Air quality in Mumbai
How bad is the air in Mumbai?
Mumbai’s 2025 average of AQI 88 is Satisfactory on the CPCB scale, and the median day was 75. 142 days crossed 100 (Moderate or worse) and 1 crossed 200 (Poor or worse).
The peak was AQI 211 on 21 October 2025. Coarse dust (PM10) set the index on 84% of days.
When Mumbai’s air is worst
January is the worst month at a mean of AQI 136; August the cleanest at ~49. A dry-season peak — dust and dispersion, not the northern winter smog.
Plan around the profile, not the average: a purifier sized for January covers the rest of the year with headroom, and windows can be opened in August.
Pollution in Mumbai: what drives it
The main sources of air pollution in Mumbai, per its NCAP city action plan and CPCB source studies, are construction and road dust, vehicle exhaust, port and industrial emissions and weak winter sea breeze. CPCB bulletins name coarse dust (PM10) as the prominent pollutant on 84% of 2025's days.
- construction and road dust
- vehicle exhaust
- port and industrial emissions
- weak winter sea breeze
How Mumbai compares
Among the 62 cities we map, Mumbai has the 30th lowest annual AQI, against a median of 94 across those cities.
Elsewhere in Maharashtra, Pune averaged AQI 105, Nagpur 96, Nashik 85 and Aurangabad 84.
See the full ranking on the India Air Quality Index by city.
Do you need an air purifier in Mumbai?
Verdict
For the worst months, yes — Mumbai is a seasonal case.
142 days in 2025 were Moderate or worse, concentrated around January. A single well-sized unit in the bedroom, run through those months, covers most of the exposure; the rest of the year it is optional unless someone at home has asthma or allergies.
What actually works
- Size by volume, not the box. Coverage claims assume ~2 air changes an hour; a January night wants 5.
- Bedroom first. Eight closed-door hours a night is where a purifier makes its measurable difference.
- Watch the live number. On Good and Satisfactory days, ventilate; on Poor days, close up and run the unit at the speed that delivers its CADR.
06 · The other half
Water in Mumbai
Groundwater near Mumbai averages ~719 mg/L TDS on CGWB monitoring — high on the BIS scale. The same government-data report, for what you drink.
Air
AQI 88
Satisfactory
Water
719 mg/L
TDS · High
Mumbai air — questions
What is the AQI in Mumbai today?
Today's figure comes from CPCB's live station feed and is shown at the top of this page, updated hourly when the feed is reachable. For context, Mumbai averaged AQI 88 across 2025 and peaked at 211 on 21 October 2025, so a single day's reading should be judged against that range.
How bad is air pollution in Mumbai?
Mumbai's 2025 average of AQI 88 sits in CPCB's "Satisfactory" band. 1 day was Poor, Very Poor or Severe, and 222 days were Good or Satisfactory, out of 364 bulletin days.
Which month has the worst air quality in Mumbai?
January, with a monthly average of AQI 136 in 2025. August was the cleanest at ~49. The pattern follows local weather and the drivers below rather than the North Indian winter smog.
Is the air in Mumbai safe to breathe?
On average, yes: an annual AQI of 88 is within the "Satisfactory" band, where CPCB expects only minor discomfort for sensitive people. Individual days still crossed into Moderate or worse 142 times in 2025, so sensitive groups should watch the daily number.
Do I need an air purifier in Mumbai?
For the worst months, yes — Mumbai is a seasonal case. 142 days in 2025 were Moderate or worse, concentrated around January. A single well-sized unit in the bedroom, run through those months, covers most of the exposure; the rest of the year it is optional unless someone at home has asthma or allergies.
Where does Mumbai's air pollution come from?
The main sources of air pollution in Mumbai, per its NCAP city action plan and CPCB source studies, are construction and road dust, vehicle exhaust, port and industrial emissions and weak winter sea breeze. CPCB bulletins name coarse dust (PM10) as the prominent pollutant on 84% of 2025's days.
Where does this air quality data come from?
From the Central Pollution Control Board's daily AQI bulletin, published at 4 PM as a 24-hour average for each city with continuous monitoring stations. This page aggregates 364 bulletin days for Mumbai in 2025, drawn from 30 stations. The live figure uses the same CPCB station network through the Government of India's open-data feed.
Air quality in other cities
Data sources
- CPCB Daily AQI Bulletin (4 PM, 24-hour average), 2025 — city-level National AQI, prominent pollutant and station counts
- CPCB National Air Quality Index (2014) — six-band scale used for all categories
- NAAQS 2009 (24-hour PM2.5 60 µg/m³, PM10 100 µg/m³) — the concentrations that mark the Satisfactory/Moderate boundary
- Live readings: CPCB real-time station feed via data.gov.in, refreshed hourly.
Primary dataset: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) National Air Quality Index, Government of India.
Disclaimer: Figures are city-level averages of the CPCB daily AQI bulletin for the year shown and may differ from the air at your address, which depends on traffic, construction and the nearest station. This page is general information, not medical advice; for respiratory or cardiac conditions consult a qualified professional. Any purifier guidance is general sizing advice, not a product recommendation.