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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $763 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $271 in Vellore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,259 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $479 in Vellore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,754 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $687 in Vellore.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 182% more expensive than in Vellore, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower, Vellore 80% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.17 ₹498

$1.42 ₹137

264.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.50 ₹2,167

$7.61 ₹733

195.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 ₹452

$2.29 ₹221

105.24%

Cappuccino

$2.60 ₹251

$1.26 ₹121

106.35%

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

$0.50 ₹48.58

$0.36 ₹34.95

38.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 ₹18.22

$0.15 ₹14.14

26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ₹224

$1.73 ₹166

34.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ₹403

$3.46 ₹333

20.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 ₹70.1

$0.55 ₹52.7

32.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 ₹46.49

$0.47 ₹45.28

2.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 ₹79.3

$0.69 ₹66.7

18.84%

Eggs

$1.05 ₹101

$0.81 ₹78.2

29.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ₹661

$2.11 ₹203

225.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.89 ₹374

$2.46 ₹236

58.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 ₹220

$1.71 ₹165

33.92%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 ₹79.8

$0.76 ₹72.9

9.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 ₹125

$0.96 ₹92.0

35.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 ₹63.0

$0.32 ₹31.17

103.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ₹54.8

$0.34 ₹32.40

67.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 ₹56.3

$0.57 ₹54.8

1.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.9

$0.22 ₹21.15

190.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.81

$0.26 ₹24.72

34.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 ₹406

$1.72 ₹165

145.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.18 ₹787

$3.67 ₹353

122.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₹200

$1.86 ₹179

11.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 ₹315

$2.72 ₹262

20.22%

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

$6.98 ₹672

$5.53 ₹533

26.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹21.17

$0.28 ₹26.83

-21.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.69 ₹451

$8.70 ₹837

-46.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹35.23

$0.45 ₹43.23

-17.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ₹34.35

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ₹132

$1.15 ₹111

19.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ₹114

$1.25 ₹120

-5.60%

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

$17.3K ₹1.7M

$11.1K ₹1.1M

55.93%

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

$24.8K ₹2.4M

$16.7K ₹1.6M

48.95%

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

$50.2 ₹4,834

$34.25 ₹3,298

46.57%

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

$5.08 ₹489

$3.26 ₹314

55.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.62 ₹830

$4.23 ₹407

103.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.20 ₹2,234

$8.76 ₹844

164.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.85 ₹1,141

$5.00 ₹481

137.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₹452

$2.35 ₹227

100.00%

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

$118 ₹11.4K

$31.88 ₹3,070

271.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,379 ₹325.3K

$1,278 ₹123.1K

164.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.21 ₹2,812

$9.20 ₹886

217.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.19 ₹3,003

$20.69 ₹1,992

50.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.6 ₹5,445

$21.43 ₹2,063

163.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.55 ₹3,904

$26.64 ₹2,565

52.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 ₹67.1K

$64.9 ₹6,246

973.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.4K

$34.61 ₹3,332

932.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,783 ₹171.7K

$188 ₹18.1K

847.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 ₹81.3K

$182 ₹17.5K

365.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,047 ₹582.2K

$1,122 ₹108.0K

438.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,517 ₹242.4K

$674 ₹64.9K

273.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$787 ₹75.8K

$313 ₹30.2K

151.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.22

6.5

41.85%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): July 13, 2026

Last update for Vellore: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $697 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $64.9 in Vellore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 151% 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: $23.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $8.00 in Vellore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $127 vs $82.0 per month, with Vellore 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 Vellore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mumbai (Bombay) and Vellore differ by about 182% in total monthly costs ($763 vs $271 including rent). Vellore is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 151% 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: $697 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $64.9 in Vellore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Mumbai (Bombay). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Vellore – a meal for two runs $8.00 versus $23.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $271 in Vellore versus $763 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $1,500 budget is realistic in Vellore but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Vellore 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 Vellore gentler on the wallet – expenses run 182% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.