Moving to India

Why move to India

India draws a mix of returning NRIs reconnecting with family, OCI cardholders splitting time between two countries, multinational employees on intra-company transfers into Bengaluru's or Hyderabad's tech campuses, and a smaller group of entrepreneurs chasing a fast-growing domestic market. What changes day to day depends heavily on which of the eight cities in this guide you land in — Mumbai and Delhi run at a financial-and-political-capital pace with commensurate rents and traffic, while Pune or Ahmedabad offer a noticeably calmer, cheaper version of similar urban amenities. What catches newcomers off guard almost every time is the sheer administrative layering: a foreign national needs not just a visa but ongoing FRRO/FRO registration, a returning NRI has to work out Indian tax residency status (which isn't automatic and depends on days spent in India each year), and everyone needs to budget real weeks for the Transfer of Residence customs process rather than assuming a shipping container clears the week it lands. The much larger role of household staff than most Western newcomers expect, and the gap between formal-sector salaries and everyday prices, are two other adjustments people consistently underestimate. Shipping a full household by sea is really only worth it for a multi-year stay; anyone on a shorter posting tends to do better renting furnished and buying locally.

• World's largest population and a young median age fuel a fast-growing domestic market
• Global IT and outsourcing hub, centered on Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and Chennai
• OCI card gives the diaspora lifelong visa-free entry without full dual citizenship
• Huge cost-of-living gap between metros like Mumbai and calmer cities like Ahmedabad
• Transfer of Residence customs scheme rewards a genuine two-year stay abroad
• Extensive rail and domestic flight network makes moving between India's cities easy

India is famous for

• The world's largest population

  India overtook China in 2023 to become the most populous country on Earth, with a median age still in the late twenties — far younger than most large economies it's compared against.

• A global IT and outsourcing engine

  Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and Chennai anchor a software and business-services industry that supplies a large share of the world's outsourced IT and back-office work.

• Extraordinary linguistic and regional diversity

  22 languages hold official constitutional recognition and hundreds more are spoken day to day, so daily life, food and even public holidays shift noticeably from state to state.

• One of the world's largest rail networks

  Indian Railways carries tens of millions of passengers a day and remains the backbone of long-distance domestic travel, alongside a fast-expanding domestic airline market.

• A fast-reforming tax and business environment

  The 2017 GST overhaul and the September 2025 GST 2.0 rate simplification are part of a broader push to make India's indirect tax system easier for businesses and consumers alike.

• Deep regional cuisine and cultural variety

  What counts as everyday food, dress and festival calendar changes dramatically between, say, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal — there's no single 'Indian' version of daily life.

Regions & cities

India is a union of 28 states and 8 union territories, and which one you land in shapes almost everything about daily life, since states set their own language of administration, school calendars and, to some degree, local business rules on top of national law. The eight cities in this guide span the country's main relocation destinations: Mumbai and Pune anchor the west coast's financial and industrial corridor in Maharashtra, Delhi sits at the political and logistical center of the north, Bengaluru and Hyderabad lead the southern tech corridor, Chennai anchors the southeast's manufacturing and IT base, Kolkata is the historic gateway to the east, and Ahmedabad leads Gujarat's manufacturing and trading economy. Rent, congestion and pace of life vary sharply between them, which is exactly why this page stays at the national level and leaves the specifics to the city guides below.

