Tier-2 and emerging urban centres dominate India’s latest Ease of Living rankings, overtaking larger metros on core quality-of-life indicators, according to the Economic Survey 2025-26. The Survey cites the Ease of Living Index 2025 compiled by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
The top 10 cities in the latest index are Pune, Navi Mumbai, Greater Mumbai, Tirupati, Chandigarh, Thane, Raipur, Indore, Vijayawada and Bhopal, with most of the list made up of Tier-2 or relatively newer cities rather than heavily congested megacities.
These cities benefit from a base level of infrastructure and employment access while avoiding the extreme population pressures seen in metros such as Delhi and Bengaluru, thereby providing more room to shape growth and service delivery.
What the index measures
According to the Survey, the Ease of Living Index evaluates cities across service and infrastructure indicators, including education, health, housing, water and sanitation, waste management, mobility, safety and recreation.
Reforms linked to everyday ease
According to the Survey, improvements in living standard is accredited tot he recent rule changes that make it easier for citizens and businesses to deal with the government.
The Jan Vishwas Act amended multiple laws to decriminalise minor procedural offences, including under environmental and liability statutes, in order to reduce the risk of penal action for technical lapses, the survey added.
A Task Force on Compliance Reduction and Deregulation is also working with states to simplify rules around land use, building approvals and utilities, as per the survey. Digital governance measures such as the digitisation of land records under DILRMP and the rollout of Bhu-Aadhaar property identifiers are also cited as steps to reduce disputes and improve tenure security.
Infrastructure missions support rankings
The Survey credits multiple national missions with supporting improvements in living standards. The Smart Cities Mission is modernising infrastructure and public services across 100 cities, including roads, digital facilities and safety systems.
In rural areas, the Jal Jeevan Mission has extended tap water connections to over 81% of households, while expanded all-weather road connectivity under PMGSY has improved access to schools, hospitals and markets, the survey added.
Housing programmes under PMAY-Urban and PMAY-Gramin have delivered millions of pucca houses with basic amenities, which the Survey describes as central to quality-of-life improvement.
Beyond hard infrastructure
Liveability depends not only on infrastructure but also on civic norms and service reliability. Predictable rules and dependable delivery encourage better upkeep of shared public spaces, the survey stated, adding that future-ready cities will be those that minimise time lost to commuting and uncertainty.
The Survey stated that India’s liveability edge is currently the strongest in Tier-2 cities, where lower congestion and improved governance capacity are giving better everyday outcomes for residents.