Mumbai, often called the ‘city of dreams,’ continues to be a distant dream for many due to its high cost of living. The city, home to Bollywood, has soaring costs in personal care, energy and utilities, transportation, and housing rentals, according to Mercer’s 2024 Cost of Living survey.

The survey reveals that Mumbai has become even costlier, climbing 11 spots to rank 136th globally. Delhi has also risen, moving up four spots to 164th. However, other Indian cities have seen varied changes: Chennai dropped five places to 189th, Bengaluru fell six spots to 195th, Hyderabad remained unchanged at 202nd, Pune jumped eight spots to 205th, and Kolkata rose four places to 207th.

In 2023, Mumbai dropped 20 places to rank 147th but has since rebounded to 136th. The report attributes this increase in cost-of-living to evolving economic factors. Similarly, Delhi moved from 169th in 2023 to 164th, Kolkata from 211th to 207th, and Pune from 215th to 205th.

Chennai dropped from 184th to 189th, and Bengaluru from 189th to 195th, while Hyderabad stayed stable at 202nd. These fluctuations highlight the dynamic nature of India’s urban economies and their responsiveness to global and local economic forces, the report notes.

Mumbai ranks as the 21st most expensive city in Asia for expatriates, with Delhi holding the 30th position among surveyed locations in the region.