India's Metro Cities: A Shift in Global Cost of Living Rankings
New Delhi Overtakes Mumbai as India's Most Expensive City for Expatriates
In a recent survey, New Delhi has emerged as the most expensive city in India for expatriates, surpassing Mumbai, Bangalore, and Chennai. This ranking is based on a comprehensive cost of living analysis that compares over 200 items across 143 cities globally.
Global Rankings: A Year-Over-Year Comparison
- New Delhi: Dropped to the 65th position from 55th in the previous year's survey
- Bangalore: Fell to 133rd rank from 118th, marking a significant decline
- Chennai: Ranked as the cheapest Indian city at 135th, down from 117th in the last year's survey
- Mumbai: Although not specified in the rankings mentioned, it trails behind New Delhi in terms of expatriate living costs within India
Understanding Mercer's Survey
Mercer's cost of living survey is a definitive guide for multinational corporations and governments to determine appropriate living allowances for their expatriate employees. The survey meticulously evaluates the comparative cost of:
- Housing
- Transport
- Food
- Clothing
- Household Goods
- Entertainment
across six continents. This year's rankings have been largely influenced by substantial currency fluctuations, leading to a noticeable reshuffle of cities globally.