India · South Asia
Moving to Bengaluru
Bengaluru quick facts
Cost of living in Bengaluru
Getting set up in India
Employment Visa & e-FRRO registration
India has no digital-nomad or freelancer visa. To work legally in Bengaluru you need an employer-sponsored Employment Visa (E-visa), which requires a gross salary of at least ₹16.25 lakh/year (about US$25,000). After you land, registration with the Bengaluru FRRO via the online e-FRRO portal is mandatory within 14 days for any stay over 180 days. The visa is the single most important document; PAN and Aadhaar are separate registrations you sort out later.
Read the full step-by-step guideDriving & getting around Bengaluru
You can legally drive in India for up to one year on your home-country licence plus an International Driving Permit (IDP) you obtained back home, as long as your visa is valid. After that you must get an Indian licence, applied for through the Karnataka RTO via the Sarathi portal. India drives on the LEFT, and Bengaluru's traffic is famously brutal — so the honest reality is that the vast majority of relocating professionals never drive themselves: they use Uber, Ola, Rapido bike taxis, autorickshaws, a hired driver, and the Namma Metro instead.
Read the full step-by-step guideOpening a bank account, PAN & UPI
In India the PAN (Permanent Account Number) is the master key: you can't meaningfully open a bank account, get paid, or pay tax without it, so get it first. As an employment-visa holder living in India you're a resident for banking, so you open an ordinary resident savings account (not an NRE/NRO account, which are for non-residents/NRIs). Once the account is live you link it to a UPI app (Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm) to scan-and-pay everywhere from autos to grocers. The friction points are PAN turnaround, foreigner KYC (passport + long-term visa + Indian address proof), and the fact that Aadhaar — which smooths everything — is generally out of reach until you've lived here 182+ days.
Read the full step-by-step guideHealthcare: private hospitals, insurance & emergencies
India has no public health insurance for foreigners — you're on private care from day one, but Bengaluru's private hospitals are world-class and cheap by Western standards. Your employer almost always gives you a group health policy; understand exactly what it covers, top it up, and know that 108 (free government ambulance) and 112 (national emergency line) are your numbers in a crisis.
Read the full step-by-step guideGetting a SIM & mobile data
India runs strict TRAI/DoT-mandated KYC on every SIM, so unlike the instant prepaid SIMs you may be used to, a foreigner buys with passport, visa, a photo and proof of a local address, then waits for a tele-verification call before the number goes fully live. Jio and Airtel have the best 5G in Bengaluru and Jio is famously cheap for data. Buy from a brand store rather than a corner shop — they're set up to do foreigner KYC, and you'll want a working number fast because UPI, food delivery, and most app logins hinge on it.
Read the full step-by-step guideIncome tax: residency (RNOR), PAN & ITR
India's tax year runs April-March, not January-December. Your tax bill depends entirely on your residency status, and most newcomers land in a transitional bracket called RNOR (Resident but Not Ordinarily Resident) for the first 2-3 years, under which your foreign income is generally NOT taxed in India. You need a PAN (tax ID) before your employer can run payroll; they deduct tax monthly (TDS) and issue Form 16; you then file an annual return (ITR) by 31 July. The new regime is now the default, but you can opt for the old one.
Read the full step-by-step guideEach guide has verified costs, timelines, required documents, and the non-obvious gotchas — sourced from official government pages.
Essential Kannada phrases
What to know before you go
English works — but a little Kannada goes a long way
Good to knowBengaluru's tech world runs in English and many migrants use Hindi, but there's real local pride in Kannada — and a current of sensitivity about Hindi being assumed. A few Kannada words (namaskara, dhanyavada) earn genuine warmth.
Plan your whole life around traffic
CriticalBengaluru's traffic is legendary; a 10km trip can take 90 minutes. Live near your office, lean on Namma Metro where it reaches, and use autos / Uber / Ola / Rapido (bike taxis) for the rest. Avoid scheduling back-to-back cross-city meetings.
Go digital: UPI is everything
ImportantUPI (Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm) is universal — even street vendors and autos take it. You'll want an Indian bank account and UPI fast; a PAN card and (if eligible) Aadhaar unlock banking, SIMs and more.
Don't drink the tap water; mind the monsoon
ImportantUse filtered or bottled water and avoid ice in cheap spots until your stomach adjusts. The monsoon (roughly June-September) floods low-lying areas and the ORR; otherwise the ~900m altitude gives Bengaluru its famously pleasant climate.
Check water supply and power backup before you rent
Good to knowSupply varies block to block: some areas get piped Cauvery water, others rely on borewells or paid tankers in summer. Power cuts happen, so confirm the building has an inverter or generator and reliable water before signing.
Register with the FRRO if you're on a long-term visa
ImportantForeigners on Employment or Student visas for stays over 180 days must register with the FRRO (via the e-FRRO portal) within 14 days of arrival. Miss it and you face fines and exit hassles — make it a week-one task.
Top industries & employers
Technology & IT services
Infosys, Wipro, Google, Amazon, Microsoft
India's Silicon Valley — the country's densest concentration of IT and software employers.
Startups & venture
Flipkart, Swiggy, Razorpay, Ola, Meesho
The largest startup ecosystem in India, centred on Koramangala and HSR Layout.
Global Capability Centres (GCCs)
Goldman Sachs, Target, Walmart Global Tech, JPMorgan
The world's back-office and engineering hub — hundreds of multinational captive centres.
Aerospace & defence
HAL, ISRO, BEL
A major aerospace and space hub, home to India's aeronautics and space agencies.
Biotech & life sciences
Biocon, Syngene, research institutes
India's biotech capital, with deep pharma research and R&D.
Electronics & semiconductors
Electronics City, chip-design centres
A leading electronics-design and (increasingly) semiconductor hub.
Where to go in Bengaluru
Lalbagh & Cubbon Park
Nature · Central
Two grand green lungs — Lalbagh's historic botanical garden and glass house, and the rambling Cubbon Park.
Local tip: Lalbagh at dawn for the flower shows; Cubbon Park goes car-free on Sundays for walkers, runners and cyclists.
Vidhana Soudha
Landmark · Central
The grand granite seat of the Karnataka legislature, floodlit and spectacular at night.
Local tip: Photograph it in the evening when it's lit; the red-brick Attara Kacheri (High Court) opposite is a fine contrast.
Indiranagar
Nightlife · Indiranagar
The city's pub, microbrewery and dining hub along 100 Feet Road and 12th Main.
Local tip: Microbreweries are a Bengaluru institution; Indiranagar and Koramangala are the going-out heartlands.
VV Puram Food Street & MTR
Food · Basavanagudi
Legendary South Indian eating — the classic rava idli and dosa at MTR, and the buzzing 'Thindi Beedi' food street.
Local tip: MTR for the dosa and filter coffee; VV Puram's food street comes alive in the evening for street eats.
Nandi Hills
Nature · ~60km north
A hill-fort viewpoint that floats above the clouds at sunrise, a beloved day-trip escape.
Local tip: Leave by 4-5am to beat the crowds and the traffic and catch the sunrise above the mist.
Russell Market & Commercial Street
Hidden gemCulture · Shivajinagar
Old-Bangalore atmosphere — a colonial-era covered market for produce and flowers, and bustling bargain shopping nearby.
Local tip: Russell Market for flowers, fruit and old-city character; Commercial Street for cheap clothes and gold.