Diary of a Young Girl Living Alone in Mumbai (as shared by a friend of mine)

I still remember the day I landed in Mumbai, suitcase in one hand, dreams in the other. The city smelled like rain, traffic, and ambition. It was overwhelming, loud, and fast. People walked as if they had a purpose, rickshaws honked impatiently, and street vendors called out their prices like auctioneers. I was alone in a city of millions, trying to carve a life for myself.

The Reality of Living Alone

Moving out of my hometown was a mix of excitement and fear. The idea of independence felt liberating until I faced the reality of living alone. Mumbai has this way of making you feel both invisible and important at the same time. Some days, I loved blending into the crowd. Other days, I longed for familiar faces.

The First Few Months: Learning to Survive

The first challenge? Finding a house. Mumbai rents are ruthless. A decent 1BHK in a safe area was way beyond my budget, so I settled for a small PG. Sharing a room with strangers felt odd at first, but over time, we became like an odd little family—each of us chasing our own version of success.

Then came the local trains. I had heard horror stories about rush hour, but experiencing it firsthand was something else. Getting on was a battle, and getting off required strategy. But after a few months, I learned the tricks—where to stand, which train compartments were less crowded, and how to balance while standing in a moving train.

The Highs and Lows of Independence

• Cooking for One – I romanticized the idea of cooking, but after work, I barely had the energy to make Maggi. Some nights, it was just a glass of milk and biscuits. I missed my mom’s home-cooked food, the warmth of a full meal, but I learned to appreciate small victories—like making dal without burning it.

• Loneliness Hits Hard – Mumbai never sleeps, but sometimes I lay awake in my small rented space, feeling like I was the only one awake. I missed my family, my friends, the small-town familiarity. But I also found joy in calling them, in hearing my mom’s voice, in knowing I wasn’t as alone as I felt.

• Making Friends is a Process – I met people at work, at chai stalls, in my building. Some stayed, some didn’t. Over time, I found my people—the ones I could call when I felt homesick, the ones who turned into my chosen family.

Mumbai Teaches You Resilience

Life in Mumbai is unpredictable. One day, you feel like you’re on top of the world, walking along Marine Drive, soaking in the sea breeze. The next, you’re stuck in knee-deep water during monsoons, late for work, questioning your life choices.

But Mumbai has a way of toughening you up. It teaches you how to hustle, adapt, and keep going. It shows you that no matter how bad a day gets, there’s always a vada pav stall nearby to comfort you.

Final Thoughts

Living alone in Mumbai is not just about survival—it’s about finding yourself in the chaos. It’s about learning how to be okay with silence, how to embrace uncertainty, and how to create a home out of a rented room. Some days, I want to pack up and leave. But most days, I realize that Mumbai, with all its madness, has become a part of me.