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India

6 cities in the catalog

Updated 29.06.2026 · Source: Numbeo

The most affordable winter base for Russian-speaking nomads: Goa has gathered a large Russian-speaking community. A simple electronic visa for up to 90 days.

Cost of living in India in 2026

Real prices from the Relocost database: medians across every city of the country in our catalog. All amounts are in Russian rubles at today's rate.

HouseholdBudgetComfortable
One person39 900 ₽66 460 ₽
Couple, no kids54 763 ₽91 217 ₽
Family with a child71 545 ₽119 170 ₽

What the budget consists of

ExpenseCountry median
Аренда 1-комн. на окраине21 000 ₽
Продукты на месяц13 000 ₽
Проездной на транспорт1 150 ₽
ЖКХ, интернет и связь4 750 ₽

Cost of living by city in India

City1-bedroom rentMonth, one person
Пондичерри6 000 ₽19 850 ₽
Гоа14 000 ₽32 500 ₽
Ченнаи20 000 ₽37 500 ₽
Дели22 000 ₽41 100 ₽
Бангалор22 000 ₽41 200 ₽
Мумбаи30 000 ₽51 600 ₽
How we calculate these numbers

The budget figure covers a one-bedroom apartment outside the center, monthly groceries, a monthly transit pass and utilities with internet and mobile. For every line we take the median across the country's cities in our database: a median is more robust than an average and is not skewed by a single expensive megacity. Categories are aggregated independently, so a city missing transit data does not drag down the other lines. The comfortable budget uses central-district rent plus 40% on top of other expenses. Couple and family budgets are derived from the base one: food and transport scale with the number of people, housing for a family with a child is 40% higher. Prices refresh daily.

Cities in India

About the country

Climate

Tropical monsoon: October to April is dry and warm, May to September brings monsoons and torrential rain. Northern India has a mountain climate, while the south is hot year-round.

Mentality

A multi-layered culture with thousands of regional particularities. Tolerance towards foreigners, especially towards Russian speakers in Goa.

🌍 Полный обзор страны

Особенности жизни, менталитет, лучшие места и практические советы — в одном материале.

Pros & cons

Pros and cons

Strengths

  • очень низкая стоимость жизни
  • большое русскоязычное и экспат-сообщество
  • богатая культура и природа
  • развитая IT-сфера

What to consider

  • жара и муссоны
  • проблемы с санитарией и водой
  • бюрократия и оформление виз
  • шум и плотность населения

Overall difficulty of moving

An average score across all cities of the country — from 1 (easy) to 5 (hard).

2/5
Our verdict

Is it worth going?

Strengths

  • Wide choice of cities to relocate to
  • Affordable cities with a low cost of living

What to consider

  • Visa required — needs to be arranged in advance
  • Language barrier — learning the local language required

Who is it for

For budget-conscious movers

India is a popular and well-documented destination for relocating from Russia.

True Size

How big is India?

RussiaIndia

India's area is 3,287,263 km² — 1/5 the size of Russia, yet houses 10× more people.

Area India3,287,263 km²
Area Russia17,098,246 km²
Russia is larger by
Share of Russia1/5

Size isn’t everything — small countries often offer the best quality of life.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about India

Do you need a visa for India in 2026?
An electronic visa for 30 or 90 days. The X-Visa is for families of Indian citizens, while the OCI grants lifelong status to people of Indian descent.
What is the climate like in India?
Tropical monsoon: October to April is dry and warm, May to September brings monsoons and torrential rain. Northern India has a mountain climate, while the south is hot year-round.
What language do people speak in India?
Hindi and English are the official languages. English is widespread in tourism; in Goa there is Konkani and traces of Portuguese.
What is the mentality like in India?
A multi-layered culture with thousands of regional particularities. Tolerance towards foreigners, especially towards Russian speakers in Goa.
Переезд по шагам

Виза, ВНЖ и налоги — India

Главное для переезда: как въехать, как остаться надолго и сколько платить налогов. Правила меняются — перед поездкой сверяйтесь с официальными источниками.

Виза и въезд

An electronic visa for 30 or 90 days. The X-Visa is for families of Indian citizens, while the OCI grants lifelong status to people of Indian descent.

ВНЖ и легализация

Долгосрочные визы (работа, бизнес, OCI для лиц индийского происхождения); ВНЖ через инвестиции и работу, путь к гражданству через натурализацию ориентировочно от 11-12 лет, двойное гражданство фактически не допускается.

Налоги

Подоходный налог прогрессивный, до 30% плюс надбавки; для нерезидентов облагается только доход из источников в Индии (по состоянию на 2026, уточняйте актуальные правила). Налоговое резидентство наступает примерно при 182 днях пребывания.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about moving to India

How much does it cost to live in India?
The cost of living in India varies by city. Our catalog covers 6 destinations with real prices for rent, groceries, transport and utilities.
Which is the cheapest city in India?
According to Relocost data, the most affordable city in India is Пондичерри with a minimum monthly budget from 6 000 RUB. Compare all cities in our catalog.
Do I need a residency permit or visa to live in India?
Residency requirements for India are explained on each city's page in the 'Visa & documents' section. Always verify current rules with official sources.
Which city in India is the safest?
Each city page in India has a relocation-difficulty rating covering visa, language barrier, prices and infrastructure. Use it to compare options.
How do I choose the right city in India to move to?
Use Relocost's budget calculator and search filters: set your budget, climate preferences and visa requirements — and get matching options from 6 cities in India.
Полезное

Relocation articles · India

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