Mumbai is one of the costliest cities to live in India as well as globally. Depending on your standard of living and lifestyle, the metropolitan city has the highest Cost of living. The per month cost of living in Mumbai can differ for couples, students, bachelors, and families. It also depends on the spending habit, commuting patterns, and type of home ownership. However, a general idea can be derived through compiling a detailed list of expenses for various things like food, lodging, commute, and other daily essentials. All these contribute to the per month cost of living in Mumbai.
Average cost of living in Mumbai
The most expensive city in India as per Mercer’s 2021 Cost of Living Survey, Mumbai is still the most expensive city in India for ex-pats. It is also one of the top 20 most expensive cities in Asia. However, globally, the Cost of living for Mumbai went down to 78th position, 18 positions down. New Delhi also dropped 16 places, and Chennai was down by 15. Bengaluru and Kolkata gained one and four spots, respectively.
The estimated average Cost of living in Mumbai includes different types of expenditure that one must bear to live in this city. The evaluation is for a family. It comprises many costs like owning or renting a home, outdoor food expenses, commuting, electricity bill, education costs, car fuel, internet expenses, and the bare minimum Cost for buying vegetables and fruits. To analyse the average Cost of living, we estimate various expenditures.
The detailed fees under all these heads are as below:
| Types of expenxes | Average cost |
| Meal for two people in a decent restaurant | INR 1,800 |
| A monthly pass for transport (local) | INR 360 |
| Taxi fare (per km) | INR 26 |
| Car fuel (per week) | INR 106 |
| Electricity bill (basic utility for a month) for an 850-sq ft apartment | INR 4,027 |
| Broadband Bill for a month | INR 792 |
| Yearly school fee (for primary classes) | INR 238,489 |
| Monthly gym membership | INR 2,124 |
| Cost of 1BHK apartment | INR 1.5 crores – Rs 2 crores |
| Rent of 1BHK apartment | INR 35,000 |
| Fruits (1kg) | INR 151 |
| Vegetables (1kg) | INR 101 |
Average cost of living in Mumbai for a couple
1. Average apartment buying price and rent in Mumbai
A 1 BHK apartment costs between INR 30,000 to 60,000 monthly. This Cost of living in Mumbai with rent depends on the property size, housing society, location, amenities, and property. Buying a 1 BHK property in Mumbai costs around INR 80 lakhs – Rs 1.5 crores. This will depend on the site and the quality of construction. The Cost will increase if you move closer to the city.
2. Costs of maintaining household
The usual household costs include electricity, cook/maid, and Wi-Fi bills. It usually comes to INR 15,000 according to the housing society and other factors.
3. Costs of transportation:
Using a public transport system will reduce your expenses, and it might vary from INR 1,000 to INR 2,000 as per your level of comfort(AC/Non-AC). If you travel using a private vehicle, the fuel costs can be between INR 5,000 to INR 6,000. Having two vehicles will increase the transportation cost as you must consider the additional car parking charges, car maintenance costs, cleaning costs, and fuel charges. This expenditure adds up to monthly INR 20,000.
| Types of expenses | Average cost |
| The average rent for couples | INR 45,000 per month |
| Household cost | INR 15,000 per month |
| Transportation cost | INR 20,000 per month |
Cost of living in Mumbai for couples with children
1. Average apartment buying price and rent in Mumbai
To rent a 2 BHK apartment in the city in the suburbs and away from the city centre, be ready to spend an average of INR 45,000 per month. Navi Mumbai & Thane are two suburbs of Mumbai at affordable prices. However, if you live in these areas, you will have to spend a lot on commuting. On the other hand, if you want to buy a 2 BHK apartment in the western suburbs, the minimal costs are INR 2.5 crores.
2. Costs of maintaining a household
A household with a working couple and a child has expenses like food, school fees, clothing, maintenance charges, maid salary, and other expenditure to maintain a lifestyle (eating out, movies, and a few more alike.). These expenditures vary from INR 25,000 to INR 30,000. For any childcare service like a full-time nanny or daycare for a pre-school child, the monthly cost ranges from INR 5,000-10,000—the annual fees for a decent primary school cost around INR 1.5 lakhs – 4 lakhs.
