India's new salary story is being written outside the biggest metros: Here's what professionals must know
The glitzy skylines of Delhi, Mumbai, and the biggest metros once allured aspiring youngsters from niche regions, not for the ivory towers or the lavish lifestyle they flaunted, but for the career opportunities they laid out on a silver platter.
However, that legacy now appears to be cracking from within.
Indeed's latest PayMap Survey 2025 reveals that emerging cities are rapidly outpacing legacy metros, not just in terms of livability, but in raw compensation. The survey has also exposed the widening fault lines in the country's economic geography, with a new salary script unfolding in cities like Chennai, Hyderabad, and Ahmedabad.
This raises critical questions: Is the authority of traditional economic harbours diminishing? And is a new wave of change now in sight?
Where the money really is: Emerging salary hotspots
Conducted among 3,842 respondents, including 1,311 employers, the new survey paints a clear picture: Compensation growth is no longer monopolised by megacities.
In fact, the biggest gains are appearing elsewhere, often in quieter corners of India that until recently remained overshadowed in the wage conversion.
City
0–2 Years
2–5 Years
5–8 Years
Chennai
₹30,100
₹46,600
₹66,400
Hyderabad
₹28,500
₹47,200
₹69,700
Ahmedabad
₹27,300
₹46,200
₹69,000
Bengaluru
₹28,400
₹46,000
₹67,100
Chandigarh
₹26,300
₹45,500
₹68,400
Mumbai
₹28,500
₹45,700
₹66,400
Kolkata
₹27,400
₹44,900
₹66,000
Pune
₹27,200
₹44,600
₹65,500
Delhi
₹26,300
₹43,600
₹64,400
Source: Indeed PayMap Survey 2025
The shift is undeniable. Chennai now tops the chart for entry-level pay. Hyderabad dominates the senior compensation bracket. Ahmedabad is pushing ahead with a strong prowess across levels, offering metro-level salaries with notably lower costs of living.
This trend, as Sashi Kumar, Head of Sales at Indeed India, points out, is not accidental. 'The salary dynamics are shifting, and employees are increasingly prioritising cities where compensation aligns with both the cost of living and career potential.
The observation is not only offering you a strategic insight, but it also reflects and resonates a deeper shift in how talent is being weighed in cities. The trends put a spotlight on the fact that employers have started realising that talent does not only dwell in the metros, but in other arenas of the country as well.
In an age of remote flexibility and lifestyle recalibration post-COVID, the race is no longer to the nearest skyscraper.
Cracks in the metro myth
The metros have long enjoyed being the monopolies of fat paycheques; they are now becoming economic traps. A massive 96% of Delhi workers say their pay cannot match their living costs, according to the survey. Mumbai follows at 95%, Pune at 94%, and Bengaluru at 93%. These are not isolated sentiments; they mark a systemic unraveling of the 'big city = big bucks' equation.
On the other hand, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, and Chennai have emerged as cities where pay and lifestyle maintain a healthier equilibrium, providing financial breathing space that metros no longer offer.
Not surprisingly, nearly 7 in 10 employees are now reluctant to relocate, not only because of financial constraints, but also due to practical and emotional strain. The aspirational appeal of metro migration has dimmed, replaced by pragmatism and self-preservation.
Sector spotlight: Where pay is catching fire
Some of the most rewarding pay scales are now being seen in sectors that have strategically aligned with India's digital and manufacturing ambitions:
Sector
0–2 Years
5–8 Years
IT/ITeS
₹28,600
₹68,900
Manufacturing
₹28,300
₹68,200
Telecommunications
₹28,100
₹67,700
E-commerce
₹27,700
₹66,900
Logistics
₹27,600
₹66,500
Healthcare & Pharma
₹27,400
₹66,000
BFSI
₹27,300
₹65,900
Automobile
₹27,000
₹65,200
Source: Indeed PayMap Survey 2025
In a welcome shift, UI/UX professionals are now drawing paychecks equivalent to traditional developers, at ₹65,000 per month for those with 5–8 years of experience. The highest-paid job families? Product and Project Management roles, commanding up to ₹85,500 monthly at mid-senior levels, the result of India Inc.
betting on outcomes, not just execution.
The bottom line: India's salary story has new authors
What emerges from Indeed's PayMap isn't just a list of better cities; it's a reminder that the old playbook is obsolete. The future of employment and earnings in India is no longer metro-centric. It's distributed. It's rational. And, most importantly, it's fairer.
If India wants to make its growth story inclusive and sustainable, then recognising the rise of these new salary centres isn't just necessary, it's overdue. For a generation that was once told to 'make it in Mumbai,' the new mantra could well be 'grow in Ahmedabad' or 'thrive in Chennai.'
The map has changed, and with it, the face of the workspace and corporate wall colours are changing too.
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