Indian woman compares Mumbai, Dubai costs after 15-day stay: ‘Stick to Dubai if salary is better’

A woman compared Mumbai and Dubai after 15 days, saying Mumbai had become significantly more expensive.

A Mumbai woman who recently returned to Dubai after spending 15 days in her home city has shared her observations about how Mumbai has changed, from rising costs to its famously chaotic traffic. While she admitted missing Mumbai, she said returning to Dubai made her appreciate its quieter roads and what she described as greater “financial breathing room”.

A woman returned to Dubai after 15 days in Mumbai and said she noticed higher costs and heavier traffic. (Instagram/mumbaikar_inblingydubai)

Taking to Instagram, the woman, named Farah, shared a video comparing life in the two cities and said she had initially expected a significant culture shock on returning to Dubai.

‘Dubai gives you silence, Mumbai gives you background music’

"15 days in Mumbai and now I'm back in Dubai and honestly I was expecting a major culture shock, but Mumbai said, 'Relax, we have upgraded too.' Because this time I have actually identified few changes, because people say when you stay in Mumbai and you come to Dubai it doesn't make you feel more difference, the same huge buildings, metro city, and everything. But yes, the biggest difference of course is traffic, which people try compare," she said.

Comparing the traffic conditions, Farah added, "Like Dubai traffic is wherein cars move, people wait, nobody needs to audition for like Fast & Furious, whereas Mumbai traffic: one signal, 47 cars, and somehow everyone has a horn with a personal agenda. So yeah, Dubai gives you silence, but Mumbai gives you background music as well."

Moving beyond traffic, Farah said the biggest change she noticed was the rising cost of living in Mumbai.

"Okay, jokes apart, but one major thing which I have observed this time in Mumbai is expensive. Yes, the city has significantly more become more expensive than we used to say that Mumbai is affordable. Na-na, it's not," she said.

She clarified that she could not comment much on rent as she does not pay it in Mumbai, but claimed that going out in the city now meant spending considerably more than before.

"Other than that, if you're going out, you're spending not less than like 5 to 6,000 rupees, which initially was a bit less. Everything else has become more expensive," she added.

Farah suggested that those earning a better salary in Dubai may find it financially sensible to stay there. "So if in case, if you are in Dubai with a better salary package, stick to it," she said, adding that she did not feel salaries in Mumbai had increased at the same pace.

She concluded, "Other than that, yes, if you are missing Mumbai, I did miss Mumbai, but coming back to Dubai and enjoying less honking, smoother roads, and little more financial breathing room, not complaining. And stick to this."

Watch the clip here:

Internet reacts

The post prompted several reactions from social media users, many of whom agreed with her take on Mumbai's rising expenses. One user wrote, "Mumbai is definitely not affordable anymore." Another said, "Mumbai has become insanely expensive lately." A third remarked, "This is so true," while another added, "Higher salary in Dubai makes a huge difference."

HT.com has reached out to the user for her comments, and the copy will be updated once her response is received.

(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)