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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in India for 2026. Mumbai leads with a cost index of 142 and rent of ₹35,000/month.
Ranking of cities in India for 2026. Mumbai leads with a cost index of 142 and rent of ₹35,000/month.
Mumbai ranks #1 with a cost index of 142 and rent of ₹35,000/month.
The median city is Surat — cost index 82, rent ₹10,000/mo.
Average cost index across these cities: 93 (0 vs national average of 93).
Average quality of life: 57/100. Top: Mumbai at 43/100.
Safest city: Thiruvananthapuram (75/100 safety score).
Most comparisons stop at rent. We didn't. Mumbai stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 142 and median income of ₹7,20,000, it offers competitive value despite costs slightly above the national median. This combination is rare — and valuable.
That said, the spread across all 28 cities is 74 points on the cost index. Raipur sits at the other end with index 68 and rent of ₹7,000/mo. This combination is rare — and valuable.
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.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income | Walk Score | Transit Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mumbai | 142 | ₹35,000 | ₹7,20,000 | 68 | 72 |
| 2 | Kolkata | 88 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,50,000 | 62 | 65 |
| 3 | Bengaluru | 132 | ₹25,000 | ₹8,50,000 | 55 | 52 |
| 4 | New Delhi | 128 | ₹22,000 | ₹6,80,000 | 55 | 68 |
| 5 | Chandigarh | 98 | ₹14,000 | ₹5,20,000 | 55 | 32 |
| 6 | Pune | 108 | ₹18,000 | ₹6,20,000 | 52 | 42 |
| 7 | Panaji | 105 | ₹15,000 | ₹4,80,000 | 52 | 22 |
| 8 | Chennai | 112 | ₹18,000 | ₹5,80,000 | 50 | 55 |
| 9 | Hyderabad | 110 | ₹18,000 | ₹6,80,000 | 48 | 42 |
| 10 | Ahmedabad | 88 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,80,000 | 48 | 38 |
| 11 | Indore | 75 | ₹9,000 | ₹3,80,000 | 48 | 22 |
| 12 | Coimbatore | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 | 45 | 28 |
| 13 | Dehradun | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 | 45 | 18 |
| 14 | Nagpur | 78 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 | 42 | 25 |
| 15 | Surat | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,50,000 | 42 | 25 |
| 16 | Jaipur | 85 | ₹11,000 | ₹4,20,000 | 42 | 28 |
| 17 | Kochi | 95 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,80,000 | 42 | 35 |
| 18 | Bhopal | 72 | ₹8,500 | ₹3,60,000 | 40 | 18 |
| 19 | Noida | 110 | ₹16,000 | ₹6,50,000 | 38 | 45 |
| 20 | Thiruvananthapuram | 88 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,40,000 | 38 | 25 |
Mumbai — cost index 142, rent ₹35,000/mo, income ₹7,20,000, QoL 43/100.
Kolkata — cost index 88, rent ₹12,000/mo, income ₹4,50,000, QoL 56/100.
Bengaluru — cost index 132, rent ₹25,000/mo, income ₹8,50,000, QoL 50/100.
New Delhi — cost index 128, rent ₹22,000/mo, income ₹6,80,000, QoL 46/100.
Chandigarh — cost index 98, rent ₹14,000/mo, income ₹5,20,000, QoL 64/100.
The country average QoL score is 57/100. Mumbai leads with 43/100, 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.
Mumbai (ranked #1) has a cost index of 142 and rent of ₹35,000/mo. Raipur (#28) has index 68 and rent ₹7,000/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.