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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Surat vs Kochi in 2026: cost index 82 vs 95, rent ₹10,000 vs ₹12,000, income ₹4,50,000 vs ₹4,80,000, QoL 59 vs 67.
Surat vs Kochi in 2026: cost index 82 vs 95, rent ₹10,000 vs ₹12,000, income ₹4,50,000 vs ₹4,80,000, QoL 59 vs 67.
Surat ranks #1 with a cost index of 82 and rent of ₹10,000/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 89 (-4 vs national average of 93).
Average quality of life: 63/100. Top: Surat at 59/100.
Safest city: Surat (72/100 safety score).
Here's where the conversation shifts from 'affordable' to 'strategic': Surat stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 82 and median income of ₹4,50,000, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of India. That's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Kochi leads with a composite score of 67/100 — reflecting its safety (72), healthcare (82), and walkability (42) metrics. But here's the flip side: 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. Surat leads with 59/100, 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.
Surat (ranked #1) has a cost index of 82 and rent of ₹10,000/mo. Kochi (#2) has index 95 and rent ₹12,000/mo — a 13-point gap.