813 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $325 in Thoothukudi.

Mumbai (Bombay) $813
Thoothukudi $325

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,352 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $549 in Thoothukudi.

Mumbai (Bombay) $1,352
Thoothukudi $549

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,891 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $774 in Thoothukudi.

Mumbai (Bombay) $1,891
Thoothukudi $774

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 150% more expensive than in Thoothukudi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 40% lower, Thoothukudi 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 ₹508

$1.22 ₹116

338.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.87 ₹1,982

$8.57 ₹813

143.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.08 ₹387

$3.78 ₹359

7.94%

Cappuccino

$2.78 ₹264

$1.35 ₹129

105.93%

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

$0.40 ₹38.23

$0.43 ₹40.43

-6.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.42

$0.14 ₹13.05

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.64 ₹251

$1.68 ₹160

57.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 ₹404

$2.13 ₹202

99.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 ₹70.5

$0.61 ₹58.2

21.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₹51.3

$0.41 ₹38.83

31.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 ₹74.1

$0.57 ₹54.4

36.84%

Eggs

$1.00 ₹95.1

$0.68 ₹64.5

47.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.61 ₹533

$3.35 ₹318

67.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 ₹340

$2.69 ₹255

33.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 ₹206

$2.05 ₹195

5.85%

Banana (1kg)

$0.69 ₹65.8

$0.70 ₹66.6

-1.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 ₹114

$1.05 ₹99.8

15.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 ₹46.33

$0.48 ₹45.66

2.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.33 ₹31.70

$0.37 ₹34.82

-10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₹35.53

$0.47 ₹44.36

-21.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 ₹41.78

$0.52 ₹49.78

-15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 ₹29.64

$0.31 ₹29.53

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.00 ₹475

$4.98 ₹473

0.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.34 ₹792

$7.77 ₹738

7.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₹189

$1.14 ₹108

74.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 ₹296

$1.48 ₹141

110.81%

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

$6.01 ₹570

$3.06 ₹291

96.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹18.95

$0.50 ₹47.94

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.90 ₹655

$15.79 ₹1,499

-56.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 ₹29.84

$0.51 ₹48.77

-39.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ₹29.41

$0.15 ₹14.13

106.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 ₹153

$1.18 ₹112

36.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹105

$1.14 ₹108

-3.51%

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

$15.6K ₹1.5M

$10.5K ₹996.6K

48.54%

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

$22.4K ₹2.1M

$14.5K ₹1.4M

54.51%

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

$61.9 ₹5,872

$32.38 ₹3,074

91.01%

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

$4.52 ₹429

$3.09 ₹293

46.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.97 ₹852

$6.84 ₹649

31.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.11 ₹3,524

$18.69 ₹1,775

98.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.11 ₹1,340

$1.84 ₹174

666.85%

Cinema Ticket

$5.01 ₹475

$1.57 ₹149

219.11%

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

$119 ₹11.3K

$41.53 ₹3,943

186.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,948 ₹469.8K

$1,897 ₹180.1K

160.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.37 ₹3,453

$25.58 ₹2,428

42.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.71 ₹3,675

$17.38 ₹1,650

122.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.7 ₹5,196

$19.89 ₹1,889

175.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.03 ₹4,560

$26.57 ₹2,523

80.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$640 ₹60.7K

$97.9 ₹9,299

553.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 ₹35.3K

$57.7 ₹5,476

544.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,093 ₹198.7K

$371 ₹35.2K

463.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$925 ₹87.8K

$214 ₹20.3K

332.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,706 ₹541.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,560 ₹243.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$757 ₹71.9K

$279 ₹26.5K

171.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.29

8.6

-3.60%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): October 26, 2026

Last update for Thoothukudi: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mumbai (Bombay)

$372 45.7%

Thoothukudi

$58 17.7% 84.5% $314

Groceries & Markets

Mumbai (Bombay)

$117 14.4%

Thoothukudi

$92 28.3% 21.5% $25

Eating Out

Mumbai (Bombay)

$112 13.8%

Thoothukudi

$52 16.1% 53.4% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Mumbai (Bombay)

$80 9.8%

Thoothukudi

$40 12.4% 49.7% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mumbai (Bombay)

$75 9.3%

Thoothukudi

$42 13% 43.9% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Mumbai (Bombay)

$47 5.8%

Thoothukudi

$22 6.7% 53.7% $25

Getting Around

Mumbai (Bombay)

$9.6 1.2%

Thoothukudi

$19 5.9% 99.5% $9.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $640 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $98 in Thoothukudi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays about 2.7 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $21 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $9 in Thoothukudi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $117 vs $92 per month, with Thoothukudi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇳 Mumbai (Bombay)

🇮🇳 Thoothukudi

🕒 Local time

17:42 5:42 PM

Same time as Mumbai (Bombay)

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,442,373

100,000

💱 Currency

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.44 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.53 USD

1,000 INR = 9.44 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Mumbai (Bombay) Thoothukudi 1,270 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

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Mumbai (Bombay)
Thoothukudi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $813 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $325 in Thoothukudi, so Thoothukudi is about 60% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay in Mumbai (Bombay) is about 2.7 times higher, 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: $640 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $98 in Thoothukudi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% 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 versus $21 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Thoothukudi gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Thoothukudi wins on affordability, Mumbai (Bombay) on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.