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Pune Tops Ease of Living Index 2018, Delhi Ranks 65th
By PropertyGeld Editorial Team
Published on PropertyGeld:
Pune emerged as the highest-ranked city in India's first government-led Ease of Living Index, while Delhi was placed at 65th among 111 cities. The assessment was designed to compare urban living conditions using factors such as governance, social infrastructure, economic conditions and physical infrastructure.
Pune Ranked No. 1
Pune secured the first position in the 2018 Ease of Living Index. It was followed by Navi Mumbai and Greater Mumbai, making Maharashtra the strongest-performing state in the top three positions.
Other cities in the top 10 included Tirupati, Chandigarh, Thane, Raipur, Indore, Vijayawada and Bhopal.
The ranking was based on a 100-point framework covering 78 indicators. It was intended to help city authorities understand their performance and identify areas requiring improvement.
Delhi Ranked 65th
Delhi was ranked 65th among 111 cities.
The ranking covered the larger Delhi urban agglomeration rather than only the New Delhi municipal area. The government clarified that the assessment included approximately 1,488 sq km covering the municipal areas of North, South and East Delhi along with New Delhi.
One of the challenges highlighted around Delhi's assessment was the difficulty of collecting and combining data because multiple agencies are responsible for different urban services.
These included municipal corporations, the Delhi Jal Board and transport-related agencies.
How Were Cities Evaluated?
The Ease of Living Index used four major pillars:
1. Institutional Factors
This category focused on governance and the ability of urban authorities to provide services and manage the city effectively.
2. Social Factors
Social infrastructure included areas such as:
Education
Healthcare
Safety and security
Identity and culture
Social development
3. Economic Factors
The economic pillar looked at aspects connected with the city's economy and employment environment.
4. Physical Infrastructure
This was the largest component of the assessment and included:
Housing
Transportation
Water supply
Wastewater management
Solid waste management
Electricity
Public spaces
Land-use planning
Environmental quality
The four pillars together covered 78 indicators across 15 categories. Physical infrastructure carried the highest weight at 45 points, while institutional and social factors carried 25 points each and the economic pillar carried five points.
Pune's Score
Although Pune topped the ranking, its overall score was around 58.11 points out of 100.
Navi Mumbai followed closely with approximately 58.02 points. This showed that even the highest-ranked cities had considerable scope for improving their urban infrastructure and services.
Performance of Other Major Cities
Several major Indian cities received different rankings in the assessment.
City | Rank |
|---|---|
Pune | 1 |
Navi Mumbai | 2 |
Greater Mumbai | 3 |
Tirupati | 4 |
Chandigarh | 5 |
Thane | 6 |
Raipur | 7 |
Indore | 8 |
Vijayawada | 9 |
Bhopal | 10 |
Chennai | 14 |
Ahmedabad | 23 |
Hyderabad | 27 |
Varanasi | 33 |
Ghaziabad | 46 |
Delhi | 65 |
Gurugram | 88 |
The official government ranking confirms Pune's first position and provides the complete city-wise ranking.
Gurugram Ranked 88th
Gurugram, one of India's major corporate and real estate centres, was ranked 88th.
The result demonstrates that economic growth alone does not necessarily translate into a higher ease-of-living score. Factors such as public infrastructure, transportation, environmental quality, water supply, waste management and public spaces also influence urban liveability.
Why the Index Was Important
The Ease of Living Index was more than a simple ranking exercise. Its objective was to encourage cities to use data to evaluate their urban development and improve public services.
The framework also encouraged competition between cities by allowing urban administrations to compare their performance across common indicators.
For residents and property buyers, such assessments can provide another way to evaluate cities beyond property prices and employment opportunities.
What Makes a City Easier to Live In?
The assessment highlighted that good urban living depends on several factors working together.
A city needs:
Reliable public transport
Good roads and mobility
Affordable housing
Access to healthcare
Quality educational institutions
Reliable water and electricity
Effective waste management
Public parks and open spaces
Safety and security
Employment opportunities
Efficient governance
Better environmental conditions
Therefore, a city's liveability cannot be judged only by its economic growth or real estate development.
Delhi's Ranking Needs Context
Delhi's 65th position should also be understood in the context of the methodology used.
The government assessment covered a substantially larger urban area than some international city rankings. It also used a different set of indicators and weightages.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs specifically clarified that comparisons between its Ease of Living Index and international liveability rankings were not directly comparable because the geographical coverage and methodologies differed.
Importance for Real Estate
Liveability rankings can influence how residents, businesses and property investors view different cities.
A city with better transport, healthcare, education, public spaces, housing and basic infrastructure can become more attractive for long-term residents. Improved urban services can also support residential and commercial real estate demand.
However, buyers should not use a city ranking as the only reason to purchase property. Local infrastructure, neighbourhood development, employment access, property prices, rental demand and project quality should also be evaluated.
Conclusion
The 2018 Ease of Living Index placed Pune at the top among 111 participating cities, followed by Navi Mumbai and Greater Mumbai. Delhi stood at 65th, while Gurugram was ranked 88th.
The assessment demonstrated the importance of looking beyond economic growth and considering governance, social infrastructure, housing, transportation, environment and basic civic services when evaluating the quality of urban life.
Because this was the first Ease of Living Index released in 2018, these rankings should be treated as historical data rather than a current 2026 ranking.