Living in India - Study in India

Living in India

India is vast, diverse, and extraordinarily affordable — a country where you can study in English at world-class institutions, eat extremely well for a few hundred rupees, and get around modern metro systems without a car. This guide covers the practical reality of student life: finding housing in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, or Pune, banking, the climate and air quality, the food, getting around on the metro, Uber, and Ola, and settling into one of the world's most diverse societies. The honest version, so you arrive ready.

Finding Housing

Housing in India is easier and cheaper than in many Western countries, but it still pays to plan.

Start with university housing

Most universities, and almost all of the IITs, IIMs, and AIIMS, offer on-campus hostels. For your first year these are the simplest choice — furnished, close to class, with meals included via the mess, and easy to arrange. Apply the moment you accept your place, because at large institutions, hostel allocation can be competitive.

The private market

Off campus, the most common option for students is PG (paying-guest) accommodation — a furnished room in a flat or building, usually with meals included. Shared flats are popular in metros, and a few students rent studios. Typical monthly costs:

Rents are lower in Pune, Hyderabad, and smaller cities than in Mumbai, Delhi, or central Bangalore. Use reputable platforms and agents, view the place (or have a trusted contact view it), and never transfer a deposit before confirming the landlord is genuine.

Banking

Once you have your Student Visa and FRRO registration, open a local account at a major bank — SBI, HDFC, ICICI, or Axis are the common choices. You typically need your passport, visa, FRRO Residential Permit, admission letter, and proof of address. A local account makes paying rent and receiving money far easier, and it unlocks UPI — India's instant payment system used everywhere from college cafeterias to autorickshaws. Also apply for a PAN (Permanent Account Number) card — it is needed for serious banking, scholarships, and any official paperwork. Ask your international office which bank has a branch on or near campus.

Daily Costs

Plan for roughly INR 25,000-45,000 per month in Delhi, Mumbai, or Bangalore, and less elsewhere. Food is the pleasant surprise: a meal at the mess, a dhaba, or a thali joint is often INR 100-250, so eating out can cost less than cooking. Full budgets by city are in our costs and funding guide, or estimate yours with the cost-of-study calculator.

Getting Around

Indian metros now have modern, cheap public transport:

• Delhi Metro is fast, clean, and extensive
• Bangalore (Namma Metro), Mumbai Metro, Hyderabad Metro, Chennai Metro are growing
• Mumbai local trains remain the city's lifeline
• Autorickshaws are everywhere — insist on the meter or use the app

Uber and Ola — the two main ride-hailing apps — are affordable and fill the gaps for short trips and late nights. Between cities, trains booked through IRCTC are inexpensive and a great way to see the country, and budget airlines (IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet) connect every major city. Outside the metros, public transport is thinner, so students in smaller cities lean more on autorickshaws, Uber/Ola, or scooters.

The Climate (and Air Quality)

India's climate depends on where you study. Plan honestly for your city:

• Delhi and the north (IITs Delhi, Kanpur, Roorkee, JNU) — hot summers above 40 degrees Celsius, cool winters with chilly nights, and heavy winter smog from October to February. Air quality is a serious issue in Delhi-NCR — many students invest in an N95 mask and a small air purifier for their room
• Mumbai, Chennai, the coasts — warm and humid all year, with a heavy monsoon (June-September). Carry an umbrella, expect commute disruptions
• Bangalore, Pune — mild and pleasant most of the year, with light monsoon rain
• Northeast and the Himalayas — cooler, with proper winters

Pack for your specific city. Stay hydrated in summer, take air quality seriously in Delhi winters, and assume the monsoon will mess with your commute.

