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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in India for 2026. Raipur leads with a cost index of 68 and rent of ₹7,000/month.
Ranking of cities in India for 2026. Raipur leads with a cost index of 68 and rent of ₹7,000/month.
Raipur ranks #1 with a cost index of 68 and rent of ₹7,000/month.
The median city is Jaipur — cost index 85, rent ₹11,000/mo.
Average cost index across these cities: 93 (0 vs national average of 93).
Average quality of life: 57/100. Top: Raipur at 59/100.
Safest city: Thiruvananthapuram (75/100 safety score).
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raipur | 68 | ₹7,000 | ₹3,40,000 |
| 2 | Patna | 68 | ₹7,500 | ₹3,20,000 |
| 3 | Ranchi | 70 | ₹7,500 | ₹3,50,000 |
| 4 | Bhubaneswar | 72 | ₹8,000 | ₹3,60,000 |
| 5 | Bhopal | 72 | ₹8,500 | ₹3,60,000 |
| 6 | Indore | 75 | ₹9,000 | ₹3,80,000 |
| 7 | Guwahati | 75 | ₹9,000 | ₹3,80,000 |
| 8 | Nagpur | 78 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 |
| 9 | Coimbatore | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 |
| 10 | Surat | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,50,000 |
| 11 | Thiruvananthapuram | 88 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,40,000 |
| 12 | Visakhapatnam | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 |
| 13 | Dehradun | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 |
| 14 | Lucknow | 78 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,00,000 |
| 15 | Jaipur | 85 | ₹11,000 | ₹4,20,000 |
| 16 | Kolkata | 88 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,50,000 |
| 17 | Ahmedabad | 88 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,80,000 |
| 18 | Kochi | 95 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,80,000 |
| 19 | Chandigarh | 98 | ₹14,000 | ₹5,20,000 |
| 20 | Panaji | 105 | ₹15,000 | ₹4,80,000 |
Here's where the conversation shifts from 'affordable' to 'strategic': Raipur stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 68 and median income of ₹3,40,000, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of India. This combination is rare — and valuable.
That said, the spread across all 28 cities is 74 points on the cost index. Mumbai sits at the other end with index 142 and rent of ₹35,000/mo. That's a difference you notice every single month.
On quality of life, Thiruvananthapuram leads with a composite score of 70/100 — reflecting its safety (75), healthcare (80), and walkability (38) metrics. And there's one more thing: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and India is a good example of that tension.
Raipur — cost index 68, rent ₹7,000/mo, income ₹3,40,000, QoL 59/100.
Patna — cost index 68, rent ₹7,500/mo, income ₹3,20,000, QoL 51/100.
Ranchi — cost index 70, rent ₹7,500/mo, income ₹3,50,000, QoL 59/100.
Bhubaneswar — cost index 72, rent ₹8,000/mo, income ₹3,60,000, QoL 63/100.
Bhopal — cost index 72, rent ₹8,500/mo, income ₹3,60,000, QoL 63/100.
In Raipur, rent would be about 12% of your gross monthly income on ₹7L. Well within the recommended 30% threshold.
The country average QoL score is 57/100. Raipur leads with 59/100, reflecting its 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.
Raipur (ranked #1) has a cost index of 68 and rent of ₹7,000/mo. Mumbai (#28) has index 142 and rent ₹35,000/mo — a 74-point gap.
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.