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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Bengaluru vs Chennai in 2026: cost index 132 vs 112, rent ₹25,000 vs ₹18,000, income ₹8,50,000 vs ₹5,80,000, QoL 50 vs 55.
Bengaluru vs Chennai in 2026: cost index 132 vs 112, rent ₹25,000 vs ₹18,000, income ₹8,50,000 vs ₹5,80,000, QoL 50 vs 55.
Bengaluru ranks #1 with a cost index of 132 and rent of ₹25,000/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 122 (+29 vs national average of 93).
Average quality of life: 53/100. Top: Bengaluru at 50/100.
Safest city: Chennai (62/100 safety score).
Strip away assumptions, and something unexpected emerges. Bengaluru stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 132 and median income of ₹8,50,000, it offers competitive value despite costs slightly above the national median. That's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Chennai leads with a composite score of 55/100 — reflecting its safety (62), healthcare (85), and walkability (50) metrics. Here's where it gets complicated: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and India is a good example of that tension.
The country average QoL score is 57/100. Bengaluru leads with 50/100, 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.
Bengaluru (ranked #1) has a cost index of 132 and rent of ₹25,000/mo. Chennai (#2) has index 112 and rent ₹18,000/mo — a 20-point gap.