Should you visit Leh or Mumbai?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Leh and Mumbai. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Leh
Leh is a small town located in the Indus river valley at a crossroads of the old trading routes from Kashgar, Tibet, and Kashmir. Today, the town is best known for its Buddhist sites and nearby trekking areas. It is situated in northern India, amidst the mountainous Himalayan range.
Mumbai
Mumbai is the largest city in India and the capital of Maharashtra state. It is still occasionally referred to as Bombay, but most people know it now as Mumbai. It's the commercial capital of the country and is a major port city. It's also famous for Bollywood, which is the movie capital of the country and famous for it's music filled Bollywood flicks that have become popular around the world. Mumbai is arguably the most cosmopolitan city in India and has some of the most liberal views of an otherwise conservative country. Many immigrants and expats live in Mumbai and it's easy to see the blend of cultures.
Which city is cheaper, Mumbai or Leh?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Leh is $35, while the average daily cost in Mumbai is $59. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Leh and Mumbai in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $30 for a double occupancy room in Leh.
The prices for places to stay in Mumbai can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $28, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $56.
Food
On average, meal and food prices in Leh cost around $12 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $4.80.
In Mumbai travelers spend around $23 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
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Food
Meals for one day
Leh $12
Mumbai $23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mumbai
For Mumbai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Virtual Authentic Indian Tea and Paratha Cooking Class:
$14
-
Lonely Planet Experience: Mumbai's Food Tour:
$20
-
Vegetarian Indian Cuisine Virtual Cooking Class Experience from Mumbai:
$20
-
Mumbai Food Tour:
$20
-
Small Group Authentic Mumbai Virtual Cooking Class with Dessert:
$20
-
Withlocals The 10 Tastings: Mumbai Private Food Tour:
$24
-
Mumbai Half-Day Street Food Tour:
$25
-
Mumbai Street Food Tour:
$26
-
LIVE cooking experience from India:
$28
-
Indian cusine demonstration cum hands on with Hi Tea / Dinner at a Family home:
$35
-
Indian cusine demonstration cum hands on with Hi Tea / Dinner at a Family home:
$35
-
Private Authentic Thali Cooking Class in Mumbai, Santacruz:
$39
Local Transportation
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $7.06 per day to get around in Leh.
To get around in Mumbai, the average visitor spends $6.97 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Leh
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Leh:
-
Leh- Transfers+Hotel+Sightseeing:
$253
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mumbai
Also for Mumbai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Private Airport Transfer: from Mumbai to Chhatrapati Shivaji Int. Airport (BOM):
$18
-
Private Airport Transfer: Chhatrapati Shivaji Int. Airport (BOM) to Mumbai:
$18
-
Mumbai City Tour With Laundry And Hotel Transfers (South Mumbai):
$22
-
Dharavi Slum Tour with Laundry And Hotel Transfer (South Mumbai):
$22
-
Airport Transfer - Chhatrapati Shivaji Intl. Airport, Mumbai to Mumbai Hotels:
$22
-
Airport Transfer-Mumbai Hotels to Chhatrapati Shivaji Intl Airport (BOM), Mumbai:
$24
-
Departure Private Transfer Mumbai City to Mumbai Airport BOM by Sedan Car:
$25
-
Mumbai Airport Transfers in PVT car:
$25
-
Affordable transfer from Mumbai Airport to Pune:
$28
-
Mumbai Airport Transfer in Private Vehicle:
$28
-
Private Transfer from Mumbai to your Accommodation in Pune:
$29
-
Departure Private Transfer Mumbai City to Mumbai Airport BOM by SUV:
$31
Is it cheaper to fly into Leh or Mumbai?
Prices for flights to both Mumbai and Leh change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $13 per person, per day in Leh. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
In Mumbai, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $2.39 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Leh
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Leh are as follows:
-
6 Day Private Wonders of Ladakh Tour:
$490
-
6 Days Leh Ladakh Backpacker Tour:
$153
-
7 Days Private Ladakh Tour - Simply Awesome:
$450
-
9-Day Guided Motorcycle Tour into Ladakh’s Landscapes:
$1,749
-
Audio Guided Tour of Leh Bazaar – Life in Leh:
$4.46
-
Enchanting Ladakh Tour:
$833
-
Excellent Leh-Ladakh Tour:
$381
-
Full Day Leh Monasteries Tour (Shey, Thiksey & Hemis):
$140
-
Heritage & Cultural Walk of Leh (2 Hours Guided Walking Tour):
$21
-
LBE | Tour De Ladakh | June 2020:
$510
-
LBE | Ultimate Ladakh Experience I | July 2020:
$535
-
LEH LADAKH TOUR (5 Nights /6 Days):
$450
Tours and Activities in Mumbai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Mumbai.
-
Bandra Private Tour:
$4.90
-
Audio Guided Island City Car Tour, Mumbai:
$5.00
-
Elephanta Caves Audio Guided Walking Tour, Mumbai:
$5.00
-
Audio Guided Tour – From the Gateway to Fountain Walk, Mumbai:
$5.12
-
The Bollywood Walk Audio Guided Tour, Mumbai:
$5.13
-
Audio Guided Tour – Mumbai Cricket Walk by HopOn India:
$5.13
-
Audio Guided Tour of Matunga & Dadar Parsi Colony, Mumbai:
$5.90
-
Half day EsselWorld Bird Park Ticket in Mumbai:
$6.35
-
Dharavi Slum - 2 Hour Private Tour with Guide:
$9.63
-
Colaba Walking Tour in Mumbai:
$9.73
-
Old Mumbai Guided Walking Tour:
$9.73
-
Small-Group Walking Tour of Dharavi Slum in Mumbai:
$10
Alcohol
The average person spends about $5.00 on alcoholic beverages in Leh per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Mumbai, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $3.31.
Sample the Local Flavors in Mumbai
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Mumbai:
-
Bombay Party (Bar Crawl):
$24
-
South Bombay Pub Crawl:
$25
-
Pub Crawl Mumbai:
$25
-
Andheri Pub Crawl:
$39
-
Bar Crawl in Colaba with Hotel Pickup:
$45
-
Half-Day Guided Pub Crawl Tour of Kamala Mills:
$48
-
Mumbai Pub Crawl: History, Iconic Bars, Cocktail Workshop, Stories and Drinks:
$71
-
Wine Tasting Tour Sula Vineyards Nashik - (Day excursion from Mumbai):
$230
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Leh and Mumbai, we can see that Mumbai is more expensive. And not only is Leh much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Leh would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Leh and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Mumbai would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mumbai than you might in Leh.
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