By Lal Singh Direct and indirect tax collections are a big part of India’s economy and what keep everything running, and surely, you can easily divide these tax collections (mainly direct taxes) in a number of ways, like the age groups, the occupation of people, business type, and things like that. But there is one more filter you can add to see which cities in India pay the highest taxes than other cities. And if you’re getting to know the tax system in India, this might intrigue you a little, and for that very reason, we’re here with a list of the Top 10 Highest Tax Paying Cities in India 2025. Let’s see which cities have made it to this list as of 2025.
1. Mumbai
Well, we assume that you might have already seen it coming from a mile away that Mumbai had to be on the top of this list and the reason for that is because currently, it is considrered the financial capital of the country, and that shows in every aspect, whether it is GDP, business growth in general, tax collection or anything like that. The property tax collection of Mumbai for the financial year 2024-25 was ₹6,198 crore, and yes, pretty much, this is only one side of the story. The direct tax collection? ₹4.95 lakh crore, thus, by a large margin, it is the greatest single tax contributor in India.
2. Bengaluru
By this point, we all know how so many businesses prefer Bengaluru as their main choice to set up a base in India, and it is not just because it is a fancy city. Nah, there is everything, the workforce, the work/business envoirment, the business infrastructure, and whatnot. And surely, the numbers speak for themselves with ₹4,930 crore property tax and an enormous ₹2.04 lakh crore income tax this year. And you may ask like, why is this the case with Bengaluru, specifically. See, in our opinion, and what the experts say is that Huge IT parks, unicorn startups, and a growing white-collar workforce.
3. Delhi (NCR)
Back in time, many of you would remember that Delhi used to be the top city on this list, but it has fallen quite a bit, but still ranks in the top 5. Why? Well, it is pretty much clear that the capital, which is powered by the large inflow of ₹2,150 crore in property tax and almost ₹2 lakh crore in direct taxes, remains one of the major economic engines of India (cliché but true). For many years now, no doubt in the fact that the input of the government institutions, offices of multinational companies, and professionals from different sectors is maintaining Delhi’s contribution to be not only high but also stable and reliable.
4. Hyderabad
Hyderabad has surpassed the property tax mark of ₹2,038 crore for the first time ever. Not a single doubt in the fact that it is quite a boost in itself, and it is supported by substantial developments in IT corridors, pharma zones, and real estate. The increment in direct tax figures is happening concurrently as well. The speed of Hyderabad’s growth is not the only thing remarkable about it, but also the way it is very well planned, you know? To be honest, and most probably, this is the one city that you will be seeing climbing the ranks much higher very shortly.
5. Chennai
Chennai has collected property tax at levels never seen before, ₹2,020 crore. The thing is that it was not merely a chance occurrence. Efficient property assessments, hassle-free digital transactions, and thriving sectors like automobiles, IT, and manufacturing were some of the factors that led to this excellent outcome, and it is going to grow just like this down the line.
6. Ahmedabad
The things that Ahmedabad pulled off this year were quite unexpected by a large number of people. It recorded its highest achievement in the last four years with a property tax of ₹1,739 crore. The increasing and vibrant textile, pharma, and chemicals industries of the city, which were supported by good tax enforcement and smart systems, have been the major reasons for the city to be able to make such a huge jump over the years.
7. Pune
This is the point where things are getting really interesting; the property tax in the combined area of Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad is now over ₹1,200 crore. Out of the total, Pune is the main contributor, and this is largely due to the fast urbanization, the growth of the IT areas, and the continuous real estate development. Together, they are turning into a tax giant.
8. Kolkata
The city of Kolkata maintains a steady growth pace as opposed to several other cities that rise rapidly. The city has delivered a revenue of ₹1,258 crore from property tax this year. There are no spectacular increases or decreases; revenue from a dense mix of commercial and residential areas has been quite stable. Though the enforcement might not be very aggressive, the well-established economic base is doing its work silently.
9. Thane
Are you aware of the fact that Thane added ₹810 crore in property tax revenue, getting very close to its goal and thus moving up the chart at a rather steady pace? One of the main factors? Well, a booming construction industry, the complete digitization of payments, and the initiatives for spreading awareness, which made it possible for a large number of people to enter the tax net overall.
10. Pimpri-Chinchwad
Pimpri-Chinchwad is the city that is just behind the top 10 list of cities that have the highest property tax collection, but not a lot of people truly have a good idea of it. With property tax collection going as high as ₹800 to ₹966 crore, this city is recording more than a few full-fledged metro cities. Almost 5 lakh active taxpayers, a growing industrial base, and smart tax tracking have helped the city to achieve such a great height. The city is a great example that the size of a city does not matter; efficient systems do.
Conclusion
There you have it. If we put the filter on to see which cities contribute the most in the highest tax collection in India, no doubt, as per the recent data, these are the ten cities that have made it to this list today. Had we wanted, this list could easily go on and on, but for the sake of keeping it short, simple, and just a top 10 list, let’s end it all here.