Other notable cities (guide not yet published): Jaipur, Surat, Kochi, Chandigarh, Gurugram, Noida

Browse all city moving guides

Shipping & container logistics

Sea freight is the default for a full household move into India, and air freight gets reserved for a small, time-critical subset of belongings, given that air costs roughly ten to fifteen times more per kilogram than ocean freight. Almost every household shipment from North America or Europe clears through one of a small number of gateway ports — Nhava Sheva (JNPT) outside Mumbai handles the largest share of India-bound container traffic, with Chennai, Kolkata and Mundra picking up shipments headed to the south, east and west respectively — and which port your container enters through is generally set by your mover's routing rather than your own choice. Whether a shipment travels FCL or LCL comes down partly to volume and partly to how it lines up with India's Transfer of Residence customs rules: a one- or two-bedroom household rarely fills a 20ft container, so LCL keeps costs proportional, but LCL cargo also has to wait to be consolidated with other shipments before it sails, which adds real time versus a dedicated container that moves as soon as it's loaded. Because the ToR duty-free allowance is tied to a documented shipment arriving within a set window of your own return to India, most relocation movers actually steer households toward FCL wherever the budget allows, since a dedicated container is easier to track against that customs deadline than a shared one. Door-to-door timing commonly runs five to nine weeks once inland transport and customs clearance on the Indian side are added to the ocean transit itself.

• FCL 20FT: Suits a one- to two-bedroom household's full furniture and boxes — roughly 28-30 cubic metres of usable capacity, and the more common choice for movers claiming India's Transfer of Residence allowance since a dedicated container is simpler to document against the scheme's arrival window.
• FCL 40FT: Suits a three-bedroom-plus household, at roughly 58-60 cubic metres — the practical ceiling before a shipment needs to split across two boxes, and still the more traceable option for customs purposes than a shared load.
• LCL: Suits a partial household, a handful of large items, or anyone moving into a furnished rental and shipping only essentials — cheaper for small volumes than a whole container, but slower, since the shipment waits for consolidation, and can be harder to line up cleanly with the ToR scheme's arrival-window paperwork.

Major freight gateways

• Jawaharlal Nehru Port (Nhava Sheva/JNPT) (Mumbai, Maharashtra, sea) — India's largest container port by volume, and the default gateway for shipments headed into western and central India.
• Mundra Port (Mundra, Gujarat, sea) — India's largest private port and a fast-growing container gateway, well placed for shipments headed into Gujarat, including Ahmedabad.
• Chennai Port (Chennai, Tamil Nadu, sea) — The main gateway for shipments headed into the southern tech and manufacturing corridor around Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
• Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (Kolkata) (Kolkata, West Bengal, sea) — The historic gateway for eastern India, relevant for shipments clearing into Kolkata and the surrounding region.
• Indira Gandhi International Airport (Delhi, air) — India's busiest airport and the primary air-cargo gateway for northern India, used for urgent or high-value partial shipments.
• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Mumbai, Maharashtra, air) — A key air-cargo hub for western India, generally the fastest but most expensive way to move a small, time-critical shipment.

Customs & duties

India's Transfer of Residence (ToR) scheme is the standard route for anyone shipping a full household into the country, and it rewards a genuine, documented stay abroad rather than a short posting: the full duty-free allowance requires having lived outside India continuously for at least two years immediately before returning, and the concession can only be used once every three years. Used personal effects and a single unit of most major appliances generally qualify for duty-free or concessional-duty entry; a second unit of the same appliance, brand-new goods, and anything above the scheme's value ceilings get taxed at standard rates instead. The allowances were raised in the 2026 Baggage Rules update, but the paperwork is still exacting — an accurate inventory, proof of the qualifying stay abroad, and getting the shipment to India within the scheme's arrival window all matter more to a smooth clearance than which shipping method you choose.

Duty-free allowance: Roughly ₹7.5 lakh (about US$9,000) in used household goods and personal effects duty-free for anyone who has lived abroad continuously for 2+ years before returning, with lower ₹3 lakh and ₹1.5 lakh tiers for 1-2 years and under 1 year abroad respectively (2026 Baggage Rules update); a separate general duty-free personal allowance of ₹75,000 (up from ₹35,000) applies to accompanied baggage regardless of time spent abroad. A single unit of most large appliances (fridges, washing machines, TVs) typically clears at a reduced ~16.5% duty rather than the standard rate; a second unit of the same appliance is taxed at the higher standard rate.

