Cities are often compared with one another using a variety of indicators which measure the physical, economic and social well being of the residents. Such comparisons are used to assign rankings such as "best places to live" or "best places to do business" etc. Frequently these comparisons are based on subjective opinions of individuals relying on minimal facts. Often the rankings cover cities which differ so widely in terms of population, level of economic development and the social and political institutions, that these comparisons are of rather limited use. This study, covering four Indian cities (Ahmedabad, Pune, Hyderbad, Bangalore) is an attempt to develop the conceptual and methodological framework for comparing the quality of life in urban centres.