At a glance
| Factor | Mumbai | New Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Average international school fees (secondary) | INR 7,00,000 to 18,00,000 (USD 8,500 to 22,000) | INR 7,00,000 to 15,00,000 (USD 8,500 to 18,000) |
| Dominant curricula | IB, IGCSE and A Level, ICSE, CBSE | IB, IGCSE and A Level, CBSE |
| Cost of living vs Mumbai (Numbeo, May 2026) | Baseline | About 8 percent lower |
| Family visa | Employment visa with dependants, OCI for returnees | Employment visa with dependants, OCI for returnees |
| Expat share of population | About 1 percent of metro | About 2 percent of metro |
| Typical relocation timeline | 6 to 10 weeks | 6 to 10 weeks |
Mumbai and New Delhi look superficially similar on paper but feel very different on the ground. Families weighing them are usually choosing between two job offers, and the right call hinges as much on school capacity, neighbourhood fit and lifestyle preference as on headline numbers. The sections below unpack the differences for international school families relocating in 2026. Read alongside the underlying Mumbai city hub and New Delhi city hub for full school directories.
Schools landscape side by side
Mumbai's international market is small but anchored by Dhirubhai Ambani International School (DAIS) in BKC, the IB Diploma flagship with cohorts averaging above 38 points. Oberoi International School operates two campuses (JVLR and OGC). American School of Bombay, Aditya Birla World Academy and Ecole Mondiale are the other staples. Indian curriculum (ICSE and CBSE) capacity is enormous, with Cathedral and John Connon, Bombay Scottish and JBCN International offering credible mid-cost paths.
New Delhi's premium tier is led by The British School in Chanakyapuri (IB PYP, IGCSE, IB Diploma) and the American Embassy School (AES, US curriculum). Pathways School Noida, Shiv Nadar School, Step by Step, GD Goenka and Vasant Valley cover the broader IB and IGCSE market in NCR. The CBSE-elite schools (Modern, DPS, Sanskriti) are world class for STEM at a fraction of international fees.
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Fees and value for money
Mumbai IB fees at DAIS, Oberoi and ASB run INR 12,00,000 to 22,00,000 a year for the Diploma. Mid-tier IGCSE and IB sit at INR 7,00,000 to 12,00,000. ICSE schools are INR 1,50,000 to 4,00,000, materially different household maths. Admission and capital fees are typically INR 2,00,000 to 5,00,000 one-off plus IB exam entries of INR 1,00,000 to 3,00,000 at the end.
New Delhi international fees at TBS Chanakyapuri and AES run INR 8,64,000 to 13,84,000 a year for 2025-2026. Pathways Noida and Shiv Nadar mid-tier IB cluster at INR 4,50,000 to 11,00,000. AES bills in USD; check the package implications. See the fees explorer for school-level numbers.
Curriculum availability
Both cities cover the IB Diploma, IGCSE and A Level, plus the deep Indian curricula (CBSE and ICSE). Mumbai's ICSE provision is particularly strong; New Delhi's CBSE elite list is equally credible. For relocating Western expat families, the IB Diploma remains the safest portable credential at TBS, AES, DAIS or Oberoi.
Neighbourhoods families pick
Mumbai expat families pick Bandra West, BKC and Worli for school catchment and corporate proximity, Powai and JVLR for the Oberoi and Hiranandani Foundation circuit. A three-bedroom rental in Bandra and Worli runs INR 4,00,000 to 8,50,000 a month at the premium end.
New Delhi expat families pick Chanakyapuri, Vasant Vihar and Shanti Niketan for embassy proximity and TBS catchment, Gurgaon (Cyber City, Golf Course Road) for the corporate Gurgaon belt and AES proximity by car, and Noida for Pathways and lower-cost compound life. Three or four-bedroom rentals in Vasant Vihar run INR 2,50,000 to 7,00,000 a month, Gurgaon a notch below.
Lifestyle and climate
Mumbai is tropical, dense and culturally electric. The monsoon (June to September) reshapes daily life, the food scene is exceptional, and weekend escapes to Alibaug and Lonavala are real. Air quality dips in winter, traffic is the perennial complaint. Domestic help is widely available. New Delhi is continental: cold winters, hot dry summers, and dense smog from October to February which is a genuine health consideration with young children. Cultural depth (Old Delhi, Lutyens, the surrounding heritage) is unparalleled. Air travel from both is strong; Delhi has slightly more direct international routes.
Verdict: who picks which city
Choose Mumbai if your role is financial services, media, entertainment or India-facing corporate, and you can absorb Mumbai housing costs. The IB tier is small but academically very strong, and the city culture rewards engagement.
Choose New Delhi if your role is government affairs, NGO, embassy or North India-strategic, you can stomach the winter air quality with mitigation (purifiers, indoor recess plans), and you value the cultural depth and proximity to the Himalayan escapes. TBS Chanakyapuri and AES are credible IB and American flagships.
Run both through the cost calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mumbai or New Delhi cheaper for international school families in 2026?
Both are broadly similar at the international school tier. Numbeo puts New Delhi's cost of living a touch lower than Mumbai (around 8 percent) excluding rent, with Mumbai housing the main upward pressure. Both cities are dramatically cheaper than Gulf or Western postings at similar school tiers.
Which city has better international schools?
Mumbai has fewer but stronger IB schools at the top (DAIS, Oberoi, ASB). New Delhi has a wider IB and IGCSE field across NCR (TBS, AES, Pathways, Shiv Nadar, Step by Step), making it easier to find a place. For pure academic outcomes at the top tier, DAIS in Mumbai is exceptional.
How does air quality differ between the two cities?
New Delhi has significantly worse air quality from late October through February, frequently entering hazardous levels. Mumbai's air is better year-round but dips noticeably in winter. Families with asthma, respiratory issues or young children should factor this heavily.
How does the family visa work in each city?
Both use the same Indian employment visa with dependants attached, plus OCI cards for Indian-origin families. There is no difference between Mumbai and New Delhi on visa process; the principal's employer sponsors the move.
Where do most international school families live in each city?
Mumbai families pick Bandra, BKC, Worli and Powai. New Delhi families pick Chanakyapuri, Vasant Vihar, Shanti Niketan, and the Gurgaon corporate belt (Cyber City, Golf Course Road), with Noida for Pathways access.
