---
title: "London vs Mumbai: Class A office comparison"
description: "Side-by-side Class A office comparison for London and Mumbai — rent, vacancy, talent, tax, lease norms, transit, and top submarkets."
canonical: https://classa.info/compare/london-vs-mumbai
pageType: comparison
lastUpdated: 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z
license: "CC BY 4.0 with attribution to Class A Atlas (https://classa.info)."
---

> London ($121/sqft, 8.6% vacancy) and Mumbai ($46/sqft, 12.6% vacancy) compete on different axes: London on talent depth and Mumbai on rent and tax.

## TL;DR

- Class A rent: London $121/sqft vs Mumbai $46/sqft.
- Vacancy: London 8.6% vs Mumbai 12.6%.
- Talent index: London 96 vs Mumbai 60.
- Corporate tax: London 25% vs Mumbai 25.2%.
- Premium flex/seat/month: London $1,380 vs Mumbai $420.

# London vs Mumbai: Class A office comparison

**London ($121/sqft, 8.6% vacancy) and Mumbai ($46/sqft, 12.6% vacancy) compete on different axes: London on talent depth and Mumbai on rent and tax.**

## TL;DR

- [Class A](/glossary/class-a) rent: London $121/sqft vs Mumbai $46/sqft.
- Vacancy: London 8.6% vs Mumbai 12.6%.
- Talent index: London 96 vs Mumbai 60.
- Corporate tax: London 25% vs Mumbai 25.2%.
- [Premium flex](/topics/lease-vs-flex)/seat/month: London $1,380 vs Mumbai $420.

## Market data side-by-side

| Metric | London | Mumbai|

| Region | EMEA | APAC|
| Country | United Kingdom | India|
| Class A rent (USD/sqft/yr) | $121 | $46|
| Class A rent (local) | 95 GBP | 320 INR|
| Vacancy | 8.6% | 12.6%|
| Trend | rising | rising|
| Prime yield | 4.5% | 7.5%|
| Premium flex / seat / month (USD) | $1,380 | $420|
| Submarkets covered | 7 | 4|
| Corporate tax | 25% | 25.2%|

## Lease norms

| Metric | London | Mumbai|

| Typical term | 10 yrs | 5 yrs|
| Typical rent-free | 24 mos | 4 mos|
| Lease norms | London leases are predominantly Full Repairing and Insuring (FRI). Tenant pays service charge and is responsible for dilapidations on lease end. Rent reviews to open-market rent every 5 years are standard. Rent-free periods of 18-30 months on a 10-year term are typical, with 'capped' rent-free for break-clause certainty. Personal guarantees are uncommon for institutional tenants; rent deposits are common for younger covenants. | Standard 5-year lease (often 3+2 or 5+5). Rent quoted as INR per square foot per month. Maintenance billed separately. Security deposit of 6-12 months standard. Stamp duty payable on lease execution.|
| Tax note | UK corporation tax is 25% (19% small profits rate). Business rates are a major occupancy cost — ~50% of rateable value annually, levied separately from rent and service charge. | Headline corporate tax 25.2% (concessional 17.16% for new manufacturing). Maharashtra state taxes apply.|

## Talent

| Metric | London | Mumbai|

| Talent index (0–100) | 96 | 60|
| Talent note | Largest financial-services and technology talent pool in EMEA. Average all-in compensation indexes 96 vs. New York's 100. | India's deepest financial-services and tech talent pool. Average all-in compensation indexes 60.|

## Transit & commute

**London:** The Elizabeth Line transformed cross-London commute times. Heathrow to Liverpool Street is 35 minutes; Paddington to Canary Wharf is 17 minutes. Crossrail-adjacent assets command a measurable rent premium.

**Mumbai:** Mumbai Suburban Railway is the primary mass transit. Mumbai Metro is expanding rapidly. Direct connection between BKC and the CBD remains the key infrastructure constraint.

