Cost of living across 30 Indian cities, compared (2026)
Mumbai vs Patna, Bengaluru vs Hyderabad, Delhi vs Indore, Pune vs Coimbatore — real 2026 rent + single + 3-flatmate share numbers across 30 Indian cities.
Quick answer: Across India's 12 most-searched relocation pairs in 2026, the cost-of-living gap ranges from 1.4× (Bengaluru vs Hyderabad) to 3.2× (Mumbai vs Patna). A salary that's "comfortable" in Mumbai is upper-middle-class in Pune, and lavish in Indore. Below: head-to-head numbers for rent, single-living, and 3-flatmate share for each pair.
If you're considering a job-driven move (or just a WFH location swap), the salary-arbitrage math matters more than most people realize. Here are 12 head-to-head 2026 cost-of-living comparisons that show exactly how big the gap is.
Use the interactive city cost comparator to run your own pairings — it covers 33 cities and lets you share results via URL.
1. Mumbai vs Patna — biggest single-city gap in the dataset
| Mumbai (Powai) | Patna (Boring Road) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1BHK rent | ₹30,000–₹45,000 | ₹9,000–₹13,000 |
| Single all-in | ₹55,000–₹75,000 | ₹17,000–₹23,000 |
| 3-flatmate share | ₹38,000–₹50,000 | ₹14,000–₹20,000 |
Mumbai is ~3.4× more expensive than Patna for equivalent lifestyle. A ₹25 LPA Mumbai role = ₹7 LPA Patna purchasing power.
2. Bengaluru vs Coimbatore — South India arbitrage
| Bengaluru (HSR) | Coimbatore (Peelamedu) | |
|---|---|---|
| Single all-in | ₹42,000–₹58,000 | ₹20,000–₹27,000 |
| Electricity (BESCOM vs TANGEDCO) | ₹2,800–₹4,500 | ₹1,800–₹2,800 |
Coimbatore is ~50% cheaper. Tradeoff: smaller IT job pool (mostly PSG / Amrita-trained engineers locally).
Compare Bengaluru vs Coimbatore →
3. Gurugram vs Noida — same NCR, different math
| Gurugram (DLF Phase 4) | Noida (Sector 62) | |
|---|---|---|
| 2BHK rent | ₹42,000–₹60,000 | ₹26,000–₹40,000 |
| Single all-in | ₹55,000–₹75,000 | ₹40,000–₹55,000 |
Noida is ~30% cheaper. Tradeoff: 60-90 min commute to Cyber City Gurugram.
4. Delhi vs Indore — relocate-from-NCR play
| Delhi (Saket) | Indore (Vijay Nagar) | |
|---|---|---|
| Single all-in | ₹40,000–₹55,000 | ₹19,000–₹26,000 |
| 2BHK rent | ₹42,000–₹58,000 | ₹18,000–₹26,000 |
Indore is ~50% cheaper, has growing IT (Infosys, TCS, Persistent), and India's cleanest-city status.
5. Pune vs Aurangabad — within Maharashtra
| Pune (Hinjewadi) | Aurangabad (Cidco) | |
|---|---|---|
| Single all-in | ₹35,000–₹48,000 | ₹16,000–₹22,000 |
| 1BHK rent | ₹18,000–₹26,000 | ₹9,000–₹13,000 |
Aurangabad is ~55% cheaper. Auto-cluster jobs (Bajaj, Audi, Skoda) but limited IT.
6. Hyderabad vs Vizag — Telangana to AP
| Hyderabad (Gachibowli) | Visakhapatnam (Madhurawada) | |
|---|---|---|
| Single all-in | ₹35,000–₹48,000 | ₹22,000–₹30,000 |
| 2BHK rent | ₹28,000–₹40,000 | ₹18,000–₹26,000 |
Vizag is ~35% cheaper, on the coast, has real IT (Cognizant, Conduent, ANZ).
7. Chennai vs Trivandrum — Kerala arbitrage for Chennai techs
| Chennai (OMR) | Trivandrum (Kazhakkoottam) | |
|---|---|---|
| Single all-in | ₹32,000–₹44,000 | ₹23,000–₹30,000 |
| Electricity (TNEB vs KSEB) | ₹1,800–₹2,800 | ₹2,200–₹3,100 |
Trivandrum is ~30% cheaper but has a smaller Technopark IT pool than OMR.
Compare Chennai vs Trivandrum →
8. Bengaluru vs Mysore — short-distance arbitrage
Same Karnataka, ~150 km apart, same Infosys feeder.
| Bengaluru | Mysore | |
|---|---|---|
| Single all-in | ₹42,000–₹58,000 | ₹22,000–₹30,000 |
| Mild weather, low electricity | Always | Even better (rarely > 35°C) |
Mysore is ~45% cheaper. Many Infosys trainees stay in Mysore post-training.
9. Mumbai vs Goa — for digital nomads
| Mumbai (Powai) | Goa (Assagao, off-season) | |
|---|---|---|
| Single all-in | ₹55,000–₹75,000 | ₹40,000–₹55,000 |
| Peak season (Nov–Feb) | Same year-round | ₹85,000–₹1,10,000 |
Off-season Goa beats Mumbai by ~30%. Peak season Goa is more expensive than Mumbai.
10. Faridabad vs Gurugram — same NCR, half the rent
| Faridabad (Sector 21) | Gurugram (DLF Phase 4) | |
|---|---|---|
| Single all-in | ₹28,000–₹38,000 | ₹55,000–₹75,000 |
| 2BHK rent | ₹24,000–₹34,000 | ₹42,000–₹60,000 |
Faridabad is ~50% cheaper. Tradeoff: Cyber City commute is 60-90 min via Yellow Line + cab.
Compare Faridabad vs Gurugram →
11. Lucknow vs Kanpur — within UP
| Lucknow (Gomti Nagar) | Kanpur (Swaroop Nagar) | |
|---|---|---|
| Single all-in | ₹20,000–₹27,000 | ₹17,000–₹23,000 |
| 2BHK rent | ₹14,000–₹21,000 | ₹14,000–₹21,000 |
Within ~15% — both are excellent low-cost options. Lucknow has slightly better IT services scene; Kanpur has IIT-K + textile/leather.
12. Bhopal vs Indore vs Bhubaneswar — tier-2 IT trio
| Bhopal | Indore | Bhubaneswar | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single all-in | ₹19,000–₹26,000 | ₹19,000–₹26,000 | ₹22,000–₹30,000 |
| IT job pool | Government + new IT | TCS, Infosys, Persistent | KIIT + Infosys + TCS |
All three are within ~₹3-4k/month. Pick by job-density preference.
How to use these comparisons
- For job offers: divide your salary by the city's mid-point all-in. If the multiple is < 2.5×, you're underpaid for that city.
- For relocation decisions: factor in career velocity (how often you change jobs). High-velocity careers favor metros even at higher cost.
- For WFH location swaps: cost arbitrage works best for 12+ month commitments where you're not actively job-hunting.
- Try your own pairing: city cost comparator tool covers 33 cities with shareable URLs.
Looking for the full playbook? See our pillar guide: How to split bills with friends in India (2026) — covers every scenario, app, and UPI flow in one place.
Sources & methodology
Numbers in this guide are anchored to April–May 2026 listed prices on MagicBricks, NoBroker, and 99acres, the published electricity-board slab schedules, and field reports from Niptao users.
- NHB Residex — housing price index
- MagicBricks rent & sale price trends
- NoBroker rent insights
- Numbeo cost of living — India
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