Popular Cities In India 2025: A Detailed Overview

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Several popular cities in India have become the best investment hotspots, owing to their infrastructure, environment, quality of life, growth potential, etc. Homebuyers and investors aim to purchase property in the booming cities. Cities gain prominence among individuals based on various factors. 

This blog presents some of the popular cities in India based on their population, area, cost of living, environment, investment potential, safety, etc. These parametres will help you compare and understand which city suits your property investment best. 

Popular Cities In India By Population

Being the financial capital, Mumbai is the most popular city in India and has the highest population. Due to its well-developed infrastructure, fast-paced lifestyle, and a plethora of employment opportunities for labourers and working professionals, Mumbai has consistently experienced a huge influx of migrants from all over the country. 

Following this, Delhi is the politically celebrated city in India. Known for historical monuments and government landmarks, Delhi has also witnessed significant population growth. Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Pune are attracting people due to their extensive IT infrastructure and automobile industries. 

Which city in India has the highest population?

Mumbai is a highly populated city in India due to its advanced infrastructure, excellent connectivity, strong economy, and exponential employment opportunities. 

Which city is the least populated in India?

Kapurthala in Punjab is the least populated city in India. 

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Popular Cities In India By Area Size

Besides the population scale, popular cities in India are known for their scale. Delhi is the most popular city in India and the largest one, with a total area measuring up to 1482 sq. km, followed by Bangalore, Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Mumbai, etc. 

These cities have become the top residential markets in India. However, the saturated nature of these markets and low scope for affordability have led the homebuyers and investors to explore their peripheral regions. 

Based on the Census conducted in 2011, the below given table below shows the popular cities in India based on their area:

Is Mumbai larger than Delhi?

Delhi is larger than Mumbai with an area of 1484 sq. km and 603.4 sq. km, respectively. 

Is Bangalore larger than Hyderabad?

Bangalore is larger in terms of population and economic growth than Hyderabad. Whereas, Hyderabad is larger than Bangalore in terms of area. 

Popular Cities In India For Homebuying

The real estate sector in India has been on an upward trajectory post the pandemic-era. The rising aspiration of homeownership, larger spaces, financial security, and rising disposable income have uplifted the property demand across top cities in India.  

Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Gurugram, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad are the popular cities in India for real estate investment. Some of them are well-developed and advanced, offering consistent returns and rental income. Whereas, some of them are on a progressive path with an ambitious property growth in the coming years. 

The table below presents the popular cities in India for homebuying:

Which is the most popular city in India for homebuying?

Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Gurugram, Noida, and Chennai are the popular cities in India for homebuying. 

Which is the most popular city in India affordable for homebuying?

Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Nagpur, Indore, and Visakhapatnam are the affordable cities in India for homebuying. 

Popular Cities In India For Development

The top developed cities in India are equipped with sound infrastructure, a progressive economy, and a healthy commerce. Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi, and Pune are some of the popular cities in terms of development. People tend to migrate to these Tier 1 cities for their advanced lifestyle and employment opportunities. 

Mumbai is known for its excellent education and commercial sector. It houses some of the renowned educational institutions, such as Mumbai University, NICMAR, Welingkar Institute, etc. Similarly, Delhi is an important metropolis known for its exponential development, owing to its political importance. 

Following this, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Gurugram, and Pune are flourishing with ambitious infrastructural developments, upgraded connectivity, and augmented lifestyle facilities. 

These factors have also made the above-mentioned cities a residential hotspot. Considering the educational and employment opportunities, people across the country are migrating to these cities to pursue higher education and a livelihood. Lucknow, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata are relatively affordable residential markets as compared to Mumbai, Delhi NCR, and Bangalore. 

Which is the most popular city in India for high development?

Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad, and Lucknow are some of the highly developed cities in India. 

Which are the top richest cities in India?

Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Kolkata, Bangalore, and Chennai are the top richest cities in India. 

Popular Cities In India For Higher Property Returns 

Hyderabad is the fastest-growing city for real estate investment in India. It not only offers affordable housing options as compared to other cities but also assures higher returns on property investment. Apart from this, Tier 2 cities are the emerging hotspots for housing with attractive prospects.

Ahmedabad is fastly becoming one of the promising cities for real estate investment. Along with its textile, handicrafts, diamond, and pharmaceutical industries, Ahmedabad has excellent connectivity to Mumbai and Delhi. Pune, Thane, and Mumbai are some of the finest cities that will give you maximum returns, owing to their educational, employment, and health infrastructure. 

Navi Mumbai comprises various localities such as Seawoods, Vashi, Kharghar, Panvel, and Ulwe with a great investment potential. The Atal Setu and the soon-to-be-operational Navi Mumbai International Airport are driving the price growth in Navi Mumbai. Bangalore and Chennai are also attracting homebuyers due to their thriving IT and automobile industries. 

Which is the most popular city in India with the highest ROI on property?

Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Navi Mumbai, and Gurugram have the highest returns on property investment. 

Which is the fastest-growing city in India for real estate?

Hyderabad is the fastest-growing city in India for real estate. 

Popular Cities In India With The Lowest Cost Of Living

Many popular cities in India offer a lower cost of living without compromising on the quality of life and other social facilities. These cities have every necessary facility like healthcare, education, safety, and entertainment at reasonable rates. Kolkata is among the cheapest metropolitan cities in India, with a lower cost of living. The property prices in Kolkata are affordable, which ensures steady and consistent growth. 

