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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Cost of living in New Delhi, India (2026): cost index 128 (+35 vs national avg), rent ₹22,000/mo, median income ₹6,80,000/yr. Rent takes 39% of gross income. Full breakdown vs Delhi peers below.
Cost of living in New Delhi, India (2026): cost index 128 (+35 vs national avg), rent ₹22,000/mo, median income ₹6,80,000/yr. Rent takes 39% of gross income. Full breakdown vs Delhi peers below.
New Delhi: cost index 128 (+35 vs national avg 93), rent ₹22,000/month.
Delhi region average cost index: 93. New Delhi is +35 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 46/100 — safety 42, healthcare 80, walkability 55.
Safety score: 42/100 (crime rate 72.5/1k). National average: 62/100.
Here's where the conversation shifts from 'affordable' to 'strategic': New Delhi has a cost index of 128 — 35 points above the India national average of 93. Median income is ₹6,80,000 with rent at ₹22,000/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 39%. That's a strong position by any measure.
But here's the flip side: looking at Delhi as a whole, the spread across all 28 cities is 14 points on the cost index. Mumbai sits at the other end with index 142 and rent of ₹35,000/mo. This combination is rare — and valuable.
On quality of life, New Delhi scores a composite score of 46/100 — reflecting its safety (42), healthcare (80), and walkability (55) 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.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Delhi | 128 | ₹22,000 | ₹6,80,000 |
| 2 | Patna | 68 | ₹7,500 | ₹3,20,000 |
| 3 | Raipur | 68 | ₹7,000 | ₹3,40,000 |
| 4 | Ranchi | 70 | ₹7,500 | ₹3,50,000 |
| 5 | Bhopal | 72 | ₹8,500 | ₹3,60,000 |
| 6 | Bhubaneswar | 72 | ₹8,000 | ₹3,60,000 |
| 7 | Indore | 75 | ₹9,000 | ₹3,80,000 |
| 8 | Guwahati | 75 | ₹9,000 | ₹3,80,000 |
| 9 | Nagpur | 78 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 |
| 10 | Lucknow | 78 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,00,000 |
| 11 | Coimbatore | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 |
| 12 | Surat | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,50,000 |
| 13 | Visakhapatnam | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 |
| 14 | Dehradun | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 |
| 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 | Thiruvananthapuram | 88 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,40,000 |
| 19 | Kochi | 95 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,80,000 |
| 20 | Chandigarh | 98 | ₹14,000 | ₹5,20,000 |
New Delhi — cost index 128, rent ₹22,000/mo, income ₹6,80,000, QoL 46/100.
Patna — cost index 68, rent ₹7,500/mo, income ₹3,20,000, QoL 51/100.
Raipur — cost index 68, rent ₹7,000/mo, income ₹3,40,000, QoL 59/100.
Ranchi — cost index 70, rent ₹7,500/mo, income ₹3,50,000, QoL 59/100.
Bhopal — cost index 72, rent ₹8,500/mo, income ₹3,60,000, QoL 63/100.
New Delhi has a cost index of 128 (national avg: 93). Median rent is ₹22,000/month, median income ₹6,80,000/year, giving a rent-to-income ratio of 39%.
The Delhi region of average QoL score is 57/100. New Delhi leads with 46/100, 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.
New Delhi: cost index 128, rent ₹22,000/mo, income ₹6,80,000/yr, QoL 46/100. Patna: cost index 68, rent ₹7,500/mo, income ₹3,20,000/yr, QoL 51/100.
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.