Not Delhi or Mumbai: These cities are driving India’s fastest salary growth
There has been a significant shift in India’s salary landscape. Cities like Hyderabad, Chennai, and Ahmedabad are emerging as the new hotspots for career-driven compensation growth, outperforming legacy economic hubs. While employees across the country have seen an average salary increase of nearly 15% in the past year, the most promising growth stories are playing out beyond the traditional economic centres.
Indeed’s inaugural PayMap Survey is based on responses from 1,311 employers and 2,531 employees, aimed to understand evolving salary benchmarks, sectoral trends, and worker sentiment in a post-pandemic economy. Chennai leads the entry-level salary chart, with freshers (0–2 years) earning ₹30,100 per month across sectors. Hyderabad, on the other hand, offers the highest mid or senior-level salaries, with professionals earning up to Rs 69,700 per month at the 5 to 8 years of experience mark.
According to findings of the survey, 69% of employees feel their income doesn’t keep pace with the cost of living in their city. This disparity is most pronounced in high-expense metros such as Delhi (96%), Mumbai (95%), Pune (94%), and Bangalore (93%). Meanwhile, cities like Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata are perceived as more affordable, offering relatively better financial breathing room. The rising cost of urban life isn’t the only deterrent — 69% of employees now express reluctance to relocate, citing not just monetary challenges but also the emotional and practical demands of moving.
| Cities | 0-2 years (salaries in INR) | 2-5 years | 5-8 years |
| Ahmedabad | 27,300 | 46,200 | 69,000 |
| Bengaluru | 28,400 | 46,000 | 67, 100 |
| Chandigarh | 26,300 | 45,500 | 68,400 |
| Chennai | 30,100 | 46,600 | 66,400 |
| Delhi | 26,300 | 43,600 | 64,400 |
| Hyderabad | 28,500 | 47,200 | 69,700 |
| Kolkata | 27,400 | 44,900 | 66,000 |
| Mumbai | 28,500 | 45,700 | 66,400 |
| Pune | 27,200 | 44,600 | 65,500 |
High-Growth Roles and Rewarding Sectors
At a sector level, IT/ITeS continues to dominate the salary landscape across all experience levels, driven by the ongoing demand for digital and AI-led roles. The other two sectors showcasing strong salary figures are manufacturing and telecom, from entry level to senior levels, with salaries ranging from Rs28,100 to Rs28,300 for freshers to Rs67,700 to Rs 68,200 for 5-8 years of experience.
| Sectors | 0-2 years | 2-5 years | 5-8 years |
| Automobile | 27,000 | 44,400 | 65,200 |
| BFSI | 27,300 | 44,900 | 65,900 |
| Construction & Real Estate | 26,000 | 42,600 | 62,600 |
| Consumer Durables | 26,200 | 43,100 | 63,300 |
| E-commerce | 27,700 | 45,600 | 66,900 |
| Healthcare and Pharma | 27,400 | 44,900 | 66,000 |
| IT/ITes | 28,600 | 46,900 | 68,900 |
| Logistics | 27,600 | 45,300 | 66,500 |
| Manufacturing | 28,300 | 46,400 | 68,200 |
| Media and Entertainment | 26,700 | 43,900 | 64,500 |
| Telecommunications | 28,100 | 46,100 | 67,700 |
Freshers across job roles, varying from Software Development to HR engineers, earn an average salary between Rs25,000 to Rs 30,500. Roles in Product & Project Management across sectors offer the highest pay across experience levels, with mid to senior professionals (5-8 years) earning up to Rs85,500 per month. UI/UX professionals are now on par with traditional tech roles like software developers, earning Rs 65,000 at senior levels.
Sashi Kumar, Head of Sales at Indeed India, said, “The salary dynamics are shifting, and employees are increasingly prioritising cities where compensation aligns with both cost of living and career potential. Our data shows that growth is no longer confined to just the biggest metros, opportunity is becoming more distributed.”
