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: $795 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $258 in Vellore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,311 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $447 in Vellore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,827 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $637 in Vellore.

Living in Mumbai (Bombay) is roughly 208% more expensive than in Vellore, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower, Vellore 81% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 ₹503

$1.26 ₹119

320.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.42 ₹2,033

$6.78 ₹644

215.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.29 ₹407

$2.16 ₹205

98.61%

Cappuccino

$2.61 ₹248

$2.03 ₹193

28.57%

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

$0.41 ₹38.48

$0.39 ₹36.81

5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 ₹13.12

$0.15 ₹14.16

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ₹246

$1.54 ₹146

68.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 ₹395

$3.23 ₹307

28.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 ₹66.0

$0.52 ₹48.99

32.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 ₹46.28

$0.54 ₹51.4

-9.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ₹69.2

$0.65 ₹62.1

12.31%

Eggs

$0.95 ₹90.0

$0.78 ₹74.2

21.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.69 ₹540

$1.86 ₹177

205.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ₹330

$2.34 ₹222

48.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 ₹223

$1.60 ₹152

46.25%

Banana (1kg)

$0.67 ₹63.7

$0.70 ₹66.3

-4.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 ₹114

$0.83 ₹78.5

44.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 ₹47.44

$0.27 ₹25.32

85.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 ₹35.75

$0.30 ₹28.08

26.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₹38.37

$0.38 ₹36.13

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 ₹46.40

$0.32 ₹30.78

53.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹27.14

$0.26 ₹24.55

11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.98 ₹472

$1.56 ₹148

219.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 ₹781

$3.70 ₹351

122.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 ₹200

$1.64 ₹156

28.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 ₹299

$2.58 ₹245

22.09%

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

$5.95 ₹565

$5.23 ₹496

13.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 ₹18.96

$0.24 ₹22.89

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.88 ₹558

$5.11 ₹485

15.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 ₹29.21

$0.42 ₹39.82

-26.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ₹31.43

$0.28 ₹26.53

17.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 ₹147

$1.05 ₹99.4

47.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₹105

$1.09 ₹104

0.92%

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

$16.2K ₹1.5M

$10.2K ₹969.2K

59.01%

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

$22.6K ₹2.1M

$15.0K ₹1.4M

50.92%

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

$59.1 ₹5,612

$30.03 ₹2,851

96.84%

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

$4.38 ₹416

$4.03 ₹383

8.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.34 ₹887

$4.18 ₹397

123.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.20 ₹2,582

$8.06 ₹766

237.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.11 ₹1,340

$4.82 ₹457

192.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 ₹439

$2.43 ₹230

90.12%

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

$118 ₹11.2K

$49.29 ₹4,679

138.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,947 ₹469.7K

$1,438 ₹136.5K

243.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.63 ₹3,193

$8.42 ₹800

299.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.59 ₹3,664

$18.78 ₹1,783

105.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 ₹5,675

$21.94 ₹2,083

172.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.89 ₹4,642

$25.62 ₹2,432

90.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 ₹61.9K

$58.0 ₹5,502

1025.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ₹33.8K

$31.49 ₹2,990

1030.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,907 ₹181.1K

$171 ₹16.2K

1015.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$863 ₹81.9K

$156 ₹14.8K

453.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,242 ₹592.6K

$1,095 ₹103.9K

470.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,324 ₹220.6K

$670 ₹63.6K

247.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$804 ₹76.3K

$312 ₹29.6K

157.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.36

6.5

28.62%

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

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): August 30, 2026

Last update for Vellore: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $652 in Mumbai (Bombay) and $58.0 in Vellore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 158% 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: $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) vs $7.00 in Vellore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $117 vs $77.0 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 208% in total monthly costs ($795 vs $258 including rent). Vellore is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 158% 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: $652 in Mumbai (Bombay) versus $58.0 in Vellore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% 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 $21.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $258 in Vellore versus $795 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 208% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.