I can’t believe I am saying this, but my teenage dream of having a life in Mumbai is slowly fading. I grew up watching a lot of K-dramas, nope, not the Korean ones, but the ones dominated by Ekta Kapoor. Won’t lie; my inclination to act was more because of her daily soaps than my father’s genes (who was into theatres for 15 years).
After living for 15 months in Jaipur, I relocated back to Kolkata. But honestly, if I were to look for another place to move, it could have been Mumbai. I mean, I have always wanted to experience life in Mumbai.
People say if you want to know what hustle means, you should build your life in Mumbai. Honestly, I don’t think they are wrong when they say so. Living in Mumbai is attractive. It has the opportunities you expect from a metro city. The city never sleeps, and when you’re in your 20s, you feel this is the kind of life you want.
I am going to turn 30 in four days. Honestly, my childhood dream of having a life in Mumbai is becoming bleak. Am I scared of hustling? I don’t think so. But I sure am afraid of nature and the course it seems to take any moment in Mumbai… well, let me explain!
How is the Mumbai lifestyle?
My cousin works in a bank, and it has been six months since he was transferred from Kharagpur to Mumbai. He has experienced the scary knee-deep monsoon rains, the traffic rush that peaks before and after office hours, and the beauty of Ganesh Chaturthi.
I learned a lot about Mumbai city life from him, and honestly, it didn’t feel like something I’d want to experience. I spent 48 hours in Mumbai, and it was enough for me to figure out that this wasn’t where I wanted to be.
The Mumbai lifestyle boasts of the hustle culture. People definitely have high-paying jobs to pay off rent that isn’t as high anywhere else in India. They slog their a’s for five days a week and party like there’s no tomorrow on Friday nights. By the time they wake up on Saturdays, it is time for Sunday scaries. It is primarily a day of rejuvenation to prepare for another week of slogging that is to follow.
Now, most metros like Bangalore, Delhi and even Kolkata seem to have a similar pattern. But what’s different about Mumbai is that the city never sleeps. You’d think parties start at 8 pm and end by 12 am. But the parties don’t begin before 11 pm and end before 4 am. I thought only SRK parties like that, but he’s quite a trendsetter, believe me!
I assume the unending traffic, the waves by the marine drive, and the city lights that never turn off allow people to have extended parties like these. Honestly, I have travelled in an auto at 1 am feeling like it is just 10 pm because the crowd never leaves you alone.
Living in Mumbai
I am sorry if I limited life in Mumbai to just work and parties, but that sure is a highlight. Our weekly schedule does determine the kind of life we live or aspire to continue. But life in Mumbai goes beyond these basics.
Rent
Life in Mumbai is about paying rent that is over 40,000 INR per month for a 1BHK. Kolkata sure did fail as metro to offer the kind of job opportunities people look for in places like Delhi and Mumbai, but I still wonder how much money can people make to pay off rent as massive as this. For example, a salary that is 1.5 lacs per month and takes away 50,000 INR as rent seems doable, but if one has to pay 30,000 INR as rent with a salary worth 80,000 INR per month then that’s tad tough, ain’t it?
I am currently living in a 3BHK Kolkata with rent that is not even 20,000 INR. But the population of Mumbai has made housing prices skyrocket like no other. While Pune tops the charts when it comes to having the most real estate investments as of 2024, followed by the top metro cities, Mumbai remains one of the most aspirational cities and thus expensive.
What my little brain fails to understand is how the citizens are so busy that they turn a blind eye to the mass destruction that is happening all around. Maybe I come from a place of privilege that doesn’t require me to live in a city like Mumbai, and I also acknowledge the same. But would I have not worried about my surroundings if I were living here? Maybe I would.
Transport
Life in Mumbai is definitely convenient when considering transport options. I have not seen a city to have that many modes of transport as I did in Mumbai. From auto fares on Uber that start at 45 INR to getting an immediate intercity cab from Bombay to Pune on inDrive, you have it all. We had booked a cab from our hotel at Saki Naka in Mumbai to Wakad in Pune for 1500 INR. We also had to pay toll charges worth 320 INR. But it was more convenient than booking a bus.
The heritage double-decker buses have now been replaced with electric buses, but they are also double-deckers. Buses, metro railways, and local trains are the most cost-effective transport options. However, Mumbai local trains are quite the horror during peak office hours or around specific stops.
We got up on a train on a Sunday evening from Church Gate to Lower Parel, and we didn’t find a lot of traffic. But my friend, who accompanied us, said that as the train moves towards Dadar, it would be impossible for us to continue our journey.
