Which place is cheaper, Mumbai or Leh?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Leh or Mumbai?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as 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, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Leh or Mumbai?
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from New Delhi, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Mumbai, The Best 2-Week Tours from New Delhi, and The Best 2-Week Tours from Mumbai.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayLeh $39Mumbai $69
The average daily cost (per person) in Leh is $39, while the average daily cost in Mumbai is $69. 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Leh and Mumbai in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personLeh $17Mumbai $34
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomLeh $34Mumbai $68
Compare Hotels in Leh and Mumbai
Looking for a hotel in Leh or Mumbai? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Leh Hotel Prices and Mumbai Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Leh $7.87Mumbai $7.78
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Leh
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Leh:
- Leh Airport Transfer: $33
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mumbai
Also for Mumbai, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Mumbai Private Car: Airport to Hotel Transfer: $19
- Airport to Hotel or Hotel to Airport Transfers: $24
- Private Transfer to/from Mumbai Airport: $24
- Private Hotel Transfers to/from Mumbai Airport: $30
- Effortless Mumbai Airport Transfer: Your Private Ride Awaits: $30
- One way Private transfer from Mumbai Airport to Hotel: $34
- One-Way Transfer Airport to Hotel: $36
- Private Hotel Transfers to/from Airport: $36
- Dharavi Tour Including Car Transfer: $42
- Dharavi Tour Including Car Transfer: $43
- Mumbai City Tour With Laundry And Hotel Transfers (South Mumbai): $45
- Private Transfer: Hotel to Mumbai Airport: $47
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.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayLeh $14Mumbai $26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mumbai
For Mumbai, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Hidden Gems and Street Food Tour: $15
- Small Group Authentic Mumbai Virtual Cooking Class with Dessert: $20
- Vegetarian Indian Cuisine Virtual Cooking Class Experience from Mumbai: $20
- Mumbai Food Tour: $20
- Unique Street Food Tour with Local Guide: $24
- Mumbai Food Tour: $25
- Guided Food Tour Through the Vibrant Markets of Old Bombay: $27
- Street Food Tour - Eat like a Local with sunset view: $29
- Street Food Tour: $32
- Indian cusine demonstration cum hands on with Hi Tea / Dinner at a Family home: $33
- Mumbai Street Food Tour with Sun Set View: $38
- Mumbai Street Food Tour with Sunset View: $39
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Leh $14Mumbai $2.66
Tours and Activities in Leh
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Leh are as follows:
- "Leh to Pangong Lake Sameday tour: A Day of Tranquil Wonders: $92
- Discover Leh (Full-Day Guided Tour with a Local in AC Car): $179
- From Srinagar: Private Himalayan 11-Day Tour to Ladakh: $1,507
- LADAKH TOUR: $657
- Leh Food Tasting Trails (2 Hour Guided Walking Tour): $36
- Leh Ladakh Tour 3N 4Day with "Airport pick up and Drop off": $364
- Old Town of Leh Heritage Trails (2 Hour Guided Walking Tour): $24
- Overnight Pangong Tour From Leh & Thikse , Hemis Monasteries: $103
Tours and Activities in Mumbai
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Mumbai.
- Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $3.38
- Malabar District, Scavenger Hunt & Self-Guided Tour: $3.38
- Audio Guided Walking Tour on HopOn India App – From Gateway to Fountain, Mumbai: $5.32
- Elephanta Caves Audio Guided Walking Tour, Mumbai on HopOn India App: $5.34
- Highlights Bus Full-Day Tour in Hindi: $5.37
- Slum Tour: Inside Dharavi's Vibrant Community: $5.37
- Mumbai's Historical Architecture: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.40
- Dharavi Slum Tour with Local guide: $5.97
- Mumbai (Malabar District) Self-Guided Tour: $6.96
- Mumbai Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $6.96
- Dharavi Slum Tour: $7.17
- Dharavi Slum Tour Experience with Local: $8.06
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayLeh $5.58Mumbai $3.69
Sample the Local Flavors in Mumbai
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Mumbai:
- Bombay Party (Bar Crawl): $25
- South Bombay Pub Crawl: $39
- South Bombay Pub Crawl: $39
- South Bombay Pub Crawl: $40
- Mumbai Pub Crawl: History, Iconic Bars, Cocktail Workshop, Stories and Drinks : $90
- Mumbai Private Bar Crawl with City Night Tour: $124
- Nashik: Private Full-Day Wine Tour with Tastings From Mumbai: $128
- Wine Tasting Tour Sula Vineyards Nashik - (Day excursion from Mumbai): $163
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.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Leh Expensive? and Is Mumbai Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Leh or Mumbai?
Mumbai has a larger population, and is about 340 times larger than the population of Leh. When comparing the sizes of Leh and Mumbai, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.