3. Costs of transportation
If you own a private vehicle, you may have to spend on car fuel between INR 5,000 to INR 6,000. It is dependent on the distance travelled. If your office or society doesn’t have a parking area, you might have to spend on parking charges.
| Types of expenses | Average cost |
| The average rent for family | INR 45,000 per month |
| Household cost | INR 25,000 per month |
| Transportation cost | INR 20,000 per month |
Cost of living in Mumbai for a bachelor
If you are a bachelor in Mumbai, your cost of living may go down substantially. There are many things on which cost cutting can be down. First, you can share an apartment, utility bills, and other essential costs. You can find a decent co-living space in Mumbai between INR 10,000-20,000 per bed as per the facilities available and the location. If you opt for meal facilities with living, the monthly costs can go up to INR 30,000.
1. Average Rent in Mumbai for bachelors
As most facilities and amenities are already included in the co-living accommodations, bachelors might not have to pay additional charges. Maintenance, broadband, and electricity are usually a part of the accommodation costs for bachelors. But if you opt for an option to live independently, be ready to shell out an extra of about INR 5,000 per month for meeting additional living costs in Mumbai.
2. Cost of transportation
Mumbai has a great connection in terms of local transportation through the local train network, Metros, and BEST buses. A monthly pass for local trains varies between INR 350 to INR 700 as per your comfort level (AC/Non-AC) and the daily travelling distance.
3. Living expenses in Mumbai for bachelors:
Depending upon your frequency of going out, living costs in Mumbai will vary from person to person. An average movie ticket costs INR 300 per person, and eating out in an average hotel costs Rs 350 – Rs 500 per head.
| Types of expenses | Average cost |
| The average rent for a bachelor | INR 15,000 per month |
| Household cost | INR 5,000 per month |
| Transportation costs | INR 350 – Rs 700 per month |
| Lifestyle cost | INR 2,000 – Rs 4,000 per month |
Mumbai PG & shared accommodations for students
Mumbai is one of the most expensive cities, and it is difficult for students to find a well-connected locality. But there are some localities in the city where students can get affordable options. It includes rented apartments, shared accommodations, and PG facilities.
| The locality of Mumbai | Average rent |
| Lower Parel | INR 18,000 per month |
| Navi Mumbai | INR 20,000 per month |
| Chembur | INR 12,000 per month |
| Thane | INR 18,000 per month |
| Powai | INR 20,000 per month |
Mumbai cost of living: property prices
| Configuration | Average Rent in Mumbai (western suburbs) | Average Property price (western suburbs) |
| 1 BHK | INR 30,000 per month | INR 1.5 crores |
| 2 BHK | INR 50,000 per month | INR 2.5 crores |
| 3 BHK | INR 80,000 per month | INR 3.5 crores |
Does rent increase the overall cost of living in Mumbai city?
The rents in Mumbai vary from locality to locality. Among the wide range of options that are available for home hunters, only a few are reasonable. For instance, the average monthly rent in Thane or Navi Mumbai localities is affordable and ranges between INR 7000 to INR 15,000. But if you wish to live in the more expensive localities like Juhu or South Mumbai, this rent can be from INR 50,000 to INR 1 lakh per location. You can look at the below data to understand the costliest and the most affordable areas in Mumbai for housing.
