JC in India

Accommodation

Finding somewhere to live is going to be high up the priority list for most expats coming to India. Standards of apartments (or houses if going down this less common route), will vary materially depending on location and budget. Needless to say, researching areas based on where you need to spend most of your time is key, with consideration of potential traffic congestion. It is not surprising to say the more you spend the nicer the place you can live. My advice therefore is not about where to live, but how to go about finding the right place in the location you choose. The only comment on location I will make is to describe my personal experience. I live in south Delhi in an enclave called Vasant Vihar. This is at the higher end of south Delhi living and is a relatively green area with a blend of styles of 3-4 storey apartment buildings interspersed with a range of smaller country embassies. This is more ‘India’ than the usual other alternative of Gurgaon and allows for a more culturally immersed lifestyle. However, Gurgaon presents more variation for expats with a number of high-rise complexes, complete with swimming pools and club houses. In terms of cost, while there will of course be variations, in the main both Gurgaon and Vasant Vihar are broadly in the same ballpark for the same size of apartment. Good quality apartments in Vasant Vihar are harder to come by, and if you find one grab it. In Gurgaon though, they are more plentiful and hence why this area has become more of the centre of gravity for expat living. Gurgaon though is notorious for traffic congestion however, so beware of finding the balance between quality of apartment, versus quality of spending time in traffic. All of which needs to be considered against the backdrop of commuting requirements.

Finding the right apartment is best done with the help of a broker, who will likely expect a fee of between one and two months rent for the privilege. This is money well spent though if they help you get the right spot, as it can be a minefield and having someone take you round and show you options, knowing the local way of managing landlords is invaluable. There are a few agencies who can help, but I personally used ursm.in (Universal Relocation and Services Management) who are Delhi / Gurgaon based, and they did a good job for me.

Leases are formalised as anywhere else in the world but expect it to be for an 11-month term as this enables certain protections for landlords, so seems to be the general norm. Also, you can claim a degree of tax relief on rental payments, and this can only be achieved by demonstrating a formal lease agreement. So aside from the normal tenancy protections is another reason to ensure everything is above board.

Serviced apartments are not overly prevalent in India, although some higher end hotels do offer longer term agreements in this style, with some having specifically designated suites/apartments on their complexes for such. Additionally furnished apartments are less prevalent although can be found, just the quality of the furnishings may vary. Again, if you manage to find an apartment that is a good standard with good furnishings in the right price/location range, then jump on it! Expect to pay a two-month rental deposit to the landlord, although assuming all correct at the end should be no threat to receiving this back.

Also be aware of utility bills, as electricity can be very expensive in expat style apartments. My understanding is the rates charged go up exponentially on use. So, if you are a higher user, then expect to pay significantly more than a local who may not use the air conditioning to anything like the same amount. In a way it seems to be a mechanism that allows cheaper power for much lighter users, with the overall cost burden shifting disproportionately to users who tick over a certain level.

And finally, to give some sense of scale, in Vasant Vihar I personally paid 1.5Lakhs per month (2023 price) for my top floor 2 bedroom furnished apartment with terrace. I know people who are paying around 50% more than that for higher quality ones, and also someone who is paying around 50% of that for the same size, but much less glamorous. So, there is a range, and it will all depend on budget and comfort priority. Additionally in the peak summer when the air conditioning was working the hardest (but only turned on while I was home in the evenings / weekends), I would pay around 15,000 INR a month on electricity.

The only other thing to comment on re living is the potential level of service support you can/will have. Most apartments in my neighbourhood have 24-hour guards posted to the building, the costs of which are included as part of the rent. In Gurgaon most of the main complexes are gated anyway, with individual tower block receptions / guards. While the costs of their salary is likely to be included as part of the rent, it is customary to tip them on occasion and give them a relatively material tip at time of Diwali (i.e. a month’s salary). Again, to give an idea of scale I would generally tip my guards (two of them – one day, one night) 5,000 INR every 3 months and 10,000 at Diwali. Obviously, this is all discretionary, but being an expat it is custom and best practice. Whether I am tipping in the right ballpark of expectations I do not really know, but from conversations with others and from their reactions I feel this is about right.

If you want to get a maid then it is likely your broker can help with this, and any arrangement can be bespoke and tailored according to your needs. Delhi can get dusty and grimy, so the cost of a maid just a few hours a week is not material and can help keep things clean so I would recommend it as a potentially useful expense. Maids can range in services from limited hours of cleaning each week all the way through to being pretty much live in and doing all the cooking, laundry etc. It really depends on your needs, but whatever you want can no doubt be sourced. I have friends who have maids come half days each day and as part of this they prepare dinners and lunches for them. As a guide I have a maid that comes 6 hours a week (approximately) split over 3 days, and for that she earns around 4,000 INR a month. My friends with the more comprehensive support are paying around 3x that amount (in 2023 prices).