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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
New Delhi digital nomad score: 52/100 — internet 62 Mbps, walk score 55/100, safety 42/100, rent ₹22,000/mo, nightlife 80/100. Full breakdown vs Delhi peers.
New Delhi digital nomad score: 52/100 — internet 62 Mbps, walk score 55/100, safety 42/100, rent ₹22,000/mo, nightlife 80/100. Full breakdown vs Delhi peers.
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.
| # | City | Cost Index | Rent/mo | Income | DN Score | Internet (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Delhi | 128 | ₹22,000 | ₹6,80,000 | 52 | 62 |
| 2 | Pune | 108 | ₹18,000 | ₹6,20,000 | 64 | 72 |
| 3 | Hyderabad | 110 | ₹18,000 | ₹6,80,000 | 64 | 75 |
| 4 | Bengaluru | 132 | ₹25,000 | ₹8,50,000 | 63 | 85 |
| 5 | Chandigarh | 98 | ₹14,000 | ₹5,20,000 | 63 | 62 |
| 6 | Coimbatore | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 | 62 | 55 |
| 7 | Ahmedabad | 88 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,80,000 | 62 | 58 |
| 8 | Kochi | 95 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,80,000 | 62 | 62 |
| 9 | Kolkata | 88 | ₹12,000 | ₹4,50,000 | 61 | 52 |
| 10 | Indore | 75 | ₹9,000 | ₹3,80,000 | 61 | 45 |
| 11 | Thiruvananthapuram | 88 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,40,000 | 61 | 58 |
| 12 | Panaji | 105 | ₹15,000 | ₹4,80,000 | 61 | 55 |
| 13 | Chennai | 112 | ₹18,000 | ₹5,80,000 | 60 | 68 |
| 14 | Surat | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,50,000 | 60 | 52 |
| 15 | Visakhapatnam | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 | 59 | 52 |
| 16 | Nagpur | 78 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 | 58 | 45 |
| 17 | Dehradun | 82 | ₹10,000 | ₹4,20,000 | 58 | 48 |
| 18 | Gurugram | 125 | ₹22,000 | ₹7,80,000 | 57 | 78 |
| 19 | Noida | 110 | ₹16,000 | ₹6,50,000 | 57 | 72 |
| 20 | Bhopal | 72 | ₹8,500 | ₹3,60,000 | 57 | 42 |
Here's what the headline numbers don't tell you: 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%. Over a five-year window, that difference is life-changing.
And here's the trade-off: looking at Delhi as a whole, the spread across all 28 cities is 60 points on the cost index. Patna sits at the other end with index 68 and rent of ₹7,500/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. Here's where it gets complicated: affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and India is a good example of that tension.
For digital nomads specifically, New Delhi earns a DN score of 52/100, powered by 62 Mbps internet, walkability of 55/100, and a nightlife score of 80/100. This combination is rare — and valuable.
New Delhi — cost index 128, rent ₹22,000/mo, income ₹6,80,000, QoL 46/100.
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.
Bengaluru — cost index 132, rent ₹25,000/mo, income ₹8,50,000, QoL 50/100.
Chandigarh — cost index 98, rent ₹14,000/mo, income ₹5,20,000, QoL 64/100.
New Delhi earns a digital nomad score of 52/100 — internet 62 Mbps, walk score 55/100, safety 42/100, rent ₹22,000/month.
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. 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.