Commonly restricted items: Brand-new or unused goods beyond the personal duty-free allowance (taxed at standard import rates, not the ToR concession), A second unit of the same major appliance in one shipment (taxed at the higher standard rate rather than the concessional first-unit rate), Vehicles more than 3 years old, and any vehicle generally falls under a separate, far higher motor-vehicle duty regime rather than the household-goods allowance, Firearms and ammunition without a separate import license, Gold and silver bullion or bars beyond strict quantity/weight limits, Narcotics and certain unlicensed telecom/satellite communication equipment

Typical clearance time: Commonly cited as roughly 4-5 days for a dedicated (FCL) container clearing to the same city as the port of arrival, and 9-12 days for a shared (LCL) shipment, per freight-forwarder guidance; add a few more days if the final destination is a different city from the arrival port.

Source: Cross-checked across Falcon Freight, Globe Moving and VisaHQ relocation guides, since India's Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) website (cbic.gov.in) could not be reliably fetched for this research — its live pages require client-side JavaScript that didn't render on repeated attempts. CBIC remains the official source of truth for current Baggage Rules and should be checked directly, or via a licensed customs broker, before shipping.

Indicative shipping cost

These are indicative market ranges pulled from published freight-forwarder pricing for common origin lanes, not a quote — get an actual price for your specific route and volume through MoverQuoteEngine's calculator.

• 20ft FCL: roughly $2,000-$5,000 port-to-port from North America
• 40ft FCL: roughly $3,200-$8,500 port-to-port from North America
• LCL: shared/partial-container shipments commonly land around $500-$2,000+ total for a small household lot, priced per cubic metre before consolidation and terminal fees

Source: SFL Worldwide — USA to India Container Shipping Cost guide (2026); Three Movers — Cost of Shipping a Container to India

Average transit time: 5-9 weeks door-to-door by sea from North America or Europe, including inland transport and customs clearance

Shipping a vehicle

Shipping a personal vehicle into India is rare, and for good reason: even a car that would otherwise qualify under the Transfer of Residence scheme's used-goods rules faces a separate, much steeper motor-vehicle duty regime, and the effective rate on a used import commonly runs well over 100% of the vehicle's value once all duties and cesses are added. India also only allows right-hand-drive cars on its roads, so a vehicle from a left-hand-drive country is a non-starter regardless of duty, and used imports generally can't be older than three years and must meet Bharat Stage VI emissions standards. In practice, almost everyone relocating to India, returning NRIs included, sells their car before leaving and buys locally after arrival rather than attempting an import.

Typical cost: Duty and taxes alone commonly add roughly 125-165% on top of a used car's value for a standard import, before shipping costs — high enough that vehicle shipping isn't a realistic budget line for most relocators

Source: ClearTax — Import Duty on Cars in India (2026); Spinny — Car Import Duty Guide

Visas & immigration

India doesn't offer a single general-purpose relocation visa — most foreign nationals working there hold an Employment Visa tied to a specific Indian employer or project, and every foreign national on a long-stay visa generally has to register with the local Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) or Foreigners Registration Office (FRO), usually within 14 days of arrival. Members of the Indian diaspora have a materially easier route: an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card gives eligible applicants a lifelong, multiple-entry visa and exemption from that FRRO registration requirement, though it stops well short of full citizenship and carries no voting or public-office rights. This section is general orientation only, not legal advice — anyone planning a move to India for work or long-term residence should confirm current requirements directly with the Bureau of Immigration, the Ministry of Home Affairs, or a qualified immigration adviser before booking flights or shipping a household.

• Employment Visa

  Skilled professionals hired directly by an Indian company or organization, or by a foreign company executing a project in India; generally requires a minimum salary threshold and doesn't allow switching employers mid-visa.

• Business Visa

  Foreign nationals visiting for business meetings, setting up a venture, or exploring trade opportunities, rather than taking up salaried employment with an Indian entity.

