Delhi beats New York, London and Zurich on cheap romantic dates – but loses on salaries
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Delhi beats New York, London and Zurich on cheap romantic dates – but loses on salaries")
Representative image. Photograph: (Unsplash)
Delhi is the world's cheapest major city for a romantic date and offers the lowest broadband costs, but ranks among the lowest globally for salaries and does not feature in the top quality-of-life rankings.
Delhi has emerged as the world’s most affordable major city for a romantic date, while also offering some of the cheapest property and internet costs globally. However, the capital’s low salary levels and quality-of-life challenges continue to weigh on its overall ranking.
According to Deutsche Bank’s “Mapping the World’s Prices 2026” report, Delhi recorded the lowest cost for a “cheap date” among 69 cities surveyed. A date including a meal for two, cinema tickets, transport, coffee, a bottle of wine, clothing purchases and a taxi ride costs around $103 (nearly Rs 9,920) in Delhi.
In comparison, Geneva topped the list as the most expensive city for a date, with the same experience costing around $475 (approximately Rs 45,750).
The report also highlighted Delhi’s affordability in other areas. The city offered the world’s cheapest broadband internet connection, with a monthly plan costing about $7.3 (around Rs 703). Property prices in central Delhi were also among the lowest compared with global cities, averaging nearly $2,465 per square metre.
However, affordability came alongside lower earnings. Delhi ranked 66th out of 69 cities in terms of monthly net salary, with residents earning an average of $538 (around Rs 51,800) per month. The figure is nearly 10 times lower than New York’s level and far behind Zurich, which topped the salary rankings with average monthly pay of $8,363.
The report noted that Delhi’s salaries have declined in dollar terms over the past decade, falling nearly 17.7 per cent compared with 2016 levels. Despite some improvement in property values since 2019, the city continues to face challenges related to purchasing power, pollution, commute times and healthcare.
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Delhi also remained among the cheapest cities for daily expenses. A cappuccino costs about $2.40, while a three-bedroom apartment in the city centre rents for approximately $685 per month.
The report, prepared by Deutsche Bank researchers Jim Reid and Galina Pozdnyakova, used crowdsourced data from Numbeo, adjusted and analysed by the bank’s research team. It ranked Delhi 52nd overall on its cost-based “Oasis” index, reflecting the city’s relatively low prices but highlighting the gap between affordability and living standards.
