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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Chennai quality of life score: 55/100 (India avg: 57/100). Combines safety (62), healthcare (85), walkability (50), air quality (AQI 55) and green space (10%). Compared to Tamil Nadu peers in 2026.
Chennai quality of life score: 55/100 (India avg: 57/100). Combines safety (62), healthcare (85), walkability (50), air quality (AQI 55) and green space (10%). Compared to Tamil Nadu peers in 2026.
Chennai: cost index 112 (+19 vs national avg 93), rent ₹18,000/month.
Tamil Nadu region average cost index: 93. Chennai is +19 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 55/100 — safety 62, healthcare 85, walkability 50.
Safety score: 62/100 (crime rate 45.2/1k). National average: 62/100.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income | QoL | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chennai | 112 | ₹18,000 | ₹5,80,000 | 55 | 62 |
| 2 | Thiruvananthapuram | 88 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,40,000 | 70 | 75 |
| 3 | Kochi | 95 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,80,000 | 67 | 72 |
| 4 | Coimbatore | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 | 65 | 72 |
| 5 | Dehradun | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 | 65 | 68 |
| 6 | Chandigarh | 98 | ₹14,000 | ₹5,20,000 | 64 | 72 |
| 7 | Panaji | 105 | ₹15,000 | ₹4,80,000 | 64 | 72 |
| 8 | Indore | 75 | ₹9,000 | ₹3,80,000 | 63 | 72 |
| 9 | Bhopal | 72 | ₹8,500 | ₹3,60,000 | 63 | 65 |
| 10 | Bhubaneswar | 72 | ₹8,000 | ₹3,60,000 | 63 | 68 |
| 11 | Nagpur | 78 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 | 61 | 68 |
| 12 | Visakhapatnam | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 | 61 | 65 |
| 13 | Guwahati | 75 | ₹9,000 | ₹3,80,000 | 61 | 55 |
| 14 | Surat | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,50,000 | 59 | 72 |
| 15 | Ranchi | 70 | ₹7,500 | ₹3,50,000 | 59 | 55 |
| 16 | Raipur | 68 | ₹7,000 | ₹3,40,000 | 59 | 62 |
| 17 | Kolkata | 88 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,50,000 | 56 | 52 |
| 18 | Ahmedabad | 88 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,80,000 | 56 | 65 |
| 19 | Lucknow | 78 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,00,000 | 54 | 55 |
| 20 | Pune | 108 | ₹18,000 | ₹6,20,000 | 53 | 62 |
Here's the surprising part: Chennai has a cost index of 112 — 19 points above the India national average of 93. Median income is ₹5,80,000 with rent at ₹18,000/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 37%. This is where the math gets real for actual people.
Zooming out, looking at Tamil Nadu as a whole, the spread across all 28 cities is 30 points on the cost index. Mumbai sits at the other end with index 142 and rent of ₹35,000/mo. That's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Chennai scores a composite score of 55/100 — reflecting its safety (62), healthcare (85), and walkability (50) metrics. Zooming out, affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and India is a good example of that tension.
Chennai — cost index 112, rent ₹18,000/mo, income ₹5,80,000, QoL 55/100.
Thiruvananthapuram — cost index 88, rent ₹10,000/mo, income ₹4,40,000, QoL 70/100.
Kochi — cost index 95, rent ₹12,000/mo, income ₹4,80,000, QoL 67/100.
Coimbatore — cost index 82, rent ₹10,000/mo, income ₹4,20,000, QoL 65/100.
Dehradun — cost index 82, rent ₹10,000/mo, income ₹4,20,000, QoL 65/100.
Chennai has a composite quality of life score of 55/100, covering safety (62), healthcare (85), walkability (50), air quality, and green space. India average QoL: 57/100.
The Tamil Nadu region of average QoL score is 57/100. Chennai leads with 55/100, 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.
Chennai: cost index 112, rent ₹18,000/mo, income ₹5,80,000/yr, QoL 55/100. Thiruvananthapuram: cost index 88, rent ₹10,000/mo, income ₹4,40,000/yr, QoL 70/100.
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.