Is Mumbai expensive? What things really cost in 2026
Short answer
Mumbai is India's most expensive city, especially for hotels, but cheap by Western standards: a budget day is about ₹3,600 (roughly US$42) per person and a mid-range day about ₹9,300. Street food and local trains cost very little; rooms in Colaba and Fort, and smart restaurants, are where the money goes.
Daily budget: backpacker, mid-range, luxury
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | ₹2,000 | ₹5,000 | ₹14,000 |
| Food & drink | ₹800 | ₹2,000 | ₹5,000 |
| Sights & tickets | ₹500 | ₹1,500 | ₹3,500 |
| Local transport | ₹300 | ₹800 | ₹2,000 |
| Per person, per day | ₹3,600 | ₹9,300 | ₹24,500 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Mumbai day-cost table.
What things cost
| Item | Typical price* |
|---|---|
| Vada pav from a station stall | about ₹20–50 |
| Pav bhaji at Chowpatty | about ₹120–250 a plate |
| Bhel puri or sev puri | about ₹60–120 |
| Local train Churchgate–Bandra, second class | about ₹10 |
| Metered taxi ride in south Mumbai | about ₹100–300 |
| Elephanta ferry, return | roughly ₹250–300 |
| Elephanta Caves entry for foreigners | about ₹600 |
| Mid-range hotel double in Colaba or Fort | about ₹7,000–12,000 |
* Approximate prices, October 2026. They change with season and exchange rates.
Where the money goes
Accommodation is the big cost: even simple Colaba guesthouses cost about ₹3,000–5,000 a night, mid-range hotels in Colaba, Fort or Bandra ₹7,000–13,000, and sea-view hotels on Marine Drive ₹18,000–50,000, with GST of 12–18% added. Food can be extremely cheap at stalls, Irani cafés and lunch homes, or expensive in hotel restaurants and seafood places like Trishna. Sights have separate, higher prices for foreigners, such as the Elephanta Caves and the CSMVS museum. Transport is cheap with trains and metered taxis; long road journeys to the airport are slow rather than costly.
When it is cheaper
During the monsoon (June to September) hotel rates are often lower, sometimes by roughly 20–30%; prices peak around Christmas, New Year and the November–February season.
How to spend less
- Eat street snacks and lunch at Fort's lunch homes and Irani cafés instead of hotel restaurants.
- Use local trains outside rush hours for long north–south trips.
- Take Uber or Ola, or insist on the meter in black-and-yellow taxis.
- Use the Metro Line 3 (Aqua Line) between the Fort area and the airport to avoid slow, expensive taxi rides.
- Ask the price of fish such as pomfret or lobster before it is cooked; it is priced by size.
- Stay in Colaba's back streets rather than on Marine Drive or near the Taj.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Common questions
Is Mumbai expensive?
It is India's most expensive city, mainly for hotels, but cheap by Western standards: about ₹3,600 a day on a budget.
Do hotels add tax in Mumbai?
Yes, GST of 12–18% depending on the room rate; check whether quoted prices include it.
How much is street food in Mumbai?
Vada pav costs about ₹20–50 and a plate of pav bhaji about ₹120–250.