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City Profile

Dehradun, Uttarakhand

India · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

Compare Dehradun Custom Comparison
82
Overall Score

Dehradun, the scenic capital of Uttarakhand, is nestled in the picturesque Doon Valley between the Himalayas and the Shivalik range. Known for its pleasant climate, prestigious educational institutions, and rich military heritage, it has evolved into a vibrant regional hub. People increasingly move here for its slower pace of life, natural beauty, and cleaner environment compared to India's congested megacities.

About Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand, nestled in the Himalayas, is characterized by its stunning natural beauty, spiritual significance, and diverse topography. The economy is primarily driven by agriculture, tourism, and hydropower, with emerging sectors like IT, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and automobile manufacturing also contributing. The climate varies from subtropical in the southern plains to alpine in the higher reaches, experiencing distinct seasons including cold winters with snowfall in mountainous areas and a monsoon season from June to September. The cost of living in Uttarakhand is generally higher than the average for India, with cities like Dehradun and Rishikesh being more expensive. Lifestyle in Uttarakhand varies between urban centers, which offer modern amenities, and rural areas, where a more peaceful, traditional, and community-oriented way of life is prevalent, often centered around agriculture and handicrafts.

920,000
Population
$6K
Avg Salary
35
Cost Index
82.0
Quality Score
How this 82/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them
Component Readings used Points Weight Contributes
Safety Safety score: 74 / 100 74.0 30% 22.2
Affordability Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 35.0 100.0 25% 25.0
Economy & jobs Median household income: $7,500 Income needed to live here: $4,800 Unemployment rate: 4.3% 83.3 20% 16.7
Growth Population growth rate: 2.1% Job growth rate: 2.8% 76.8 15% 11.5
Business climate assessment Business climate assessment: 66 / 100 66.0 10% 6.6
Overall score 82.0

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Tier 2 (reasoned) (q=54, partial — below threshold), last refreshed 16 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

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Performance

Quality Scores

Business
66
Livability
78
Affordability
72
Growth
73

Expenses

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Dehradun is notably lower than in tier-1 Indian metros like Delhi or Mumbai, making it an attractive destination for families and retirees. While basic essentials, local produce, and housing remain reasonably priced, lifestyle expenses such as dining out and private schooling have risen steadily. Overall, it offers a comfortable standard of living for middle-income households.

Average Rent
$180/mo
Groceries
$200/mo
Transport
$50/mo
Utilities
$45/mo
Healthcare
$80/mo
Gym membership (monthly)
$22.00
Cinema ticket
$4.00
Restaurant meal (mid-range)
$12.00
Monthly groceries
$150.00
Doctor visit (without insurance)
$15.00

Income

Salary Insights

Dehradun's economy is driven by education, tourism, government administration, and light manufacturing anchored by industrial zones like Selaqui. Major employers include academic institutions, healthcare facilities, and hospitality enterprises catering to travelers heading to Mussoorie. The remote work and digital startup ecosystem is gradually expanding, supported by improved internet infrastructure.

The average salary in Dehradun is $6,200 per year. You would need approximately $4,800 to live comfortably.

Employment

Top Industries

Public Administration +1.50% Tourism and Hospitality +2.90% Education and Training +3.10% Healthcare Services +3.40% Light Manufacturing and IT +2.60%

Weather

Climate

🌡️
21°C
Avg Temp
☀️
30°C
Summer High
❄️
8°C
Winter Low
🌧️
45.10"
Annual Rain
💧
65.00%
Humidity
🌤️
252
Sunny Days

Mobility

Transport

Transportation in Dehradun relies heavily on auto-rickshaws, app-based ride-hailing services, local buses, and private two-wheelers. Walkability varies across the city, with older colonial-era areas offering better pedestrian access than newer arterial roads. Traffic congestion has increased along major corridors like Rajpur Road, prompting ongoing municipal infrastructure upgrades.

25 min
Avg Commute
48.00/10
Transit Score
55.00/10
Walkability
Medium
Car Dependency
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At a Glance

Pros & Cons

Advantages
Pleasant year-round climate with an average temperature of 70.1°F and 252 sunny days per year
Proximity to major Himalayan hill stations and abundant outdoor recreational opportunities
Renowned educational ecosystem with prestigious schools and higher learning institutes
Significantly lower cost of living and housing compared to tier-1 Indian metropolitan areas
Established healthcare infrastructure serving as a medical hub for the surrounding region
Drawbacks
Increasing traffic congestion and vehicle emissions along primary arterial roads
Seasonal water scarcity and management challenges during peak summer months
Rising real estate prices driven by high demand from retirees and outside investors
Limited high-paying corporate job market outside of education, tourism, and government sectors
Vulnerability to heavy seasonal monsoon rainfall and associated localized disruptions

Head to Head

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Nearby Cities

Haridwar
79
Jaspur
77
Ramnagar
77
Kashipur
77

Community Q&A

Questions about Dehradun

What people ask about living in and moving to Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

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Gathering the most common questions about Dehradun…

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

The consumer market basket tracks everyday necessities, including staple grocery items (such as milk, bread, eggs, and produce), residential energy bills (electricity, gas, and water), public and private transit costs, routine outpatient medical care, and standard consumer goods and services to ensure a representative monthly budget.

Even in close geographic proximity, local tax jurisdictions, municipal utility rates, zoning laws, and micro-housing markets can create wide cost discrepancies. For example, a city with strict land-use regulations or higher local sales taxes will typically exhibit elevated housing and consumer goods costs compared to an adjacent county with looser zoning and lower tax burdens.

Even in close geographic proximity, local tax jurisdictions, municipal utility rates, zoning laws, and micro-housing markets can create wide cost discrepancies. For example, a city with strict land-use regulations or higher local sales taxes will typically exhibit elevated housing and consumer goods costs compared to an adjacent county with looser zoning and lower tax burdens.

Local tax climates significantly shift a city's affordability score by directly affecting disposable income. Urblytica factors in state income tax brackets, local municipal property tax millage rates, and combined sales taxes to measure the true tax drag on median household earnings.

Core economic indexes and consumer price metrics undergo a comprehensive quarterly recalibration. This update cycle integrates the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) releases, municipal utility rate adjustments, and regional housing data feeds to ensure all index comparisons reflect current economic conditions.

Housing is weighted as the single largest component in Urblytica's cost-of-living algorithm, typically accounting for roughly 30% to 35% of the composite score. It incorporates both median monthly gross rent and median single-family home purchase prices relative to local median income levels.

Normalization involves adjusting raw economic inputs against localized purchasing power parities (PPPs) and population-weighted density scales. This ensures fair, apples-to-apples comparisons between dense metropolitan hubs and smaller suburban or rural towns.

Utility indexing applies a rolling annual average that captures seasonal climate variations, such as increased summer air conditioning loads in southern climates or heavier winter heating demands in northern regions, providing a realistic year-round average utility expense.

Remote workers leverage the index to calculate real purchasing power parity when moving from a high-cost-of-living area to a lower-cost region. By comparing index differentials against their fixed salary, users can determine if their net savings and lifestyle quality will improve post-relocation.

While the raw Cost of Living Index measures pure expense levels, it is frequently paired with Urblytica’s local wage index and median household income benchmarks. This combined view highlights whether local salaries keep pace with local consumer goods and housing expenses.

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