From Paychecks to Predictive Cities: Rethinking Urban Affordability in India

India’s cities are growing faster than ever—but are they becoming more livable?

As a Data Engineer and independent researcher, I set out to answer a simple but powerful question:
Can we predict how affordable a city is—and where the future of livability lies?

This led to my research work on urban affordability and predictive modeling.

The Problem We Ignore

Most conversations around cities focus on GDP, jobs, or infrastructure.

But for individuals, the real question is:
“How long can my salary actually sustain my life?”

This is affordability—not just income, but income relative to expenses.

The Insight: India’s “Digital Cost Paradox”

– Tier-1 cities: High salaries, low affordability 
– Tier-2 cities: Moderate salaries, better balance 

As cities grow economically, they often become less livable.

The Data Approach

– Cost of living + salary datasets 
– GDP + economic structure 
– ICT infrastructure  

Models used:
– KNN 
– Random Forest 

What the Models Revealed

– Affordability is predictable 
– Strong model accuracy (~95%+) 
– Patterns exist across cities 

Why This Matters

For individuals:
Better decisions on where to live

For policymakers:
Balanced urban development

For the future:
Predictive city planning

Final Thought

A city is not successful because it generates wealth.

It is successful because people can afford to live in it.

To explore more of my work, visit shivanshuconsults.in