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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Ranking of cities in India for 2026. New Delhi leads with a cost index of 128 and rent of ₹22,000/month.
Ranking of cities in India for 2026. New Delhi leads with a cost index of 128 and rent of ₹22,000/month.
New Delhi ranks #1 with a cost index of 128 and rent of ₹22,000/month.
Average cost index across these cities: 112 (+19 vs national average of 93).
Average quality of life: 57/100. Top: New Delhi at 46/100.
Safest city: Kochi (72/100 safety score).
Here's the finding that keeps coming up in different analyses: New Delhi stands out as the top-ranked city in this analysis. With a cost index of 128 and median income of ₹6,80,000, it offers competitive value despite costs slightly above the national median. Financially, that's significant.
On quality of life, Kochi leads with a composite score of 67/100 — reflecting its safety (72), healthcare (82), and walkability (42) metrics. Zooming out, affordability and QoL don't always move in the same direction, and India is a good example of that tension.
New Delhi — cost index 128, rent ₹22,000/mo, income ₹6,80,000, QoL 46/100.
Kochi — cost index 95, rent ₹12,000/mo, income ₹4,80,000, QoL 67/100.
The country average QoL score is 57/100. New Delhi leads with 46/100, 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.
New Delhi (ranked #1) has a cost index of 128 and rent of ₹22,000/mo. Kochi (#2) has index 95 and rent ₹12,000/mo — a 33-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.