Best cities to live in India and their cost of living: Bengaluru tops the list | Check if Mumbai, Delhi made the cut
India's urban evolution over two decades showcases expanding metro networks, startup hubs, and smart infrastructure. A survey evaluates cities based on safety, education, employment, and cost of living to identify the top 10 best cities to live in India by 2026.
In the last two decades, India has seen a remarkable urban evolution. Expanding metro networks, thriving startup hubs, smart infrastructure projects, and a rising middle class have redefining life across cities. Yet, with more than 4,000 cities and towns spread across India, choosing the right place to call home can be a challenge.
Here's are look at the best cities to live in India (as per a survey by 100 acress.com) by evaluating factors that matter most in everyday life — safety, quality of education, and employment opportunities. We also examine the cost of living in each city to help determine which destinations offer the best balance between affordability and quality of life.
Top 10 best cities to live in India in 2026 and cost of living in each city
Bengaluru: Home to 15,000+ startups and global giants like Google, Amazon, and Infosy, Bengaluru is called India's IT hub. It is one of the best cities to live in India for young professionals.
Cost of living one person: ₹48.1K (Source: livingcost.org)
Cost of living Family: ₹116K
Pune's thriving educational ecosystem, comfortable weather, and expanding opportunities in IT and manufacturing have made it a sought-after destination for students, professionals, and families alike.
Cost of living one person: ₹46.9K
Cost of living Family: ₹112K
Hyderabad is the fastest-rising star among the best cities to live in India. HITEC City hosts Microsoft, Apple, Google, and Amazon.
Cost of living one person: ₹42K
Cost of living Family: ₹103K
Chennai, often referred as India's Detroit, rewards long-term residents with solid infrastructure, strong cultural roots, and one of the most stable economies in South India.
Cost of living one person: ₹38.7K
Cost of living Family: ₹95.3K
Mumbai: Despite its high cost of living, Mumbai remains an indispensable part of any list of India's best cities to live in. The country's financial capital offers unparalleled career opportunities, a vibrant multicultural environment, and world-class infrastructure, making it a magnet for professionals, entrepreneurs, and dreamers alike.
Cost of living one person: ₹68K
Cost of living Family: ₹152K
Ahmedabad is one of India's fastest-growing cities and a rising contender for the most livable cities tag. A thriving business environment, excellent roads, and the GIFT City financial hub make it future-ready.
Cost of living one person: ₹41K
Cost of living Family: ₹97.6K
Kolkata is the most underrated city on this list. Despite being a major metro, it offers the lowest cost of living in India
Cost of living one person: ₹35.7K
Cost of living Family: ₹86.5K
Chandigarh is India's first model city and scores the highest on quality of life in India surveys — clean streets, wide tree-lined roads, low congestion.
Cost of living one person: 36.4K
Cost of living Family: ₹87.9K
Kochi is emerging tech and trade hub. With a growing startup ecosystem in Infopark and Technopark Trivandrum (nearby), it's rapidly climbing list of the most livable cities charts.
Cost of living one person: ₹37.1K
Cost of living Family: ₹92K
Coimbatore is the most promising Tier-2 city to make our list of the best cities to live in India.
Cost of living one person: ₹31.5K
Cost of living Family: ₹76.8K
About the Author
Sanchari Ghosh is an Assistant Editor at Mint with over 12 years of experience in journalism, specialising in personal finance, DLT & DeFi, geopolitics and foreign policy, with a particular emphasis on how these areas intersect. <br> She writes extensively about how money works in everyday life—helping readers navigate personal finance decisions. <br> As AI reshapes investing behaviour, capital is increasingly flowing into decentralized ecosystems, redefining how assets are managed, traded, and valued. She focuses on explaining how money flows within frameworks like Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), DeFi protocols, and crypto markets—while also exploring what the future of money could look like in a trustless, programmable financial world. <br> She also focuses on immigration-related issues, simplifying complex topics around visas, passports, overseas financial planning, and the many practical challenges Indians face while moving or living abroad. <br> Alongside personal finance, Sanchari has a strong understanding of international politics, contemporary and historical conflicts, and global state decisions. She closely tracks how geopolitical developments influence economies, markets, and individual financial choices, bringing together finance and global affairs in her reporting. <br> She began her career as a desk editor, which gave her a strong foundation in news writing. Over time, her interest naturally shifted toward personal finance. Before joining Mint in 2020, she worked DNA, The Times of India, Outlook Money, BloombergQuint, and ETMoney. At Mint, she got an opportunity to expand her coverage to include immigration and geopolitical developments while continuing to closely follow personal finance trends and market movements.As a journalist, she is committed to accuracy, intellectual rigour, and fairness. <br> She is an English Major and her work took her across cities including Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune. Living independently from an early age gave her firsthand experience in managing life and money on her own. This practical exposure sparked her strong interest in personal finance. <br> Outside the newsroom, Sanchari is a sports enthusiast who regularly plays lawn tennis and squash. In her younger years, she was also a national-level badminton player.
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