Life in Mumbai depends a lot on the local trains, mainly because the city is enormous. My friend told me that people from Gujarat are known to commute every day for work because of local trains. However, I am unaware how such extensive commute is possible, especially if done 5-6 times a week.
Kolkata has yellow Ambassador taxis, and Mumbai has black and yellow Santro cabs. Production for both these cars has stopped, and that does add them to our nostalgia. Santros are small and can comfortably seat four people. It sure wriggles its way through the unending Bombay traffic.
Food
Food in Mumbai did seem a little more expensive than it is in Kolkata, but it isn’t unaffordable. While I am not the best judge, as I haven’t bought veggies to cook dinner on a regular basis, the menu at restaurants gave me a bleak overview.
Vada Pao is 15 INR per piece, and I love how this Indian burger became the lender of the last resort while we were in transit. Yes! We spent 11 days in Maharashtra, and whenever we needed a grab on the way, Vada Pao did come in handy.
Shopping
Mumbai is not like Delhi when you think about shopping. There is no Sarojini or Banjara Market here. While I strolled by Colaba Causeway and found fancy things to buy, they were all overpriced. I purchased a hair clutch worth 150 INR, while most of them were priced at 400 INR and above. The one I bought was worth what I paid, and there were lovely accessories that I was not allowed to shoot nor could I afford to buy.
My partner got a hoodie from the Souled Stored worth 1500 INR and realized that many brands like this one and Snitch have outlets in Mumbai. This is something we don’t expect to have in Kolkata any time soon!
Why did life in Mumbai scare me?
If you’re moving to Mumbai, chances are that the rapidity of the city will draw you in quickly. But as tourists, we paused and saw a side of the town that scared us.
We had booked an Uber from Saki Naka to Gateway of India worth 436 INR. It was a one-hour ride that helped us explore the city like no other. Mumbai is big, and you get to see a lot of things on the way if you don’t want to stop. For example, the sea link, old colonial buildings, Marine Drive, and more.
While we were on the way, our driver told us how he owns an 8X12-foot room and lives with multiple family members. He also has 1RK of the same size given on rent as it fetches him 9,000 INR every month. But that wasn’t difficult to imagine. The chawl housing areas look like that, and they are similar across cities.
What was hard to look at were tall buildings that were already 30 stories high, having 10 more stories built on top. The entire city of Mumbai had ongoing constructions at every step of the way. From new metro routes to flyovers, something or the other was in the making.
While this is something you’d expect from a developing city like Pune and Noida, it is quite different here. A city like Pune might be moving towards becoming the next Mumbai, but it is landlocked. Mumbai has been pushing sea waters by 150-200 meters to create commercial spaces. If this isn’t urbanization playing with nature at its peak, then I don’t know what is. The driver, being a citizen of Mumbai, and even after having a family to fend for, believes that such developments will soon have catastrophic disasters.
How to survive in Mumbai?
The city life in Mumbai is tempting, but it is also blinding. I remember watching a reel by Robert Svoboda where he said that Mumbai is a ‘mayanagri’. He called it the city of illusions, indicating that one cannot differentiate between right and wrong.
If you’re someone who has been grabbed by the illusion of the city of the dreams, I am not sure if I have the correct answer for you. I am one of you who have always been mesmerized by the illusions that the city offers to attract us. But honestly, I don’t think I can survive in a city like Mumbai until I have enough money to have a house on rent that will have ample space for me to move.
I am not fond of big houses, but I am sure do need enough space to move around or at least have a corner where I can write my heart out. Again, I do realize I come from a place of privilege to say this. But honestly, to all those who want to know how to survive in Mumbai, I am not sure if I can tell you. I, of all people, want to ask you not to go there or find an alternative if possible. If being in a city that never sleeps is your vibe, then Mumbai is kind of what you like. If finding calm amidst the constant chaos is your vibe, then Mumbai is your place.
The only part we loved about Mumbai was the sunset by the Marine Drive. But even then, we did realize that on one side there was the horizon, and on the other, there was a concrete jungle.
If I was in my 20s, finding my calm by Marine Drive could be my jam. But as I am reaching my 30s, it simply scares me to be on a crowded road where I can’t make my way and cross the road.
I am sorry if this wasn’t the answer you were looking for. People who live in Mumbai will have better ways to contribute. All I can say is that money isn’t the only thing that will help you live in Mumbai. While I do believe the city has a lot to offer, it does take away a lot before it gives what you deserve!
Find life in or out of Mumbai
Even if you’re moving to the mayanagri, know what you’re in for and own it. Mumbai doesn’t call everyone, and if it has called you, it will also build you. And if this blog makes you not want to move, then you’re probably looking to prioritize life over living. Too harsh? Well, I am sorry I wish I had a better way to sugarcoat this. All the best!
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