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: $779 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $269 in Vellore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,255 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $477 in Vellore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,732 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $685 in Vellore.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 190% more expensive than Vellore, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Vellore 80% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 ₹506

$1.39 ₹132

282.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.40 ₹2,133

$7.39 ₹704

203.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ₹441

$2.40 ₹229

92.92%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₹240

$1.30 ₹123

93.85%

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

$0.51 ₹48.25

$0.40 ₹37.94

27.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.64

$0.15 ₹14.57

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 ₹217

$1.73 ₹165

31.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 ₹376

$3.42 ₹326

15.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹71.1

$0.55 ₹52.2

36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₹48.81

$0.43 ₹41.37

18.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.7

$0.69 ₹66.1

11.59%

Eggs

$1.08 ₹103

$0.84 ₹79.9

28.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 ₹680

$2.03 ₹194

251.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 ₹370

$2.45 ₹233

58.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ₹219

$1.71 ₹163

34.50%

Banana (1kg)

$0.81 ₹77.3

$0.72 ₹68.1

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ₹120

$0.96 ₹91.0

31.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 ₹60.7

$0.32 ₹30.61

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₹54.8

$0.37 ₹34.77

56.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₹60.1

$0.52 ₹49.87

21.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ₹61.0

$0.24 ₹22.97

166.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.00

$0.28 ₹26.84

17.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ₹400

$1.70 ₹162

147.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 ₹786

$3.66 ₹349

125.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 ₹207

$1.84 ₹175

17.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ₹324

$2.78 ₹265

22.30%

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

$7.03 ₹670

$5.74 ₹547

22.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹22.97

$0.28 ₹26.27

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.51 ₹430

$8.89 ₹847

-49.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 ₹34.87

$0.45 ₹42.58

-17.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₹33.71

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ₹135

$1.19 ₹113

18.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹113

$1.20 ₹115

-0.83%

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

$17.4K ₹1.7M

$11.2K ₹1.1M

55.11%

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

$24.5K ₹2.3M

$17.0K ₹1.6M

44.25%

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

$50.8 ₹4,838

$35.59 ₹3,390

42.71%

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

$4.81 ₹458

$3.44 ₹327

39.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.75 ₹834

$4.26 ₹406

105.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.11 ₹2,201

$8.67 ₹826

166.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.99 ₹1,142

$5.08 ₹484

136.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 ₹448

$2.29 ₹218

105.68%

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

$122 ₹11.6K

$31.38 ₹2,989

287.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,393 ₹323.2K

$1,293 ₹123.1K

162.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.14 ₹2,776

$9.39 ₹895

210.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.61 ₹2,916

$20.72 ₹1,973

47.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.2 ₹5,253

$21.83 ₹2,079

152.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.74 ₹3,786

$26.62 ₹2,535

49.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 ₹67.1K

$63.0 ₹5,999

1019.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ₹34.0K

$35.13 ₹3,346

915.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 ₹170.7K

$183 ₹17.5K

877.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹78.6K

$179 ₹17.1K

360.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 ₹613.1K

$1,104 ₹105.1K

483.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,627 ₹250.2K

$673 ₹64.1K

290.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 ₹70.9K

$314 ₹29.9K

137.14%

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): May 31, 2026

Last update for Vellore: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $63.0 in Vellore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 137% 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 $7.00 in Vellore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $129 vs $81.0 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 190% in total monthly costs ($779 vs $269 including rent). Vellore is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 137% 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: $705 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $63.0 in Vellore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 59% 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 $7.00 versus $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $269 in Vellore versus $779 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 190% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.