Mumbai, India

Mumbai’s 200,000+ street vendors feed 11 million people daily, with vada pav priced at just INR 15 (USD 0.18)—a cost that undercuts #7 Hanoi’s pho bo by 85%. This dish, dubbed India's Big Mac, is sold at 5,000 stalls across the city, with a spiced potato dumpling that is 30% crispier than the average street food item in #5 Hong Kong. The network generates INR 8,000 crore annually, showing how vendor regulation (100% are licensed) boosts output. A serving of bhel puri at Chowpatty Beach costs INR 20, which is 40% cheaper than a typical hawker snack in #6 Singapore. Mumbai’s volume and affordability set a benchmark, with each vendor selling 300 vada pavs daily on average.