The Best places to live in India for Expats

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As an expat, the first question that comes to our mind is “Which city should I called home?” If I am planning to move to India, what are the best places to live in India?

India is a vast country with rich culture and history. Being in the developing phase, the economy of India is still growing and for people looking for a change of place in the budget, India would be a perfect choice. Housing one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Taj Mahal India is popular among the travellers thus, giving you an opportunity to feed your wanderlust along with moving to a place you can call home.

Goa State India
Old Goa, India – Dreamsinheels

Top places to live in India for Foreigners

Bangalore- The city with great weather

Bangalore for expats India

Bangalore houses around 8% of the expats of India and the number are still growing. It is also known as the Silicon Valley of India. If you are someone looking for great work opportunities, live in the start-up hub, love working in the IT sector with a lot of activities, this is the place to be. 

Cost of living in Bangalore

Even though it is one of the biggest metropolitan cities in India, the cost is moderate. One can find apartments at a good price with all facilities.

Work opportunities in Bangalore

Being the IT hub of India you can easily find work in a lot of Start-ups, MNC companies, Product based companies. If you are looking for something different then you can become a bartender too. Bangalore has the best pubs, nightlife, and bars.

Safety 

In Bangalore pretty much all the residential areas are well lit, there are CCTV cameras on the roads and police patrolling are regular. You can find women auto and bus drivers, delivery personnel suggesting the women empowerment of the place.

Places to take a break from daily routine

Bangalore has a lot of weekend getaway options. May it be beaches, hill stations or trek you can find it all. Some of the popular weekend getaways are Coorg, Chikmaglur, Ooty, Mysore, Gokarna, Goa and loads more.

You can find budget stays like hostels, beautiful home stays nestled in tea and coffee plantations or luxury resorts with infinity pools. 

There are a huge number of pubs, clubs, dog cafes and street food markets to satiate your taste buds.

Exploring the city

Bangalore is also named as the Garden city of India. You can find many beautiful gardens and parks like Lal Bagh Botanical Garden, Cubbon Park to feel close to nature. You can also enjoy the yearly flower shows. Almost every sector has gardens for people to go for jogging and morning walks. 

If you wish to do something adventurous then you can go for tiger safari in Bannerghatta National Park. For history lovers, the Bangalore Palace, Tipu Sultan Summer Palace, and Bangalore Fort are good options to explore.

People and culture

The people are friendly and almost everyone is educated and knows English. Other languages spoken are Kanada, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi.

Goa- The city for beach bums

Goa for expats India

If you are someone looking to be away from hustle and bustle of the busy city life, Goa is the place to be. Goa is one of the most popular tourist destinations in India, yet it can be so peaceful and calming to one’s soul. You can find many snacks run by foreigners, who have completely settled here and Goa is in their soul.

Check out this Goa itinerary for 7 days

Cost of living in Goa

The cost of living in Goa completely depends on your lifestyle, you can live a month with basic accommodations in just 500$ or you can live a luxurious life with a view of an amazing sunset. It is completely up to you.

Work opportunities in Goa

The work opportunities in Goa are pretty flexible, you don’t need to have a complete 9 to 5 job to sustain yourself and isn’t it everyone’s dream looking to escape the cubicle life?

You can be a yoga trainer, Zumba instructor, tour guide, open your own beach shack, cook, water sports operator and lots more. It completely depends on what your skills are.

Safety

Goa is really safe and you don’t even have to dress conservatively like the places in the rest of India. People come to visit Goa all around the year so you will never find yourself alone.

Places to take a break from daily routine

During the on-season, you can see the crowds swarming the so if you need a break, you can visit Gokarna just two hours away from Goa. It has the cleanest beaches in India. You can visit Mumbai, the city that never sleeps or visits the most romantic destination Kerala, just a train ride away.

Exploring the city

The city has loads to offer, you can explore Panjim and admire the old churches and Portugal architecture, you can try various seafood, you can wander around the spice plantations, go for a trek to Dudhsagar falls. You can have a beach party, pool party and vet drunk till you drop dead and what’s best is it’s all completely affordable and cheap. South Goa has the most secluded beaches if you are looking for calmness and in North Goa party goes on till 4 am. The flea markets are best for shopping too.

People and Culture 

The Goan people are open-minded and warm. English is widely spoken all over Goa. The people are fun-loving and relaxed which is why Goa is also called as the Hippie heaven

Mumbai- The city of dreams

mumbai-india-expat-travel

Mumbai is the financial capital of India and has always been the top priority for entrepreneurs, actors, and start-ups. The opportunities offered are infinitesimal.

Cost of Living in Mumbai

The cost of living can be a bit high if you choose to stay in posh areas like Bandra, Powai, Worli, Juhu, etc. But if you choose to stay away from the crowd and commercialization you can get places to stay at fair rates.

Work opportunities in Mumbai

Mumbai is referred to as the city of dreams because of the opportunities it offers. The working field is huge you can start a career in acting, dancing or singing. You can become an influencer, a digital nomad and a freelancer. It has well-established companies and also mid-range start-ups. You can start your business or work for a good NGO or just volunteer f, or social causes. The simple rule of becoming a doctor or engineer doesn’t apply to the city. Every morning after you wake up, you will be inspired by seeing people working so hard, spending half of their life on the local trains just to feed their families. You will have the courage to chase after your dreams.