• Project Visa

  Technical or engineering personnel working on a specific, time-bound project, typically in the power or steel sectors, tied to that project's approved contract.

• Entry (X) Visa

  Persons of Indian origin, spouses of Indian citizens, and certain other family members visiting or resettling, distinct from the employment or business categories.

• OCI registration

  Eligible members of the Indian diaspora — former Indian citizens and their children or grandchildren — seeking lifelong visa-free entry rather than repeated visa applications; not available to anyone who was ever a Pakistani or Bangladeshi citizen.

An OCI card is explicitly not dual citizenship — cardholders get lifelong visa-free entry and rough parity with NRIs on most economic, educational and property matters, but no voting rights, no eligibility for public-sector employment, and no access to constitutional offices.

Source: Bureau of Immigration, Government of India (boi.gov.in); Ministry of External Affairs — Overseas Citizenship of India Scheme (mea.gov.in)

Cost of living overview

There's no single honest number for 'cost of living in India' — a one-bedroom apartment in central Mumbai rents for roughly double what a similar unit costs in central Bengaluru and far more than in a calmer city like Kolkata or Ahmedabad, and that gap dwarfs almost any national average. What holds fairly steady across cities is the shape of the picture: housing is the largest and most variable cost, everyday groceries and domestic help are inexpensive by international standards even in the priciest metros, and imported goods or international-brand items carry a real premium almost everywhere. Treat the figures below as a national backdrop only — the real budgeting numbers are in each city guide.

rent 1br city center range

roughly ₹30,000-₹60,500/month (about US$360-$725) for a 1-bedroom in a major city centre, ranging from under ₹20,000 in more affordable metros to over ₹90,000 at the top end in central Mumbai

groceries relative index

significantly below the US and Western European average across all 8 cities in this guide, though imported and packaged goods narrow that gap considerably

currency note

All prices are in Indian Rupees (INR); unlike the US model of separate state sales tax, India folds indirect tax into a single national GST rate applied at the point of sale.

These are national bookends, not a budget — see the specific city guide linked above for realistic rent, grocery and overall cost-of-living figures for the metro you're actually moving to.

How costs compare

India's major-city rents run well below the US, UK and Singapore on average, though the gap narrows sharply for prime central Mumbai, which is the one Indian market that starts to approach costs in some of these comparison cities.

• vs United States

  India's average major-city 1BR city-centre rent runs roughly 65-75% lower than the US national average

  Numbeo/city-guide figures, Sep 2026: India cities cluster around ₹30,000-60,500 (~US$360-725)/month vs a US national average of roughly $1,646/month

• vs United Kingdom

  India's average major-city 1BR city-centre rent runs roughly 55-70% lower than the UK national average

  Numbeo/city-guide figures, Sep 2026: India cities cluster around US$360-725/month vs a UK national average of roughly $1,357/month

• vs Singapore

  India's average major-city 1BR city-centre rent runs a large fraction lower than Singapore, one of Asia's most expensive rental markets

  Indicative comparison based on published city cost-of-living data; Singapore city-centre 1BR rents typically run several times India's city averages

Taxes overview

India runs two parallel personal income tax regimes, and the new regime is now the default. Under the new regime for FY 2026-27, income up to ₹4 lakh is tax-free, then rates step up through 5% (₹4-8 lakh), 10% (₹8-12 lakh), 15% (₹12-16 lakh), 20% (₹16-20 lakh) and 25% (₹20-24 lakh) to 30% above ₹24 lakh, with a ₹75,000 standard deduction and a Section 87A rebate of up to ₹60,000 that effectively zeroes out tax liability for income up to ₹12 lakh. The older regime keeps more deductions (housing-loan interest, insurance premiums, and similar) but taxes more steeply above ₹5 lakh: nil to ₹2.5 lakh, 5% to ₹5 lakh, 20% to ₹10 lakh, and 30% above that, with a smaller ₹50,000 standard deduction. Taxpayers can choose whichever regime works out cheaper for them each year.

