Mumbai - Post Report Question and Answers
What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
It's dynamic and big. You will get frustrated, but never bored. There are lots of things that can make Mumbai a difficult place to live (the noise, pollution, traffic, bad customer service, etc.), but the good news is that if you're on a western salary, you can pay to mitigate these annoyances, to some degree (ok, not the pollution...but you can get multiple air purifiers). - Jul 2023
So much will depend on where you live. I live within walking distance of my work, which is amazing (and will be hard to lose!). Some other parts of the city have more nightlife and shopping. As the traffic has been getting really bad, you will have to decide, but I would prioritize proximity to work and school to avoid sudden traffic jams. Also, you can get anything and everything delivered direct to your apartment. I am not looking forward to having to go to the grocery store every time I need eggs. - May 2023
International travel is easy, interior travel is very affordable. - Feb 2023
You get to save a lot of money. - Aug 2021
25% equity, warm weather, cheap living. - Nov 2020
The rich culture, the restaurant scene, low cost of household help, the shopping, inexpensive flights to all over the region, English-speaking locals, great school, and an abundance of in-country travel opportunities. - Aug 2019
None. - Jan 2019
I personally have not experienced any but some people seem to like it. - May 2018
Help is very cheap and day-to-day expenses are cheap for expats. You're living in the 1%. - Jun 2017
Rich history, great food, many things to see and buy. People are very friendly. Food is cheap, as long as it's not expat food. - Aug 2015
Indian culture is very rich and varied. Every day there is something amazing to see. Shopping is fantastic, people are friendly, traveling around the country is inexpensive and exciting. - Nov 2014
Everything except alcohol is cheap. Having a driver, a cook, a nanny, someone to give you a foot massage, a manicure, all of that is so cheap and can be done at your apartment. Medicine is very cheap. Internal flights are very reasonable. It is always warm. The internal tourism is very interesting and vast -- mountains, lakes, beaches, sea, rivers, all climates, etc. If you like history, this is a great place. Essentially if you like living like a king, this is a good place to be. As a king would do, you must ignore the poverty around you (which of course is sad and difficult for most people to do). - Mar 2014
Second oldest inhabited place in the world, some of the hottest, wettest, driest places in the world. You can (potentially) see snow, beaches, and the desert in one day. - Feb 2014
There are a ton of travel opportunities from the Himalayas in the North to the beaches down South. If you love to travel then it's a great place to be. Each part of India is very distinct in terms of what there is to see, eat, and do so you get to experience a lot of different things within one country. Rent is probably the biggest expense here and is ridiculously over-priced in neighborhoods popular with expats. Besides that, most things are reasonable. You'll pay more for foreign food but at least it's available and there's a good supply of items at places like Nature's Basket, Food Hall and smaller stores such as Choice in Pali Market. There are lots of dining out options that range from very cheap to what you would expect to pay at a nice, Western restaurant. - Feb 2014
The culture. You can spend years exploring the vast cultural patrimony. Of course, Mumbai is a modern city, so you see less cultural sites, and more of a working city. Flights are very cheap to everywhere in Asia from Bombay. The food has been great - everything from Indian to Western food. - Aug 2013
Disclaimer: I try to stay positive and grateful, but as I am leaving and do feel that brutal honesty is a gift to those who visit this site and want to understand what it's like to live in a place by reading multiple perspectives, I am going to lay it all on the table! It may sound bitter and negative at times, but I just want to share the truth so that others who are contemplating moving to Mumbai/India fully know what they're getting into. In my opinion, there isn't a lot that's "special" about living in Mumbai/India that can't be had elsewhere for a better price, higher quality, and generally less stress and hassle. The only thing that was truly "worth it" was the Taj Mahal. I think if you're coming as tourist, it can be exciting to experience the sights, sounds, and colors of India, but to live here and have to deal with it all on a daily basis is another story. I used to feel that there was no such thing as pointless travel; there were always unique experiences to be had and lessons to be learned. Then I moved to India and realized that life is too damn short! Some enjoy the festivals, Indian food, and Bollywood obsession--though for me the novelty wore off pretty quickly. - May 2013
Mumbai is well-connected to both domestic and international transportation, so it's a great jumping-off point for travel in India and Asia. It's the most cosmopolitan city in India. There is a wide variety of good restaurants. Domestic help is good and inexpensive. - Feb 2013
The produce is great, both the quality and variety available--from pomegranates, to fresh figs, beautiful tomatoes, mangoes, etc. It's easy to reach Asian destinations from Mumbai. There are lots of direct and affordable flights. Within Mumbai, you can get almost anything delivered, including ice cream, donuts, groceries, and DVDs. - Dec 2010
