Expat in Mumbai
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Expat in Mumbai
Can you please advise Living costs for 1-2 Bedroom Furnished apartment in Mumbai ? Any other info would be appreciated IE/ Good areas not too far from Airport etc..
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I stayed in Juhu Beach, supposedly a nice part of Mumbai. It was about a 20 minuted drive early in the morning to the airport, during normal hours, around 40 minutes. Had a two bedroom flat, nicely done, on the 4th floor. Place was 100 meters from the beach. Had a gym down the street at a hotel, market nearby, walking distance two minutes, barber shop equal distance. I could not tell you what it cost, only that the previous pilot had looked at a lot of places before he picked this one.
Cheers
also in CHCH
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also in CHCH
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Ahhhh, your company should be doing this for you and paying for your apartment.... dont start lowering standards on us bud by agreeing to rent your own place.
Remember you are a Expat, and are here for a very limited time, so dont go wasting your money setting up a place here, make the company pay. Plus did you know that most Indian rentals require 6 mths deposit up front!!
If your company is really not providing housing, good luck with that job!
But if you have married a local and are moving here permanently ignore my comments!
Remember you are a Expat, and are here for a very limited time, so dont go wasting your money setting up a place here, make the company pay. Plus did you know that most Indian rentals require 6 mths deposit up front!!
If your company is really not providing housing, good luck with that job!
But if you have married a local and are moving here permanently ignore my comments!
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First of all, if you do make it to Mumbai and once you have found accomodation I would seriously start looking for a new pprune handle, if I were you!!
One or two pilots I knew in Mumbai lived/live to the East of the airport, in the Powai area.
One or two pilots I knew in Mumbai lived/live to the East of the airport, in the Powai area.
Last edited by weido_salt; 18th Sep 2009 at 02:09.
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The cost of living is cheap, groceries, transport, drinks from the market. I think that amount would cover rent, but not sure. The company should cover all housing, to include internet, hand phone for work, and transport.
If they are not, perhaps you should shy away from this one. Mumbai is not the nicest place in the world, lots of traffic, noise, you have to boil the water, but then again it is an experience you should try. But the Indians idea of a good apartment is far removed from what you and I would observe as a "good apartment", same with the hotels, by the way/
If they are not, perhaps you should shy away from this one. Mumbai is not the nicest place in the world, lots of traffic, noise, you have to boil the water, but then again it is an experience you should try. But the Indians idea of a good apartment is far removed from what you and I would observe as a "good apartment", same with the hotels, by the way/
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1500USD per month... will get you nothing... as bench mark you need 4000USD for nice 2 bed apt... food n booze is cheap.... get a maid to clean up is also v cheap...housing / hotels is the real killer..
Got 3 bedroom, hall and kitchen, 3 bathrooms.
Juhu, dead end street , no traffic. It is 15 to 30 minutes to the airport.
Rent is 45000 plus about 7500 for electricity, Rupees that is.
Fast food is expensive, especially Pizza Hut...
Good food is expensive as well because it's imported (Pork and Beef).
Standard meal at TGIF is around 1100 to 1500.
Groceries are cheap.
Average expenses on food (self cooked and ordered) including imported (non american) beer is 15000.
Juhu, dead end street , no traffic. It is 15 to 30 minutes to the airport.
Rent is 45000 plus about 7500 for electricity, Rupees that is.
Fast food is expensive, especially Pizza Hut...
Good food is expensive as well because it's imported (Pork and Beef).
Standard meal at TGIF is around 1100 to 1500.
Groceries are cheap.
Average expenses on food (self cooked and ordered) including imported (non american) beer is 15000.
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I stayed in Andheri(E) for some time, company provided a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment, rs55 000rs/mnth, electricity bills ranged from 1500rs - 3000rs. (Note company paid this too). Had a pool and gym yet wasn't allowed to use it due not being a flat owner (boooo!). Took me anywhere from 15mins - 1hr to get to airport...Andheri(e) traffic is not good. Unlimited net with Airtel was rs899/mnth. I would not compare my apartment to anything in the West, sparse with aircons in bedrooms (a must!), water filter, fridge and furnishings. Yet it was comfortable and home for a while.
In Powai you should be able to pick up something around rs45 000/mnth, plus expats a plenty in that area, but you will suffer traffic to and from the airport, you would prob need to allow at least an hour each way.
