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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Average salary in New Delhi: ₹6,80,000/year — ₹1,85,357 above the India median. Cost index 128, purchasing power 531250/100. Compare incomes across Delhi below.
Average salary in New Delhi: ₹6,80,000/year — ₹1,85,357 above the India median. Cost index 128, purchasing power 531250/100. Compare incomes across Delhi below.
New Delhi: cost index 128 (+35 vs national avg 93), rent ₹22,000/month.
Delhi region average cost index: 93. New Delhi is +35 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 46/100 — safety 42, healthcare 80, walkability 55.
Safety score: 42/100 (crime rate 72.5/1k). National average: 62/100.
Here's the surprising part: New Delhi has a cost index of 128 — 35 points above the India national average of 93. Median income is ₹6,80,000 with rent at ₹22,000/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 39%. This is an advantage that compounds over time.
Here's where it gets complicated: looking at Delhi as a whole, the spread across all 28 cities is 60 points on the cost index. Patna sits at the other end with index 68 and rent of ₹7,500/mo. This is where the math gets real for actual people.
On quality of life, New Delhi scores a composite score of 46/100 — reflecting its safety (42), healthcare (80), and walkability (55) metrics. Context matters here. affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and India is a good example of that tension.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Delhi | 128 | ₹22,000 | ₹6,80,000 |
| 2 | Bengaluru | 132 | ₹25,000 | ₹8,50,000 |
| 3 | Gurugram | 125 | ₹22,000 | ₹7,80,000 |
| 4 | Mumbai | 142 | ₹35,000 | ₹7,20,000 |
| 5 | Hyderabad | 110 | ₹18,000 | ₹6,80,000 |
| 6 | Noida | 110 | ₹16,000 | ₹6,50,000 |
| 7 | Pune | 108 | ₹18,000 | ₹6,20,000 |
| 8 | Chennai | 112 | ₹18,000 | ₹5,80,000 |
| 9 | Chandigarh | 98 | ₹14,000 | ₹5,20,000 |
| 10 | Ahmedabad | 88 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,80,000 |
| 11 | Kochi | 95 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,80,000 |
| 12 | Panaji | 105 | ₹15,000 | ₹4,80,000 |
| 13 | Kolkata | 88 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,50,000 |
| 14 | Surat | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,50,000 |
| 15 | Thiruvananthapuram | 88 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,40,000 |
| 16 | Nagpur | 78 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 |
| 17 | Coimbatore | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 |
| 18 | Jaipur | 85 | ₹11,000 | ₹4,20,000 |
| 19 | Visakhapatnam | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 |
| 20 | Dehradun | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 |
New Delhi — cost index 128, rent ₹22,000/mo, income ₹6,80,000, QoL 46/100.
Bengaluru — cost index 132, rent ₹25,000/mo, income ₹8,50,000, QoL 50/100.
Gurugram — cost index 125, rent ₹22,000/mo, income ₹7,80,000, QoL 44/100.
Mumbai — cost index 142, rent ₹35,000/mo, income ₹7,20,000, QoL 43/100.
Hyderabad — cost index 110, rent ₹18,000/mo, income ₹6,80,000, QoL 53/100.
The median gross income in New Delhi is ₹6,80,000/year — above the India national average of ₹4,94,643.
The Delhi region of average QoL score is 57/100. New Delhi leads with 46/100, reflecting safety, healthcare access, walkability, and green space.
Our index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Sub-categories cover housing, food, transport, utilities, and healthcare. Data sources include MoSPI CPI, RBI, NHB RESIDEX, PLFS.
New Delhi: cost index 128, rent ₹22,000/mo, income ₹6,80,000/yr, QoL 46/100. Bengaluru: cost index 132, rent ₹25,000/mo, income ₹8,50,000/yr, QoL 50/100.
This analysis uses data from MoSPI CPI, RBI, NHB RESIDEX, PLFS to rank cities in India. The cost of living index is benchmarked to 100 (national median). Quality of life scores combine safety, healthcare, walkability, air quality, green space, and transit metrics. Salary ranges use national occupation data adjusted for local cost differences. Data is updated regularly to reflect current market conditions.