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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $337 in Shimla versus $763 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $539 in Shimla versus $1,248 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $742 in Shimla versus $1,733 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Living in Shimla costs roughly 56% less than in Mumbai (Bombay), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shimla 75% lower, Mumbai (Bombay) 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 ₹167

$5.20 ₹488

-65.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$5.90 ₹554

$22.16 ₹2,080

-73.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.56 ₹334

$4.54 ₹426

-21.59%

Cappuccino

$0.93 ₹87.2

$2.62 ₹246

-64.50%

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

$0.31 ₹29.53

$0.50 ₹47.34

-38.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.11

$0.15 ₹14.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 ₹152

$2.38 ₹224

-31.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₹216

$3.97 ₹373

-42.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 ₹70.7

$0.78 ₹73.7

-3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 ₹41.38

$0.51 ₹48.23

-13.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.64 ₹59.8

$0.81 ₹76.3

-20.99%

Eggs

$0.86 ₹80.3

$1.04 ₹97.2

-17.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.36 ₹409

$7.06 ₹663

-38.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 ₹347

$3.80 ₹356

-2.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ₹185

$2.31 ₹216

-14.72%

Banana (1kg)

$0.70 ₹65.5

$0.76 ₹71.8

-7.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 ₹76.7

$1.31 ₹123

-37.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 ₹52.3

$0.66 ₹61.9

-15.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 ₹32.54

$0.54 ₹50.5

-35.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 ₹41.34

$0.60 ₹55.9

-26.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.22 ₹20.63

$0.64 ₹60.3

-65.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₹31.54

$0.35 ₹33.09

-2.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 ₹418

$4.11 ₹386

8.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.26 ₹494

$7.81 ₹733

-32.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 ₹159

$2.16 ₹202

-21.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₹211

$3.26 ₹306

-30.98%

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

$5.91 ₹555

$6.95 ₹653

-14.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₹20.53

$0.22 ₹20.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.78 ₹824

$4.75 ₹446

84.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 ₹77.8

$0.33 ₹31.32

151.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₹110

$1.35 ₹127

-12.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹111

$1.24 ₹116

-4.03%

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

$15.0K ₹1.4M

$17.8K ₹1.7M

-15.87%

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

$19.7K ₹1.8M

$24.6K ₹2.3M

-20.12%

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

$19.05 ₹1,788

$50.8 ₹4,769

-62.51%

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

$3.45 ₹324

$4.84 ₹454

-28.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.69 ₹721

$8.83 ₹829

-12.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.60 ₹1,370

$23.20 ₹2,177

-37.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.20 ₹676

$11.85 ₹1,112

-39.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 ₹323

$4.75 ₹446

-27.58%

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

$46.07 ₹4,324

$118 ₹11.1K

-61.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,352 ₹220.8K

$3,350 ₹314.4K

-29.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.31 ₹3,127

$29.41 ₹2,760

13.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.80 ₹2,704

$31.15 ₹2,924

-7.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.18 ₹4,334

$55.0 ₹5,158

-15.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.10 ₹2,731

$40.05 ₹3,759

-27.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$94.6 ₹8,878

$691 ₹64.9K

-86.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.3 ₹5,467

$352 ₹33.1K

-83.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 ₹20.9K

$1,822 ₹171.0K

-87.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 ₹13.0K

$845 ₹79.3K

-83.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$955 ₹89.6K

$6,634 ₹622.6K

-85.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$515 ₹48.3K

$2,639 ₹247.7K

-80.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$577 ₹54.1K

$730 ₹68.5K

-20.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

9.22

-10.52%

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

Last update for Shimla: April 20, 2026

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $95 in Shimla and $691 in Mumbai (Bombay). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 27% 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: $6 in Shimla vs $22 in Mumbai (Bombay) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $100 vs $128 per month, with Shimla 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

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

Shimla and Mumbai (Bombay) differ by about 127% in total monthly costs ($337 vs $763 including rent). Shimla is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mumbai (Bombay) earns 27% 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: $94.6 in Shimla versus $691 in Mumbai (Bombay). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Mumbai (Bombay). For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Shimla – a meal for two runs $6.00 versus $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay). If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $337 in Shimla versus $763 in Mumbai (Bombay), a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shimla but tight or insufficient in Mumbai (Bombay). The gap between the two cities makes Shimla 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.

Safety-wise, Shimla and Mumbai (Bombay) are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Shimla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 127% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.