Safety

Having personally stayed in Mumbai for two years, I can gladly say it is the safest place for women in India. Police patrolling takes place in each corner. The path is well lit and the cab, bus and auto drivers are well behaved and helpful.

Places to take a break from daily routine

Everyone needs a break and Mumbai provides various weekend getaways like Matheran, Lonavala, Nashik, Pune, etc. 

During monsoon the western that’s become a paradise on earth, you will be enchanted by the beauty of places like Ratnagiri, Dapoli, etc.

The best part about the city is its located right next to the sea. You can find many beaches in Mumbai itself for spending a weekend with your loved one like Juhu beach, Aksa beach, etc.

The story of Versova beach been cleaned by a single person tells you all you need to know about Mumbai. The city will challenge you and make you a better version of yourself.

Exploring the city

The best way to explore the city is by local trains. The rail connectivity is very good. It can be crowded on weekdays but on weekends people are scarce.

You can visit the famous Gateway if Mumbai, Bandra Fort, Planetarium, the art galleries, the Chowpatty, etc. You should definitely try the street foods but only in hygiene areas. 

You can participate in marathons enjoy the famous Ganesh Puja, take part in contests, watch concerts, theatre plays, etc.

Every weekend you can find events to attend and get to know the city better and make it your home.

People and Culture 

The people of Mumbai are very helpful. You ask for an address and they will guide you till reaching the door. People are respectful too. Everyone knows English and the local languages are Marathi and Hindi.

You might also like: The most visited place in the world, The Golden Temple in Amritsar, India

Pondicherry-The city of spirituality

Pondicherry for expats india

If you are someone looking to find your inner self and to make sense of your life and are searching for meaning this is the place to be. Located on the banks of the Bay of Bengal Pondicherry will soothe your soul. The place is calm and serene and with the teaching of Sri Maa Aurobindo, you can find yourself if you feel lost.

Cost of Living in Pondicherry 

The cost of living at Pondicherry is minimal. You can have all three meals a day at Sri Maa Aurobindo Ashram for just 1$. If you choose to volunteer there you can also stay for free. Volunteering at Auroville is also a good experience. You can always choose to stay at the beautiful French quarters.

Work opportunities in Pondicherry 

Pondicherry is full of tourists all around the year. You can become a tour guide, work at the restaurants or just volunteer in the ashrams. The best way to find your inner peace is by devoting yourself to the service of others.

Safety

It is fairly a safe place. Many girls choose to go on solo trips to Pondicherry. Police do regular patrolling in all areas including the beaches.

Places to take a break from daily routine

If you start missing the busy city life, you can visit Chennai and spend some time sulking in the rich culture and food of the Tamils.

Vellore is a good city to explore too. You can also choose to visit the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mahabalipuram. 

If you are missing the hills and the greenery, Yercaud is the nearest hill station. The weather is very pleasant here.

Exploring the city

The best way to explore the beautiful French colony is by walking. Even the police station and museum are in the French style, with the canyons enriching the place.

You can visit churches like Sacred Heart Basilica, St. Andrew’s Church, Our Lady of Angles Church, etc.

You can shop for handicrafts at the local markets and also watch the artists making beautiful sculptures, lamps, keyrings, paintings, cards, etc.

The food of Pondicherry is amazing starting from the European delicacies to the cakes, wine, and Tamil food, everything is mouth-watering.

People and Culture

The people are helpful and you can find a lot of foreigners to get along with. Everyone knows English and the local language is Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam.

The Himalayas The ultimate peaceful place

The-himalayas-india-expat-living-abroad

The Himalayas is vast and unlimited places for you to choose to make your new home. You will absolutely love living here if you want to stay away from the commercialization and the busy, fast city life. Manali, Mcleodganj, Shimla are some of the popular choices of expats. There are also monasteries where you can choose to study Buddhism and become a monk. 

Another important state surrounded by the Himalayas, which lies in the stunning North eastern part of India is Sikkim. If you are looking for something off the beaten track to work from, this is ideal. If you aren’t too sure, just embark on a few Sikkim tours to get a flavor of the place before deciding to move there. 

If you truly enjoy going off the beaten path, you can go on a Himalayan adventure to visit villages. There is so much to discover around The Himalayas. You will truly love the magic of the locals.

Check our post with tips for visiting the Spiti Valley of India

 Cost of living in the Himalayas

The cost of living is unbelievably low. You can get by a month within 500$. The air is pure, untouched by pollution and the water is clean and you can see all the million stars in the night sky. Doesn’t it sound dreamy?

Work opportunities in the Himalayas 

There is plenty of untapped business potential in the Himalayas as the tourist influx grows every year. You can become your guide, start your own group treks, adventure sports operator, open a cafe or pub or become a musician.

Safety

The Himalayas are quite safe. The population is less so people live in a home-grown community and are close to each other.

Places to take a break from daily routine

You have the entire Himalayas at your doorstep. Each season has something to offer you. You can go on numerous treks too.

India is a beautiful country if you make it your home you will be immersed in the rich culture and history and moreover the people will always welcome you with open arms.

This is a guest post by: Shalini, a curious gal bitten by wander bug at Eager2Travel.

About the Author: I have been travelling for the last three years with a full time job. I love exploring new places, meeting the locals and trying new food. Follow me on my journey of juggling with my dreams to travel the world and the cubicle life.

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The Best places to live in India for Expats
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