Intro
PRICE-Tata Sons study ranks Bengaluru highest in household income, Chandigarh tops spending nationwide.
CH NEWS
BENGALURU
Bengaluru has emerged as India’s highest-income city, with households earning an average of ₹28 lakh annually, according to a new report by Mumbai-based People’s Research on India’s Consumer Economy (PRICE) in collaboration with Tata Sons. The findings reinforce the city’s position as the country’s leading technology and economic hub, driven by high-paying jobs, a thriving services sector and a robust business ecosystem.
The report, titled “The Many Urban Indias,” places Bengaluru ahead of all other Indian cities in terms of average household income. Chandigarh ranks second with an estimated annual household income of ₹26 lakh.
While Bengaluru leads the country in earnings, Chandigarh has been identified as India’s highest-spending city. The report estimates that an average household in Chandigarh spends nearly ₹19 lakh annually, reflecting the city’s strong purchasing power and affluent consumer profile.
The study draws on PRICE’s nationally representative ICE 360° Household Surveys along with official datasets, including the National Accounts Statistics, National Sample Survey Office (NSO) Consumption Expenditure Surveys, Census data and United Nations population projections.
It provides estimates for 2025-26 and projects trends in household income, expenditure, savings, borrowing and wealth creation up to 2030-31, offering a comprehensive assessment of the financial behaviour of households across India’s 100 largest cities.
According to the report, Chandigarh is followed by Thiruvananthapuram, Vadodara, Tiruppur and Surat in household expenditure. Interestingly, the study notes that the country’s five highest-spending cities do not include any of India’s six largest metropolitan centres.
On the income front, however, Bengaluru remains unmatched. The report identifies Chandigarh as a “frontier city” with the highest household income in its category, but notes that Bengaluru continues to lead nationally by a comfortable margin.
The findings underline Bengaluru’s continued economic resilience, supported by its information technology sector, startup ecosystem, financial services industry and expanding employment opportunities. The city’s ability to generate higher household incomes also reflects sustained demand for skilled professionals and strong growth across knowledge-based industries.
The report concludes that Bengaluru’s top ranking in household income highlights its role as one of India’s most prosperous urban centres and underscores the city’s growing influence on the country’s consumer economy, investment landscape and long-term urban growth trajectory.