Kanchipuram vs Varanasi
Side-by-side air quality comparison between Kanchipuram and Varanasi.
Live AQI from Open-Meteo CAMS (~45 km global model, updated hourly). Multi-year history from CPCB station data via aqinow.co pipeline (2016–2024, station-level daily records).
AQI Comparison
Pollutant-level comparison (PM2.5, PM10, O3, NO2, SO2, CO)▾
| Pollutant | Kanchipuram | Varanasi |
|---|---|---|
| PM2.5(µg/m³) | 9.70 | 48.20 |
| PM10(µg/m³) | 11.70 | 57.90 |
| NO₂(µg/m³) | 12.20 | 38.80 |
| SO₂(µg/m³) | 4.60 | 27.00 |
| O₃(µg/m³) | 41.00 | 22.00 |
| CO(µg/m³) | 265.00 | 523.00 |
CPCB Multi-Year History (2016–2024)
Summary
Overview
In 2024, Kanchipuram averaged an AQI of 51 while Varanasi averaged 56 — a 5-point (10%) gap, with Varanasi the more polluted and Kanchipuram the cleaner of the two. On 141 days when both cities reported, Kanchipuram was cleaner on 121 of them; the average daily gap was 56 AQI points.
Seasonality & days
Kanchipuram peaks in February, while Varanasi peaks in January. Kanchipuram logged 0% Severe days and 94% Good-or-Satisfactory days; Varanasi was 2.8% Severe and 36% Good-or-Satisfactory. Longest clean-air streaks: Kanchipuram 18 days, Varanasi 87 days.
Year-over-year progress
Kanchipuram has improved by 18 AQI points (26.1%) from 2022 to 2024; Varanasi has improved by 169 AQI points (75.1%) over the same window. The worst recorded day for Kanchipuram reached AQI 320 at Kilambi (TNPCB) on 2023-05-22; Varanasi hit AQI 500 at Ardhali Bazar (UPPCB) on 2017-07-11.
Station-level disparity
Kanchipuram spans 1 CPCB stations with a 0-point spread (min 57, max 57); Varanasi spans 4 stations with a 94-point spread (min 71, max 165).
Verdict
🏆 Kanchipuram has better air quality with an AQI of 16 compared to Varanasi's 81. That's a significant difference of 65 points.