Kochi, Coimbatore, and Thiruvananthapuram are famous tourist destinations. These cities have excellent infrastructure and connectivity mediums. Compared to metro cities, these emerging real estate markets comprise a range of housing options that foresee enormous growth. Similarly, Dehradun, Lucknow, Indore, and Ludhiana are the cities with a lower cost of living.

Which is the most popular city in India with a lower cost of living?

Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Indore, Thiruvananthapuram, and Coimbatore are a few popular cities in India with a lower cost of living. 

Which is the most popular city in India for the cheapest properties?

Ahmedabad, Indore, Bhubaneshwar, Chandigarh, Nagpur, Bhopal, and Dehradun offer the cheapest properties in India. 

Popular Cities In India With The Highest Cost Of Living

Mumbai is a celebrated city, which is also known as the Financial Capital of India. Known for its extensive infrastructure, advanced connectivity options, entertainment options, lifestyle, and ambitious business opportunities. Mumbai, Bangalore, and Delhi are considered to be the most expensive cities in India due to their infrastructure, economy, and upgraded quality of life.

Following them, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Noida are gaining prominence for their housing options. These cities also have outstanding infrastructure and a flourishing business sector. This lays opportunities for both the commercial and residential investors. Due to the rising demand and increasing number of high-net-worth individuals, these cities are poised to become expensive property markets. 

Which city in India is highly expensive?

Mumbai is a highly expensive city in India with skyrocketing property prices and hefty rents.

Which is the most popular city in India with the highest cost of living?

Bangalore, Gurugram, Noida, Chennai, Pune, and Delhi are the top expensive cities in India, along with Mumbai. 

Popular Cities In India For A Modern Lifestyle

Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Delhi, and Chennai are the metropolitan cities in India for a modern lifestyle. Mumbai is an entertainment hub with a vibrant nightlife. Similarly, Bangalore, Delhi, and Pune are known for their advanced lifestyle. These cities host prestigious educational, health, and administrative institutions. There is an end number of recreational, tourist, and entertainment options available. 

Chennai and Hyderabad are also developing progressively. Sound infrastructure, extensive transport network, emergency services, multi-tier safety, strong economy, and vibrant surroundings make these cities exceptional, suitable for an upgraded lifestyle in India. Apart from this, cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, Navi Mumbai, Jaipur, and Noida are also gaining traction. 

Which is the most popular city in India for a modern lifestyle?

Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Delhi are the modern cities in India that offer an upgraded lifestyle. 

Which are the top metro cities in India?

Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, and Pune are the top metro cities in India. 

Popular Cities In India For Cleanliness

Indore gained the identity of the cleanest city in India. It has ranked 1st among the other 10 cities in India and got a 7-star recognition for being a garbage-free city. It is also the first water-surplus city in India, posing as an inspiration for sustainability and effective waste management. 

Surat ranked 2nd for its continuous efforts and initiative in sanitation facilities and waste management. Under the Swachh Bharat Mission, Navi Mumbai has ranked 3rd and consistently sustained its commitment to waste management and hygiene. This is one of the vital factors that attracts homebuyers to this city, which is also complemented by its lush environment.  

Besides, Visakhapatnam, New Delhi, Bhopal, and more cities are leading in cleanliness with innovative methods of waste management and responsiveness from their citizens. New Delhi is a 5-star-rated city for being garbage-free and a water-friendly city. 

Which is the cleanest city in India?

Indore is the cleanest city in India for the consecutive 7 years, followed by cities like Surat, Navi Mumbai, and Mysore. 

Which is the most popular city in India with the highest water quality?

Chandigarh and Surat are known to have the highest quality of water, according to a survey conducted in 2019.  

Popular Cities In India For Greenery

Green cities are known for their sustainability, open green spaces, reserved forest areas, etc. Cities with expansive green spaces and a cleaner environment present a healthier lifestyle for their residents. Chandigarh is one of the greenest cities in India, and its smart planning to expand its green zones along with urban developments has earned it the recognition of ‘Green City’.

Mangalore, Jamshedpur, Mysore, Indore, and Thiruvananthapuram undertook urban planning without compromising on sustainability. Diu and Shimla are attracting investors and homebuyers. These two cities are perfect for those looking for a second or holiday home.

Sustainability is one of the current trends in Indian real estate, considering its prominence among homebuyers. People opt for less polluted cities with a green environment and high-quality air. 

Which city is the greenest in India?

Chandigarh is known as the greenest city in India, followed by Mysuru and Diu. 

Which city in India is known for its greenery?

Mysuru in Karnataka is popularly known for its consistent green initiatives, green spaces, tree-lined streets, and efficient sewage system, making it the cleanest and livable city in India. 

Popular Cities In India For Safety 

Safe cities in India have a lower crime rate and advanced security facilities. As per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) statistics, Kolkata has ranked 1st in terms of safety, followed by Pune. NCRB monitors and maintains the crime statistics in India.

Kolkata is prominent for its stricter and stronger law enforcement. Mumbai is one of the safest metropolitan cities, despite its vast and diverse population. 

The state governments of Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad undertook several initiatives for the safety of children and women. These initiatives were conducted through the Safe City Project under the Nirbhaya Fund. 

Apart from the upscale cities, like Navi Mumbai, Dehradun, Jaipur, Coimbatore, and more, are considered to be the safest cities in India. The crime rate ratio is comparatively low in these areas. 

Which is the safest city in India?

Kolkata has consecutively ranked at the top as the safest city in India, followed by Pune. 

Which developed city is considered safer for women in India? 

As per the She Shakti Suraksha Survey 2025, Ahmedabad is considered the safest city in India, specifically for women, followed by Indore and Mumbai.