Food, Culture, and Festivals

Food is one of the best parts of life in India, with massive regional variety:

• South Indian dosas, idlis, sambar — staples in Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad
• North Indian dal, rotis, parathas, biryani — Delhi, Mumbai
• Bengali fish curries, Hyderabadi biryani, Mumbai vada pav, Punjabi chole — each region has its own classics
• Vegetarian, vegan, Jain, and halal options are everywhere — India has the most extensive vegetarian food culture in the world
• Swiggy and Zomato deliver almost anything to your door, cheaply

India's calendar is full of festivals — Diwali, Holi, Eid, Christmas, Pongal, Onam, Durga Puja — and most are public holidays at universities. Dress modestly at religious sites and be mindful of local customs, but cities are cosmopolitan and easy-going. Family and community matter, and people are generally friendly and curious about international students.

Language

India is genuinely multilingual. English is the working language in most universities, business, and government, and almost every degree program at IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, BITS, JNU, and major private universities is taught in English — so you can settle in comfortably from day one. Hindi is the most widely spoken language in the north, while every region has its own language: Marathi in Mumbai, Tamil in Chennai, Kannada in Bangalore, Telugu in Hyderabad, Bengali in Kolkata. Learning some local phrases is appreciated and helps with markets and autorickshaws.

Staying Connected

For a phone, a prepaid SIM from Jio, Airtel, or Vi is cheap and easy to top up — plenty of data for INR 200-400/month. You will need your passport, visa, and FRRO Residential Permit, and a proof of address, to activate it. Home internet is fast and cheap, often included in PG rentals — check before paying for a separate connection. Set up UPI early through your bank's app or Google Pay / PhonePe / Paytm, because it is used everywhere from college cafeterias to autorickshaws.

Health and Safety

India is generally safe for students who use sensible precautions, with a large international student community that makes it a manageable place to be a newcomer. A few practical notes:

• Prefer Uber and Ola late at night over hailing on the street
• Keep your passport, visa, FRRO Residential Permit, and documents secure — and carry copies, not originals, day to day
• Private hospitals and clinics are good and affordable; many institutions arrange or recommend student health insurance — take it
• Female students often prefer women-only metro coaches and women-focused PG accommodation
• Watch for petty theft and scams in busy markets and tourist areas, and verify any landlord or job offer before paying
• Take air quality in Delhi winters seriously — N95 masks and a small air purifier are worth it
• Be careful with food and water hygiene in your first weeks — stick to bottled or filtered water and well-cooked food until your stomach adjusts

Settling In and Making Friends

Indians are generally friendly and curious about international students, and large student populations at IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, and major universities mean you are rarely the only newcomer. The fastest routes into a social life:

• Join student societies, sports clubs, and your program's groups early — Indian campuses have unusually rich societies and clubs
• Say yes to mess meals and chai breaks — much of social life happens around food and tea
• Get involved in orientation week and festival celebrations like Diwali and Holi
• Explore beyond campus: India rewards weekend trips — Agra from Delhi, Mahabaleshwar from Mumbai, Mysore from Bangalore

A Realistic Take on Bureaucracy

Be honest with yourself about one thing: Indian bureaucracy can be slow. The FRRO portal, banks, SIM activation, and university paperwork sometimes take patience, multiple visits, and copies of every document you own. Build buffer time into the first month, keep certified copies handy, and treat each errand as a chance to practice patience. Things do get done — they just often take more steps than you expect.

A Quick Glossary

A few terms you will meet constantly:

• Rupee (INR / Rs.) — the Indian currency
• Lakh — 100,000 (INR 1 lakh = INR 100,000)
• Crore — 10 million (INR 1 crore = INR 10,000,000)
• Mess — the campus dining hall, often included in hostel fees
• PG — paying-guest accommodation, a furnished room with meals
• Dhaba — a roadside or local restaurant, cheap and very tasty
• Thali — a multi-dish meal on a single plate, great value
• Autorickshaw / auto / rickshaw — the three-wheeled taxi
• UPI — the instant digital payment system used everywhere
• FRRO — the office where you register and renew your visa
• Bona fide certificate — letter from your institution confirming enrolment

Next Steps

1. Work and career — the honest picture on part-time work and staying on
2. Costs and funding — full budgets and scholarships
3. Visa and arrival — the Student Visa, FRRO, and your first weeks
4. The 10-step guide — the whole journey in order