In the QS Best Student Cities 2026 ranking, Delhi emerged as the most affordable city in the world for international students, with Mumbai 11th and Bengaluru 15th on the affordability measure. The ranking assessed 150 cities on six indicators, including affordability, employer activity, university rankings and desirability. The finding features in the report 'India's 155 million Student Mandate' by Knight Frank, Deloitte India and QS, referring to India's roughly 155 million people aged 18-23.