List of affordable areas in Mumbai for buying
| Area | Avg property price (per sq ft) |
| Andheri west | INR 24,025 |
| Chembur | INR 22,936 |
| Borivali west | INR 21,712 |
| Thane west | INR 13,342 |
| Mira Road east | INR 8,521 |
| Kharghar | INR 7,666 |
| Kalyan west | INR 6,892 |
| Ulwe | INR 6,463 |
| Dombivali east | INR 6,163 |
| virar west | INR 5,502 |
List of affordable areas in Mumbai for renting
| Area | Avg rent per month |
| Andheri west | INR 29,000 |
| Andheri east | INR 24,700 |
| Chembur | INR 23,700 |
| Thane west | INR 12,342 |
| Kharghar | INR 10,666 |
Mumbai cost of living: healthcare
A recent report by Housing.com ranked the Mumbai Metropolitan fourth in terms of Healthcare facilities. The parameters included the number of beds, liveability, and air quality. Below we list down the findings as per Numbeo.com.
| Component of healthcare | Satisfaction % |
| Skill/competency of staff | 72% |
| Speed in sharing reports | 72% |
| Modern equipment for diagnosis and treatment | 73% |
| Accuracy in filling reports | 71% |
| Friendliness of the staff | 64% |
| Satisfaction with waiting time in medical institutions | 54% |
| Pride in terms of cost (for you) | 56% |
| Convenience in terms of location (for you) | 74% |
Average salary in Mumbai
Depending upon the position of the candidate and the industry, the average salary in Mumbai varies. It also depends on the location and the skills of the candidate. As per LinkedIn, the annual average wage in Mumbai is INR 4.4 lakh. However, the average salary in Mumbai goes up to as high as INR 8.5 lakh.
1. The average salary in Mumbai as per industry
| Industry | Avg salary per annum |
| Finance | INR 7.1 lakhs |
| Energy and mining | INR 6.5 lakhs |
| Recreation and travel | INR 6.3 lakhs |
| Entertainment | INR 6 lakhs |
| Transportation and logistics | INR 5.5 lakhs |
2. The average salary in Mumbai as per the field
| Field of study | Average salary per annum |
| Civil Engineering | INR 5.9 lakhs |
| Mathematics | INR 5.8 lakhs |
| Electronics | INR 5.4 lakhs |
| Electrical Engineering | INR 5.3 lakhs |
| Computer Programming | INR 5.2 lakhs |
Cost of living in Mumbai: is it worth it?
It depends on the lifestyle that you want and on your outlook. Mumbai is one of the most expensive cities to live in compared to the amount required to attain a good quality of life in other cities. However, Mumbai has many opportunities with higher starting salaries than any other city. The city has ample green cover, a robust public transportation system, and open spaces. If you are into remote working, you can also save commuting time. Suburbs like Thane and Navi Mumbai Thane offer a better quality of life as they have more open spaces and less traffic congestion than central Mumbai. Ultimately, the decision depends on the job you have and also your salary package.
If you are a family of four, the estimated monthly cost of living in Mumbai is approximately INR 1 lakh without rent. If you are a bachelor, the estimated monthly cost is INR 30,000. (source: Numbeo.com)
Cost of living in Mumbai: FAQs
Mumbai is a metropolitan and offers decent annual salaries across industries. In Mumbai, the average yearly salary is approximately INR 9 lakhs. This can, of course, vary as per the experience, the organisation, and the role in the organisation.
The minimum salary required will largely depend upon your lifestyle. But an average monthly salary of INR 40,000 can be enough for an individual to survive in Mumbai.
Depending upon your lifestyle and standard of living, the average monthly salary for living a comfortable life is INR 60,000.
For a family of four, the estimated monthly cost of living in Mumbai for a family of four is approximately INR 1 lakh. For a bachelor, the estimated monthly cost comes to INR 30,000. It is an approximate figure and can vary per your lifestyle and living area. (source: Numbeo.com)
Yes, Mumbai is one of the top 20 expensive cities in Asia.
Renting an apartment can be expensive if you are a first-time student or a professional living alone in Mumbai. Consider living in shared accommodation in the city with a few friends. It would help if you chose to lodge close to your educational institute or workplace. You can use the local trains as an affordable option for travel.
Mumbai is very expensive for ex-pats in India. It ranks among the top 20 expensive cities in Asia as per Mercer’s 2021 Cost of Living Survey. As Mumbai is the financial capital of India, it is preferred by many ex-pats. It is also very crowded, with a well-developed infrastructure, the best healthcare facilities, and a cosmopolitan culture.
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