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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Bengaluru for remote workers: DN score 63/100, internet 85 Mbps, walk score 55/100, rent ₹25,000/mo. Compared to 27 other Karnataka cities below.
Bengaluru for remote workers: DN score 63/100, internet 85 Mbps, walk score 55/100, rent ₹25,000/mo. Compared to 27 other Karnataka cities below.
Bengaluru: cost index 132 (+39 vs national avg 93), rent ₹25,000/month.
Karnataka region average cost index: 93. Bengaluru is +39 vs region peers.
Quality of life: 50/100 — safety 58, healthcare 82, walkability 55.
Safety score: 58/100 (crime rate 48.5/1k). National average: 62/100.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bengaluru | 132 | ₹25,000 | ₹8,50,000 |
| 2 | Pune | 108 | ₹18,000 | ₹6,20,000 |
| 3 | Hyderabad | 110 | ₹18,000 | ₹6,80,000 |
| 4 | Chandigarh | 98 | ₹14,000 | ₹5,20,000 |
| 5 | Coimbatore | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 |
| 6 | Ahmedabad | 88 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,80,000 |
| 7 | Kochi | 95 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,80,000 |
| 8 | Kolkata | 88 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,50,000 |
| 9 | Indore | 75 | ₹9,000 | ₹3,80,000 |
| 10 | Thiruvananthapuram | 88 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,40,000 |
| 11 | Panaji | 105 | ₹15,000 | ₹4,80,000 |
| 12 | Chennai | 112 | ₹18,000 | ₹5,80,000 |
| 13 | Surat | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,50,000 |
| 14 | Visakhapatnam | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 |
| 15 | Nagpur | 78 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 |
| 16 | Dehradun | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 |
| 17 | Gurugram | 125 | ₹22,000 | ₹7,80,000 |
| 18 | Noida | 110 | ₹16,000 | ₹6,50,000 |
| 19 | Bhopal | 72 | ₹8,500 | ₹3,60,000 |
| 20 | Bhubaneswar | 72 | ₹8,000 | ₹3,60,000 |
The conventional wisdom says one thing. The data says another: Bengaluru has a cost index of 132 — 39 points above the India national average of 93. Median income is ₹8,50,000 with rent at ₹25,000/month, putting the rent-to-income ratio at 35%. For anyone running the numbers, this is where it clicks.
But here's the flip side: looking at Karnataka as a whole, the spread across all 28 cities is 64 points on the cost index. Patna sits at the other end with index 68 and rent of ₹7,500/mo. That's a strong position by any measure.
On quality of life, Bengaluru scores a composite score of 50/100 — reflecting its safety (58), healthcare (82), and walkability (55) metrics. Context matters here. affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and India is a good example of that tension.
Bengaluru — cost index 132, rent ₹25,000/mo, income ₹8,50,000, QoL 50/100.
Pune — cost index 108, rent ₹18,000/mo, income ₹6,20,000, QoL 53/100.
Hyderabad — cost index 110, rent ₹18,000/mo, income ₹6,80,000, QoL 53/100.
Chandigarh — cost index 98, rent ₹14,000/mo, income ₹5,20,000, QoL 64/100.
Coimbatore — cost index 82, rent ₹10,000/mo, income ₹4,20,000, QoL 65/100.
Bengaluru scores 50/100 on the relevant index for remote workers — with rent of ₹25,000/month and cost index 132 (39 points above the national average of 93).
The Karnataka region of average QoL score is 57/100. Bengaluru leads with 50/100, 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.
Bengaluru: cost index 132, rent ₹25,000/mo, income ₹8,50,000/yr, QoL 50/100. Pune: cost index 108, rent ₹18,000/mo, income ₹6,20,000/yr, QoL 53/100.
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.