Schools in Mumbai are either "municipal schools" (run by the MCGM) or private schools (run by trusts or individuals), which in some cases receive financial aid from the government.[386] The schools are affiliated with either of the following boards: Maharashtra State Board (MSBSHSE) The All-India Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) The Central Board for Secondary Education (CBSE) The International Baccalaureate (IB) The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE).[387] Marathi or English is the usual language of instruction.[388] The primary education system of the MCGM is the largest urban primary education system in Asia. The MCGM operates 1,188 primary schools imparting primary education to 485,531 students in eight languages (Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati, Urdu, English, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada). The MCGM also imparts secondary education to 55,576 students through its 49 secondary schools.

Mumbai's culture offers a blend of traditional and cosmopolitan festivals, food, entertainment, and night life. The city's cosmopolitan and urban-centric modern cultural offerings are comparable to other world capitals. Mumbai bears the distinction of being the most cosmopolitan city of India. Its history as a major trading centre and the expansion of an educated middle class has led to a diverse range of cultures, religions, and cuisines coexisting in the city. The variety and abundance of restaurants, cinemas, theatres, sports events and museums are a product of Mumbai's unique cosmopolitan culture.

Mumbai is built on what was once an archipelago of seven islands: Isle of Bombay, Parel, Mazagaon, Mahim, Colaba, Worli, and Old Woman's Island (also known as Little Colaba).[67] It is not exactly known when these islands were first inhabited. Pleistocene sediments found along the coastal areas around Kandivali in northern Mumbai suggest that the islands were inhabited since the South Asian Stone Age.[68] Perhaps at the beginning of the Common Era, or possibly earlier, they came to be occupied by the Koli fishing community.

Mumbai, sometimes described as the New York of India,[34] is India's most populous city and is the financial and commercial capital of the country as it generates 6.16% of the total GDP.[36][150][205] It serves as an economic hub of India; as of 2006, Mumbai contributed 10% of the nation's factory employment, 25% of industrial output, 33% of income tax collections, 60% of customs duty collections, 20% of central excise tax collections, 40% of foreign trade, and ?40 billion (equivalent to ?130 billion or US$1.5 billion in 2023) in corporate taxes.[206] Along with the rest of India, Mumbai has witnessed an economic boom since the liberalisation of 1991, the finance boom in the mid-nineties and the IT, export, services and outsourcing boom in the 2000s.

Cricket is more popular than any other sport in Mumbai. It is home to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)[466] and Indian Premier League (IPL).[467] Mumbai's first-class team Mumbai cricket team has won 41 Ranji Trophy titles, the most by any team.[468] The city based Mumbai Indians compete in the Indian Premier League. Mumbai has two international cricket stadiums, the Wankhede Stadium and the Brabourne Stadium. The first cricket test match in India was played in Mumbai at the Bombay Gymkhana.[469] The biggest cricketing event to be staged in the city so far is the final of the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup which was played at the Wankhede Stadium. Mumbai and London are the only two cities to have hosted both a World Cup final and the final of an ICC Champions Trophy which was played at the Brabourne Stadium in 2006.