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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Bengaluru digital nomad score: 63/100 — internet 85 Mbps, walk score 55/100, safety 58/100, rent ₹25,000/mo, nightlife 82/100. Full breakdown vs Karnataka peers.
Bengaluru digital nomad score: 63/100 — internet 85 Mbps, walk score 55/100, safety 58/100, rent ₹25,000/mo, nightlife 82/100. Full breakdown vs Karnataka peers.
Bengaluru: cost index 132 (+39 vs national avg 93), rent ₹25,000/month.
Karnataka region average cost index: 93. Bengaluru is +39 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 50/100 — safety 58, healthcare 82, walkability 55.
Safety score: 58/100 (crime rate 48.5/1k). National average: 62/100.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income | DN Score | Internet (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bengaluru | 132 | ₹25,000 | ₹8,50,000 | 63 | 85 |
| 2 | Pune | 108 | ₹18,000 | ₹6,20,000 | 64 | 72 |
| 3 | Hyderabad | 110 | ₹18,000 | ₹6,80,000 | 64 | 75 |
| 4 | Chandigarh | 98 | ₹14,000 | ₹5,20,000 | 63 | 62 |
| 5 | Coimbatore | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 | 62 | 55 |
| 6 | Ahmedabad | 88 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,80,000 | 62 | 58 |
| 7 | Kochi | 95 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,80,000 | 62 | 62 |
| 8 | Kolkata | 88 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,50,000 | 61 | 52 |
| 9 | Indore | 75 | ₹9,000 | ₹3,80,000 | 61 | 45 |
| 10 | Thiruvananthapuram | 88 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,40,000 | 61 | 58 |
| 11 | Panaji | 105 | ₹15,000 | ₹4,80,000 | 61 | 55 |
| 12 | Chennai | 112 | ₹18,000 | ₹5,80,000 | 60 | 68 |
| 13 | Surat | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,50,000 | 60 | 52 |
| 14 | Visakhapatnam | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 | 59 | 52 |
| 15 | Nagpur | 78 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 | 58 | 45 |
| 16 | Dehradun | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 | 58 | 48 |
| 17 | Gurugram | 125 | ₹22,000 | ₹7,80,000 | 57 | 78 |
| 18 | Noida | 110 | ₹16,000 | ₹6,50,000 | 57 | 72 |
| 19 | Bhopal | 72 | ₹8,500 | ₹3,60,000 | 57 | 42 |
| 20 | Bhubaneswar | 72 | ₹8,000 | ₹3,60,000 | 57 | 42 |
Here's what the headline numbers don't tell you: Bengaluru has a cost index of 132 — 39 points above the India national average of 93. Median income is ₹8,50,000 with rent at ₹25,000/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 35%. That's a strong position by any measure.
And there's one more thing: looking at Karnataka as a whole, the spread across all 28 cities is 64 points on the cost index. Patna sits at the other end with index 68 and rent of ₹7,500/mo. That's a difference you notice every single month.
On quality of life, Bengaluru scores a composite score of 50/100 — reflecting its safety (58), healthcare (82), 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.
For digital nomads specifically, Bengaluru earns a DN score of 63/100, powered by 85 Mbps internet, walkability of 55/100, and a nightlife score of 82/100. That ratio is hard to beat anywhere else.
Bengaluru — cost index 132, rent ₹25,000/mo, income ₹8,50,000, QoL 50/100.
Pune — cost index 108, rent ₹18,000/mo, income ₹6,20,000, QoL 53/100.
Hyderabad — cost index 110, rent ₹18,000/mo, income ₹6,80,000, QoL 53/100.
Chandigarh — cost index 98, rent ₹14,000/mo, income ₹5,20,000, QoL 64/100.
Coimbatore — cost index 82, rent ₹10,000/mo, income ₹4,20,000, QoL 65/100.
Bengaluru earns a digital nomad score of 63/100 — internet 85 Mbps, walk score 55/100, safety 58/100, rent ₹25,000/month.
The Karnataka region of average QoL score is 57/100. Bengaluru leads with 50/100, 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.
Bengaluru: cost index 132, rent ₹25,000/mo, income ₹8,50,000/yr, QoL 50/100. Pune: cost index 108, rent ₹18,000/mo, income ₹6,20,000/yr, QoL 53/100.
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.