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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $449 in Shillong versus $779 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $696 in Shillong versus $1,255 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $944 in Shillong versus $1,732 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Living in Shillong costs roughly 42% less than in Mumbai (Bombay), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shillong 67% lower, Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.39 ₹133

$5.32 ₹506

-73.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.66 ₹1,016

$22.40 ₹2,133

-52.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.56 ₹434

$4.63 ₹441

-1.51%

Cappuccino

$1.18 ₹112

$2.52 ₹240

-53.17%

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

$0.36 ₹34.42

$0.51 ₹48.25

-29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 ₹11.37

$0.15 ₹14.64

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ₹136

$2.28 ₹217

-37.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 ₹313

$3.95 ₹376

-16.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.65 ₹61.9

$0.75 ₹71.1

-13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 ₹34.80

$0.51 ₹48.81

-27.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.52 ₹49.58

$0.77 ₹73.7

-32.47%

Eggs

$0.85 ₹81.2

$1.08 ₹103

-21.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 ₹420

$7.14 ₹680

-38.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 ₹316

$3.88 ₹370

-14.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 ₹176

$2.30 ₹219

-19.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 ₹71.9

$0.81 ₹77.3

-7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 ₹87.6

$1.26 ₹120

-26.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 ₹57.3

$0.64 ₹60.7

-6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 ₹29.61

$0.58 ₹54.8

-46.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 ₹34.14

$0.63 ₹60.1

-42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 ₹35.09

$0.64 ₹61.0

-42.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹15.80

$0.33 ₹31.00

-48.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 ₹389

$4.20 ₹400

-2.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.63 ₹441

$8.25 ₹786

-43.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 ₹146

$2.17 ₹207

-29.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₹267

$3.40 ₹324

-17.35%

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

$4.21 ₹401

$7.03 ₹670

-40.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₹28.77

$0.24 ₹22.97

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.88 ₹846

$4.51 ₹430

96.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 ₹72.8

$0.37 ₹34.87

105.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₹141

$1.41 ₹135

4.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₹110

$1.19 ₹113

-3.36%

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

$13.9K ₹1.3M

$17.4K ₹1.7M

-19.74%

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

$18.0K ₹1.7M

$24.5K ₹2.3M

-26.68%

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

$39.75 ₹3,786

$50.8 ₹4,838

-21.74%

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

$3.31 ₹315

$4.81 ₹458

-31.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.70 ₹543

$8.75 ₹834

-34.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$4.59 ₹437

$23.11 ₹2,201

-80.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.93 ₹565

$11.99 ₹1,142

-50.54%

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 ₹284

$4.71 ₹448

-36.73%

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

$32.18 ₹3,065

$122 ₹11.6K

-73.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,908 ₹181.7K

$3,393 ₹323.2K

-43.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.38 ₹2,418

$29.14 ₹2,776

-12.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.62 ₹3,393

$30.61 ₹2,916

16.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.79 ₹4,361

$55.2 ₹5,253

-16.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.26 ₹4,025

$39.74 ₹3,786

6.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 ₹24.2K

$705 ₹67.1K

-64.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 ₹15.0K

$357 ₹34.0K

-55.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 ₹44.4K

$1,792 ₹170.7K

-73.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 ₹30.4K

$825 ₹78.6K

-61.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,436 ₹613.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,627 ₹250.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$438 ₹41.7K

$744 ₹70.9K

-41.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.38

9.22

-19.96%

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

Last update for Shillong: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $254 in Shillong and $705 in Mumbai (Bombay). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 70% 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: $11.00 in Shillong vs $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $94.0 vs $129 per month, with Shillong 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

Shillong vs Mumbai (Bombay): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shillong and Mumbai (Bombay) differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($449 vs $779 including rent). Shillong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mumbai (Bombay) earns 70% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $254 in Shillong versus $705 in Mumbai (Bombay). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Mumbai (Bombay). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Shillong – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $449 in Shillong versus $779 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $1,000 budget is realistic in Shillong but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Shillong 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 Shillong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.