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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in India for 2026. Thiruvananthapuram leads with a cost index of 88 and rent of ₹10,000/month.
Ranking of cities in India for 2026. Thiruvananthapuram leads with a cost index of 88 and rent of ₹10,000/month.
Thiruvananthapuram ranks #1 with a cost index of 88 and rent of ₹10,000/month.
The median city is Chennai — cost index 112, rent ₹18,000/mo.
Average cost index across these cities: 93 (0 vs national average of 93).
Average quality of life: 57/100. Top: Thiruvananthapuram at 70/100.
Safest city: Thiruvananthapuram (75/100 safety score).
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income | QoL | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thiruvananthapuram | 88 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,40,000 | 70 | 75 |
| 2 | Coimbatore | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 | 65 | 72 |
| 3 | Surat | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,50,000 | 59 | 72 |
| 4 | Indore | 75 | ₹9,000 | ₹3,80,000 | 63 | 72 |
| 5 | Kochi | 95 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,80,000 | 67 | 72 |
| 6 | Chandigarh | 98 | ₹14,000 | ₹5,20,000 | 64 | 72 |
| 7 | Panaji | 105 | ₹15,000 | ₹4,80,000 | 64 | 72 |
| 8 | Nagpur | 78 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 | 61 | 68 |
| 9 | Bhubaneswar | 72 | ₹8,000 | ₹3,60,000 | 63 | 68 |
| 10 | Dehradun | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 | 65 | 68 |
| 11 | Ahmedabad | 88 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,80,000 | 56 | 65 |
| 12 | Bhopal | 72 | ₹8,500 | ₹3,60,000 | 63 | 65 |
| 13 | Visakhapatnam | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 | 61 | 65 |
| 14 | Pune | 108 | ₹18,000 | ₹6,20,000 | 53 | 62 |
| 15 | Chennai | 112 | ₹18,000 | ₹5,80,000 | 55 | 62 |
| 16 | Raipur | 68 | ₹7,000 | ₹3,40,000 | 59 | 62 |
| 17 | Hyderabad | 110 | ₹18,000 | ₹6,80,000 | 53 | 60 |
| 18 | Bengaluru | 132 | ₹25,000 | ₹8,50,000 | 50 | 58 |
| 19 | Jaipur | 85 | ₹11,000 | ₹4,20,000 | 52 | 55 |
| 20 | Guwahati | 75 | ₹9,000 | ₹3,80,000 | 61 | 55 |
Here's what the headline numbers don't tell you: Thiruvananthapuram stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 88 and median income of ₹4,40,000, it offers below-average costs relative to the rest of India. This combination is rare — and valuable.
Here's where it gets complicated: the spread across all 28 cities is 40 points on the cost index. New Delhi sits at the other end with index 128 and rent of ₹22,000/mo. This combination is rare — and valuable.
On quality of life, Thiruvananthapuram leads with a composite score of 70/100 — reflecting its safety (75), healthcare (80), and walkability (38) 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.
Thiruvananthapuram — cost index 88, rent ₹10,000/mo, income ₹4,40,000, QoL 70/100.
Coimbatore — cost index 82, rent ₹10,000/mo, income ₹4,20,000, QoL 65/100.
Surat — cost index 82, rent ₹10,000/mo, income ₹4,50,000, QoL 59/100.
Indore — cost index 75, rent ₹9,000/mo, income ₹3,80,000, QoL 63/100.
Kochi — cost index 95, rent ₹12,000/mo, income ₹4,80,000, QoL 67/100.
The country average QoL score is 57/100. Thiruvananthapuram leads with 70/100, 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.
Thiruvananthapuram (ranked #1) has a cost index of 88 and rent of ₹10,000/mo. New Delhi (#28) has index 128 and rent ₹22,000/mo — a 40-point gap.
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.