Is Dadar in South Mumbai?
Dadar is an important place considering it is located in the heart of the city of Mumbai. Being located in the north-central part of the city, a lot of people wonder if Dadar is in South Mumbai.
Mumbai consists of two revenue districts: Mumbai city and the suburbs. The southernmost part of Mumbai city is informally called South Mumbai (previously South Bombay or SoBo). Dadar is a part of the Mumbai city district but is not in South Mumbai, it is on the northern edge of South Mumbai. Everything south of Dadar is considered South Mumbai.
What areas are part of South Mumbai?
As I mentioned in the previous section, everything south of Dadar is considered South Mumbai. It is important to understand that South Mumbai is not an official district, it comes under the Mumbai city district.
When someone says they are from South Mumbai, they generally mean they stay in the southernmost part of the city, which includes the following regions:
- Colaba
- Fort
- Navy Nagar
- Cuffe parade
- Churchgate
- Lower Parel
- Lalbagh
- Worli
- Nariman point
- Tardeo
- Mazgaon
South Mumbai is also collectively known as “town”. The southern part of Mumbai was the first to develop in the British occupation of India, hence people arriving from adjacent areas referred to it as “the town”. The name has stuck since, and it is common to hear people say “I am heading to the town”, or “I am a townie”.
The demographics of the Dadar region vary greatly from that of South Mumbai. The predominant population in Dadar is Maharashtrians, as opposed to north Indians in South Mumbai.
According to an article by HindustanTimes, Marathis constitute 60 percent of the population in the Dadar and Mahim area. The number is greater than any other part of Mumbai.
Moreover, Dadar is known as the epicenter of Marathi culture. Shri Shivaji Mandir is one of the most iconic theaters in Mumbai, and it still hosts live performances. People from all over the country arrive at this place to watch the live shows.
Is Dadar as posh as South Mumbai?
Although it is one of the oldest planned cities in Mumbai, Dadar used to be a place with old buildings, antiquated houses, and derelict factories.
But in 2022, things have changed. Dadar is turning out to be a hotbed for luxury home buildings. You will see a lot of high-rise buildings, and many more real estate projects are being planned.
When it comes to poshness, Dadar lacks the uniformity of South Mumbai. Some regions are clean and expensive-looking, whereas others are slum-ridden. Overall, Dadar is not as posh as South Mumbai.
There are several options in Dadar for someone who likes to frequent fancy cafes and restaurants. Grandmama’s Cafe, Coffee By Di Bella, Starbucks, Chaos Control Cafe, etc are some of the upscale cafes in Dadar.
What is the crowd like in Dadar?

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Being one of the cultural hubs in Mumbai, there’s no surprise that Dadar has a conservative population. The native people staying here value traditions over anything else.
Festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Dussehra, and Raksha Bandhan are celebrated with total gusto. Marathi is predominantly spoken throughout the city, however, you can also get by with Hindi, Gujarati, or English.
Dadar east or Dadar west, which is better?
Dadar East is predominantly commercial real estate. The famous Kohinoor Mill Compound is located in the east. The living situation in the east is not that great. You won’t find a lot of high-rise buildings here. The eastern part is closer to places like Worli, Wadala, and Naigaon.
On the flipside, Dadar west is where you will find upscale housing and all the fancy cafes. The west is also near the shore. Dadar beach and Dadar Chowpatty are some of the attractions.
In conclusion, I would say Dadar west offers higher living standards. Needless to mention, the prices of real estate are sky high and only the well-to-do can afford to buy or rent in the west. The eastern part is mostly markets and factories.
Final words
South Mumbai is less than 15 minutes drive from Dadar. You will get a bus from Veer Kotwal Udyan, Dadar Station Plaza, which goes all the way to the Afghan Church. One bus leaves the stop every 30 minutes.