Delhi has been recognised as the world’s most affordable city for students in the QS Best Student Cities 2027 ranking. While Delhi secured the top global position for affordability, Mumbai emerged as India’s highest-ranked student city in the overall list.The rankings, released by global higher education analysts QS Quacquarelli Symonds on Tuesday, evaluate 150 cities across the world on factors that influence student life and higher education. These include university quality, employer activity, affordability, desirability, student mix and student experience.
Delhi leads the world on affordability
Delhi earned the good spot globally in the affordability category. According to the report, the average annual international tuition fee in the national capital is around US$2,700, making quality higher education comparatively accessible.The city’s performance was also supported by strong employment prospects. Delhi ranked 29th globally for Employer Activity, reflecting healthy demand for graduates among recruiters and industries.The combination of affordable education and promising career opportunities helped Delhi strengthen its position in the global rankings.
Mumbai emerges as India’s highest-ranked student city
Mumbai is the most successful Indian city in the overall QS Best Student Cities 2027 ranking and holds the 91st position in the world.Besides, Mumbai scored 34th position in Employer Activity, which means good employability of graduates. As regards affordability, Mumbai held the 12th position in the global ranking, thus becoming one of the affordable places for further education although being one of the largest metropolises in India.The report states that the combination of top universities, employment prospects and fairly low-cost education in the city keeps attracting students from all over the world.
Chennai and Bengaluru also feature in the rankings
Apart from Delhi and Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru also secured places in the QS Best Student Cities 2027 rankings.Chennai was ranked 123rd globally, while Bengaluru was placed at joint 114th. According to QS, Bengaluru recorded the highest international tuition fees among the four Indian cities included in the rankings, averaging around US$5,400 per year.
How QS ranks the world’s best student cities
The QS Best Student Cities rankings assess destinations using six broad indicators:
- University quality
- Employer activity
- Affordability
- Desirability
- Student mix
- Student view
These categories are measured through 23 individual indicators, using data collected from QS surveys as well as independent third-party sources.To qualify for the rankings, a city must have a population of more than 250,000 and host at least two universities featured in the QS World University Rankings.
Global rankings led by Seoul
Globally, Seoul was named the world’s best student city in the QS Best Student Cities 2027 rankings. Tokyo secured the second position, followed by London in third place.Melbourne ranked fourth, while Munich and Sydney shared fifth place. Paris was placed seventh, followed by Berlin, Vienna, and Zurich in the top 10.Among other major Asian destinations, Singapore ranked 11th, Beijing secured 12th place and Kuala Lumpur was placed 15th.The QS rankings continue to serve as an important global benchmark for students choosing higher education destinations, offering insights into academic quality, affordability, employment opportunities and overall student life.
