Delhi Ranked World’s Most Affordable City For International Students, Mumbai And Bengaluru Also Feature In Top 20

• What happened: Delhi has been ranked the most affordable city globally for international students in a new report by Knight Frank, Deloitte India, and Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).

• Why it matters now: Rising education costs worldwide are pushing students to explore destinations that offer quality education at lower expenses.

• What changes for people: India’s cities may attract more global students, boosting universities, housing demand, and job opportunities.

• Who is affected: International students, Indian universities, education policymakers, and global academic institutions.

Delhi has topped the global affordability rankings for international learners, highlighting India’s growing appeal as a cost effective higher education destination. The findings were released in the report titled India’s 155 Million Student Mandate, which analysed tuition costs, living expenses, and purchasing power across major student cities.

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Indian cities gain ground in global student rankings

While Delhi secured the top spot, Mumbai ranked 11th and Bengaluru placed 15th, reflecting India’s increasing presence in international education comparisons. Analysts say lower tuition fees and comparatively affordable living costs give Indian cities a strong advantage over traditional study destinations like the United Kingdom, United States, Europe, and Australia.

The study also highlighted improving employer activity in Indian cities, indicating better career prospects for graduates, especially in technology and service sectors.

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Why affordability is attracting global students

According to the report, India offers a compelling balance between cost and opportunity. Lower education expenses can reduce reliance on student loans while improving long term returns through employment prospects.

Experts say affordability is becoming a decisive factor for families worldwide, particularly as inflation and currency fluctuations raise study costs in Western countries.

India’s large youth population, estimated at nearly 155 million students aged 18 to 23, is also driving interest from international universities looking to establish campuses or partnerships in the country.

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Growing role of India in global higher education

Consultants noted that India is gradually shifting from being primarily a source of outbound students to becoming a major hub for international education expansion. Policy reforms and urban infrastructure improvements are making cities more attractive to global academic institutions.

The rankings form part of the QS Best Student Cities 2026, which evaluated 150 cities across six key categories, including affordability, employer activity, university rankings, and student experience.

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Why this ranking matters beyond education

• Economy: Increased international enrolment can boost local housing, services, and employment sectors.

• Global reputation: Strong rankings enhance India’s position as a competitive education destination.

• Urban development: Cities may invest more in infrastructure and student friendly initiatives.

Education analysts believe the affordability advantage could help India attract a larger share of the global student market in the coming years.