Delhi has been named the world’s cheapest city for students in the QS Best Student Cities 2027 list. While Delhi scored the top spot in the world for affordability, Mumbai emerged as India’s best student city in the overall list.The rankings, released by global education experts QS Quacquarelli Symonds on Tuesday, assess 150 cities around the world on factors that affect student life and higher education. These include the quality of the university, the activities of employers, affordability, motivation, student mix and student activities.
Delhi leads the world in affordability
Delhi got the best place in the world in the affordable category. According to the report, the average cost of international education in the capital is about US$ 2,700, which makes higher education easily accessible.The city’s performance was also supported by strong job prospects. Delhi is ranked 29th in the world for Employability, reflecting the strong demand for graduates among employers and industries.The combination of affordable education and reliable job opportunities helped Delhi to strengthen its position in the world.
Mumbai is the largest student city in India
Mumbai is the best performing city in India in the overall QS Best Student Cities 2027 and is ranked 91st worldwide.Apart from that, Mumbai scored 34th place in Employer Activity, which means that the graduates are employable. In terms of cost, Mumbai is ranked 12th in the world, making it one of the cheapest places to study higher education, despite being one of the largest cities in India.The report says the city’s combination of top universities, job opportunities and affordable tuition continue to attract students from around the world.
Chennai and Bengaluru also feature in the rankings
Apart from Delhi and Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru also secured a place in the QS Best Student Cities 2027 rankings.Chennai was ranked 123rd in the world, while Bengaluru was ranked 114th. According to QS, Bengaluru recorded the highest international salary among the four Indian cities included in the ranking, at an average of $5,400 per year.
How QS ranks the world’s best student cities
The QS Best Student Cities rankings evaluate destinations using six indicators:
- The quality of the university
- Employer’s actions
- Affordability
- Wanted
- A mix of students
- Student perspective
The categories are measured through 23 indicators, using data collected from QS surveys and independent third-party sources.To qualify for the ranking, a city must have a population of over 250,000 and have at least two universities in the QS World University Rankings.
Global ranking led by Seoul
Globally, Seoul was named the world’s best student city in the QS Best Student Cities 2027 rankings. Tokyo took second place, followed by London in third.Melbourne came fourth, while Munich and Sydney shared fifth place. Paris ranked seventh, followed by Berlin, Vienna, and Zurich in the top 10.Among other major Asian cities, Singapore ranked 11th, Beijing ranked 12th and Kuala Lumpur ranked 15th.The QS rankings continue to be an important part of the world for students choosing where to study, providing information on higher education, affordability, career opportunities and student life as a whole.