India’s commercial centre, Mumbai is a city of contrasts with old-world architecture next to modern skyscrapers and opulent neighbourhoods juxtaposed by shanty towns. The cost of living in Mumbai is surprisingly steep, but expats will likely be able to enjoy life in the “city of dreams”, thanks to lucrative employment packages.

Mercer’s 2022 Cost of Living Survey ranks Mumbai as 127th out of 227 cities worldwide, making it the most expensive Indian city, followed by New Delhi at 155th, Chennai at 177th and Bengaluru at 178th.


Cost of accommodation in Mumbai

As is usually the case in most cities, accommodation in Mumbai’s city centre will set expats back far more than housing in the outlying areas and suburbs of the city. Competition in the rental market is also quite fierce, further adding to the sky-high costs of housing in Mumbai. Expats may also find the size of flats in the city jarring, as space in Mumbai is quite limited.

New arrivals who would like to reduce their living expenses can consider house shares. Expats will also need to account for utilities and property maintenance in their monthly budget.


Cost of healthcare in Mumbai

While India has an adequate public healthcare system, hospitals in Mumbai generally have varying standards, ranging from excellent to poor. For that reason, most expats choose to access private healthcare, and as a budding medical tourism destination, Mumbai boasts exceptional and affordable private healthcare. Still, most expats elect to secure health insurance to easily access private hospitals and have their prescription medication taken care of.


Cost of education in Mumbai

Expat parents will be glad to know that most public schools in Mumbai teach in English and offer a rigorous curriculum, making them a viable option for their children. That said, the standard of the facilities and class sizes at public schools may not be quite what many expats are used to, so they prefer to send their children to private or international schools. These are significantly pricier but offer a range of curricula and facilities. Fortunately, many expat parents working in Mumbai receive an educational allowance to subsidise tuition fees.


Cost of groceries and eating out in Mumbai

As the home of the Bollywood scene, the lifestyle and restaurant scene in Mumbai is sure to be one for the books. Mumbai has eateries and street food spots to suit every palate and budget, with different types of Indian cuisine as well as Asian and European fare on offer.

The cost of groceries in Mumbai will largely depend on an expat’s preferences, local seasonal produce and brands are inexpensive while imported Western goods will drive the grocery bill up.


Cost of living in Mumbai chart

Prices may vary depending on product and service provider. The list below shows average prices for Mumbai in November 2022.

Accommodation (monthly rent)

Three-bedroom apartment in the city centre

INR 113,000

Three-bedroom apartment outside the city centre

INR 55,000

One-bedroom apartment in the city centre

INR 41,500

One-bedroom apartment outside the city centre

INR 23,300

Shopping

Eggs (dozen)

INR 80

Milk (1 litre)

INR 61

Rice (1kg)

INR 69

Loaf of white bread 

INR 41

Chicken breasts (1kg)

INR 301

Pack of cigarettes (Marlboro)

INR 350

Eating out

Big Mac Meal

INR 300

Coca-Cola (330ml)

INR 38

Cappuccino

INR 204

Bottle of local beer

INR 200

Three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant

INR 1,500

Utilities

Mobile-to-mobile call rate (per minute)

INR 0.93

Internet (uncapped ADSL or cable – average per month)

INR 775

Basic utilities (per month for a small apartment)

INR 3,600

Transport

City-centre bus/train fare

INR 20

Taxi (rate per km)

INR 25

Petrol/gasoline per litre

INR 109.84

Expat Health Insurance

Cigna Health Insurance -

Cigna Global

If you’re thinking about taking out private health insurance, our trusted partner Cigna Global is very aware of all the difficulties that expats can face when it comes to healthcare in a new location, so they have created a range of international health insurance plans specifically designed for expats, which you can tailor exactly to the needs and ensure access to quality care for you and your family.

Get a quote from Cigna Global

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