Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Chennai vs Nagpur in 2026: cost index 112 vs 78, rent ₹18,000 vs ₹10,000, income ₹5,80,000 vs ₹4,20,000, QoL 55 vs 61.
Chennai vs Nagpur in 2026: cost index 112 vs 78, rent ₹18,000 vs ₹10,000, income ₹5,80,000 vs ₹4,20,000, QoL 55 vs 61.
Chennai ranks #1 with a cost index of 112 and rent of ₹18,000/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 95 (+2 vs national average of 93).
Average quality of life: 58/100. Top: Chennai at 55/100.
Safest city: Nagpur (68/100 safety score).
Here's what the headline numbers don't tell you: Chennai stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 112 and median income of ₹5,80,000, it offers competitive value despite costs slightly above the national median. This is where the math gets real for actual people.
On quality of life, Nagpur leads with a composite score of 61/100 — reflecting its safety (68), healthcare (62), and walkability (42) metrics. And here's the trade-off: 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. Chennai leads with 55/100, 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.
Chennai (ranked #1) has a cost index of 112 and rent of ₹18,000/mo. Nagpur (#2) has index 78 and rent ₹10,000/mo — a 34-point gap.