## Top submarkets — London

- [**Mayfair & St James's**](/cities/london/mayfair-st-james) — trophy tier · £165/sqft/yr · ≈ $210 PSF/yr USD
- [**City of London**](/cities/london/city-of-london) — trophy tier · £95/sqft/yr · ≈ $121 PSF/yr USD
- [**Fitzrovia & Soho**](/cities/london/fitzrovia-soho) — prime tier · £110/sqft/yr · ≈ $140 PSF/yr USD

## Top submarkets — Mumbai

- [**Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC)**](/cities/mumbai/bkc) — trophy tier · ₹380/sqft/mo · ≈ $54.7 PSF/yr USD
- [**Lower Parel & Worli**](/cities/mumbai/lower-parel-worli) — prime tier · ₹290/sqft/mo · ≈ $41.8 PSF/yr USD
- [**Powai**](/cities/mumbai/powai) — established tier · $38/sqft/yr

## Decision criteria

### Pick by cost

Mumbai is the cheaper Class A market on a USD basis.

### Pick by talent depth

London has the deeper talent index (96/100 vs 60/100).

### Pick by tax

London has the lower headline corporate tax (25% vs 25.2%). Local incentives can change the effective rate materially.

### Pick by lease optionality

London typical term is 10 years with 24 months free; Mumbai runs 5 years with 4 months free.

### Pick by transit

London: The Elizabeth Line transformed cross-London commute times. Heathrow to Liverpool Street is 35 minutes; Paddington to Canary Wharf is 17 minutes. Crossrail-adjacent assets command a measurable rent premium. Mumbai: Mumbai Suburban Railway is the primary mass transit. Mumbai Metro is expanding rapidly. Direct connection between BKC and the CBD remains the key infrastructure constraint.

## Run a 4-city comparison

Score London, Mumbai and up to two more markets side-by-side on Class A rent, vacancy, talent, corporate tax, and premium flex pricing — all in USD.

[**Run a 4-city comparison →**](/tools/city-comparator)

## Frequently asked questions

****Is Class A office cheaper in London or Mumbai?****
: Mumbai is cheaper on a USD basis: $46/sqft vs $121/sqft.

****Which has better talent depth, London or Mumbai?****
: London indexes higher on talent depth (96 vs 60).

****Which has more sublease availability, London or Mumbai?****
: Mumbai carries higher vacancy (12.6% vs 8.6%) and therefore typically more sublease overhang.

****What lease term should I expect in London vs Mumbai?****
: London typical term is 10 years with 24 months rent-free; Mumbai typical term is 5 years with 4 months rent-free.

****How does transit and commuter access compare?****
: London: The Elizabeth Line transformed cross-London commute times. Heathrow to Liverpool Street is 35 minutes; Paddington to Canary Wharf is 17 minutes. Crossrail-adjacent assets command a measurable rent premium. Mumbai: Mumbai Suburban Railway is the primary mass transit. Mumbai Metro is expanding rapidly. Direct connection between BKC and the CBD remains the key infrastructure constraint.

## Editorial provenance

Reviewed by [**Samuel Okafor**](/about/authors/samuel-okafor) — EMEA contributing editor. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our [methodology](/about/methodology) and [editorial standards](/about/editorial-standards).

### Primary sources for this page

- [CBRE Marketview reports](https://www.cbre.com/insights) — CBRE
- [JLL Office Insight](https://www.jll.com/en/trends-and-insights) — JLL
- [Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat](https://www.cushmanwakefield.com/en/insights) — Cushman & Wakefield
- [Savills World Research](https://www.savills.com/research_articles/) — Savills
- [Colliers Global Office Outlook](https://www.colliers.com/en/research) — Colliers

[Full sources index](/about/sources) · [Submit a correction](/about/corrections)

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Citation: Source: Class A Atlas (https://classa.info/compare/london-vs-mumbai), updated 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z.
