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: $336 in Shimla versus $781 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $540 in Shimla versus $1,281 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $744 in Shimla versus $1,781 in Mumbai (Bombay).

Living in Shimla costs roughly 57% less than in Mumbai (Bombay), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shimla 75% lower, Mumbai (Bombay) 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.69 ₹161

$5.13 ₹488

-67.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$5.85 ₹556

$22.35 ₹2,126

-73.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.44 ₹327

$4.69 ₹446

-26.65%

Cappuccino

$0.95 ₹90.8

$2.65 ₹252

-64.15%

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

$0.31 ₹29.95

$0.47 ₹44.56

-34.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 ₹15.75

$0.19 ₹18.19

-10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₹151

$2.28 ₹217

-30.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 ₹224

$4.12 ₹392

-42.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 ₹66.1

$0.74 ₹70.2

-5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 ₹39.39

$0.52 ₹49.55

-21.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 ₹64.4

$0.84 ₹79.5

-19.05%

Eggs

$0.93 ₹88.5

$1.07 ₹102

-13.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.38 ₹417

$7.05 ₹671

-37.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 ₹352

$3.93 ₹374

-5.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 ₹188

$2.34 ₹223

-15.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.75 ₹71.7

$0.77 ₹73.1

-2.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.76 ₹72.8

$1.31 ₹125

-41.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 ₹52.9

$0.64 ₹60.6

-12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 ₹35.35

$0.53 ₹50.0

-30.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 ₹41.53

$0.63 ₹59.7

-30.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.22 ₹20.81

$0.69 ₹65.7

-68.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 ₹32.12

$0.35 ₹33.47

-2.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ₹423

$4.16 ₹396

6.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.73 ₹640

$8.59 ₹817

-21.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ₹166

$2.14 ₹203

-18.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₹221

$3.24 ₹309

-28.40%

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

$5.86 ₹558

$7.22 ₹686

-18.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₹22.89

$0.24 ₹22.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.93 ₹849

$4.73 ₹450

88.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 ₹75.2

$0.37 ₹34.92

113.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ₹113

$1.43 ₹136

-16.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ₹113

$1.22 ₹116

-2.46%

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

$15.0K ₹1.4M

$17.4K ₹1.7M

-13.42%

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

$19.7K ₹1.9M

$25.4K ₹2.4M

-22.52%

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

$19.70 ₹1,874

$51.2 ₹4,865

-61.49%

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

$3.54 ₹337

$5.03 ₹478

-29.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.79 ₹740

$8.65 ₹823

-9.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.61 ₹1,389

$22.99 ₹2,186

-36.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.04 ₹669

$11.83 ₹1,125

-40.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.45 ₹328

$4.53 ₹431

-23.84%

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

$46.45 ₹4,418

$121 ₹11.5K

-61.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,348 ₹223.3K

$3,356 ₹319.1K

-30.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.14 ₹3,247

$29.19 ₹2,776

16.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.64 ₹2,723

$30.76 ₹2,925

-6.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.27 ₹4,496

$56.6 ₹5,385

-16.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.50 ₹2,805

$41.02 ₹3,901

-28.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$93.2 ₹8,865

$695 ₹66.1K

-86.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$57.5 ₹5,464

$350 ₹33.3K

-83.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 ₹21.4K

$1,778 ₹169.1K

-87.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 ₹13.2K

$835 ₹79.4K

-83.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$958 ₹91.1K

$6,331 ₹602.1K

-84.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$522 ₹49.7K

$2,639 ₹251.0K

-80.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 ₹51.9K

$737 ₹70.1K

-25.91%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Mumbai (Bombay): June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $93.2 in Shimla and $695 in Mumbai (Bombay). Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mumbai (Bombay) pays 35% 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: $6.00 in Shimla vs $22.00 in Mumbai (Bombay) for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $103 vs $130 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 133% in total monthly costs ($336 vs $781 including rent). Shimla is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mumbai (Bombay) earns 35% 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: $93.2 in Shimla versus $695 in Mumbai (Bombay). Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% 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 $336 in Shimla versus $781 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 133% less than in Mumbai (Bombay). Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.