Mumbai’s seven islands and cost of living
Historically, Mumbai developed from a group of seven islands, later joined by causeways, embankments, and other land-reclamation projects. Today it is one continuous urban landmass, not seven separate islands.
Synthetic illustration of historical geography.
Mumbai can appear inexpensive in international price comparisons, but calling it “one of the cheapest cities” without naming an index and year is misleading. Numbeo’s 2026 mid-year cost-of-living index (excluding rent, New York = 100) scores it at 25.8; housing and rent are nevertheless expensive within India, and indices that include housing produce a different picture.