India replaced most state and central indirect taxes with a single Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2017, and a September 2025 'GST 2.0' reform simplified the rate structure further, folding the previous four-slab system down to essentially three working rates: 0% on staples and a short list of exempt goods, 5% on daily necessities and many packaged foods, and 18% as the standard rate covering most goods and services — replacing the old 12%/18%/28% spread. A narrow 40% rate now applies to sin and luxury goods like tobacco, aerated drinks, pan masala and high-end/high-capacity vehicles.

State-level taxes like stamp duty on property and motor vehicle tax still vary by state, and any city-specific detail is covered in that city's guide rather than here.

Climate

India's climate runs from Himalayan alpine cold in the far north to tropical monsoon heat across the south and coasts, with most of the country following three broad seasons rather than four: a hot, dry summer from roughly March to June, the southwest monsoon from June to September that delivers the bulk of the year's rainfall, and a cooler, drier winter from October to February. Coastal cities like Mumbai and Chennai stay warm and humid year-round with a sharp monsoon spike, while inland northern cities like Delhi see genuine winter cold snaps alongside summer heat that regularly clears 40°C.

The gap between a Delhi winter morning and a Chennai summer afternoon is enormous, and monsoon timing and intensity themselves shift by weeks between the west coast and the interior — each city guide covers seasonal specifics for its own metro.

Working & economy

India remains one of the world's fastest-growing large economies, with GDP growth estimated at roughly 7% for FY2025-26 on the back of strong services and manufacturing output, alongside a wave of tax and regulatory simplification including the 2025 GST reform. Services — especially IT, software and business-process outsourcing — dominate output and formal-sector employment, concentrated heavily in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and Chennai, while manufacturing (autos, pharmaceuticals, textiles) and a still-large agricultural sector round out the picture. The labour market is sharply dual: a relatively small, well-paid formal/organized sector coexists with a much larger informal economy, which is part of why headline unemployment figures can look modest relative to the underemployment many households actually experience.

Unemployment: 5.2% (April 2026) (Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) — Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Monthly Bulletin)

Key industries: Information technology and business process outsourcing, Financial and professional services, Textiles and apparel manufacturing, Automotive and auto components, Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, Agriculture and agro-processing, Telecommunications

Working legally in India requires an Employment Visa tied to a specific employer (or an equivalent Business/Project visa for other roles) plus FRRO/FRO registration shortly after arrival — there's no general open work permit, and OCI cardholders, while exempt from that registration, still need to confirm exactly what kind of work their status permits before starting a job.

Moving logistics checklist

1. Confirm your visa category (Employment, Business, Project) or OCI eligibility well before booking shipping — FRRO/FRO registration is generally required within 14 days of arrival for most long-stay foreign nationals
2. Check whether you qualify for the Transfer of Residence duty-free allowance (2+ years' continuous stay abroad) before finalizing what and how much you're shipping
3. Book your container (FCL) or shared (LCL) shipping slot several weeks ahead, and keep the shipment's arrival aligned with the ToR scheme's arrival window relative to your own return date
4. Prepare a detailed, itemized inventory and proof of your qualifying stay abroad — incomplete ToR documentation is the most common cause of customs delay
5. Limit each major appliance category to one unit if you want it to clear at the lower concessional duty rate rather than the standard rate
6. Research pet import requirements early, including rabies vaccination timing and the health certification now required for pets travelling as accompanied baggage
7. Set up an NRE/NRO or resident Indian bank account and start building a local credit history, since foreign credit history doesn't transfer
8. Budget real time for FRRO registration, a local SIM card, and utility connections, which in most cities require proof of address you won't have on day one
9. If moving with school-age children, note that most Indian school years run April/June to March, roughly the reverse of the US/UK academic calendar

Frequently asked questions