Casual gym memberships range from rs1000 and up/month. Maid every day to sweep etc from rs400/month. I think one to cook all your meals etc and clean costs around rs3000 and up. More if you want an English speaking maid!
General transport is cheap, a taxi to south Mumbai would cost approx. rs300, rickshaws here and there a couple of bucks maximum. Andheri(West) has some nice places, and you don't suffer too much traffic to the airport, plus it has a little bit of greenery which is nice and soothing when moving into Mumbai's chaos. Bandra is expensive for rentals, so you will get better bang for your buck in other suburbs. Maybe Santa-Cruze has some nice places?
You will pay through the nose when going out for drinks etc, but general items are very affordable, and fruit and veg great. Imported food luxuries will cost you at LEAST twice the price of things at home, more often 5 times the price!
So I basically think that allowance would only cover your rent....do you like dahl and rice??
Think your company should cover the accommodation etc for you like a few others have said, as a standard package includes accom, ph, transport to and from work.
Also it can be quite a nightmare to try and find apartments, meeting with agents etc, then the copious amount of paperwork etc that needs to be completed, so it's much easier to get them to do it for you.
In Powai you should be able to pick up something around rs45 000/mnth, plus expats a plenty in that area, but you will suffer traffic to and from the airport, you would prob need to allow at least an hour each way.
Casual gym memberships range from rs1000 and up/month. Maid every day to sweep etc from rs400/month. I think one to cook all your meals etc and clean costs around rs3000 and up. More if you want an English speaking maid!
General transport is cheap, a taxi to south Mumbai would cost approx. rs300, rickshaws here and there a couple of bucks maximum. Andheri(West) has some nice places, and you don't suffer too much traffic to the airport, plus it has a little bit of greenery which is nice and soothing when moving into Mumbai's chaos. Bandra is expensive for rentals, so you will get better bang for your buck in other suburbs. Maybe Santa-Cruze has some nice places?
You will pay through the nose when going out for drinks etc, but general items are very affordable, and fruit and veg great. Imported food luxuries will cost you at LEAST twice the price of things at home, more often 5 times the price!
So I basically think that allowance would only cover your rent....do you like dahl and rice??
Think your company should cover the accommodation etc for you like a few others have said, as a standard package includes accom, ph, transport to and from work.Also it can be quite a nightmare to try and find apartments, meeting with agents etc, then the copious amount of paperwork etc that needs to be completed, so it's much easier to get them to do it for you.
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Auschick has provided you with an absolutely honest view on accomodation in Mumbai.
Mumbai is very crowded, dusty,noisy and the traffic is a nightmare! Standard of living is quite poor and the standard of apartments are very poor. Not the standard that you would expect.
Agents are crooks!! The moment they know that you are an expat and working for an airline company, the will artificially raise the rental.
I was based in Bangalore and paid INR 65,000/month for a 2 bedroom villa. Many hidden clauses in the lease agreement. Notably, 10 months security deposit and a lock in period for the entire lease period. (when I questioned why, the agent insisted that this was the norm).
My advise is let your Company handle the accomodation. Do not sign any lease agreement ... stay away from agents and landlords. I have had many bad experiences. Bottom line is that they just want your money and you can forget about seeing the security deposit at the end of the lease.
One last bit of advise ... the Company might try to push you to find your own place stating that you are being paid an accomodation allowance. Happened to me! Have nothing to do with it!!(This is simply because someone within the Company is getting a cut from the Housing Agent) Insist that they find you a place and they handle the rent.
Good luck!
Mumbai is very crowded, dusty,noisy and the traffic is a nightmare! Standard of living is quite poor and the standard of apartments are very poor. Not the standard that you would expect.
Agents are crooks!! The moment they know that you are an expat and working for an airline company, the will artificially raise the rental.
I was based in Bangalore and paid INR 65,000/month for a 2 bedroom villa. Many hidden clauses in the lease agreement. Notably, 10 months security deposit and a lock in period for the entire lease period. (when I questioned why, the agent insisted that this was the norm).
My advise is let your Company handle the accomodation. Do not sign any lease agreement ... stay away from agents and landlords. I have had many bad experiences. Bottom line is that they just want your money and you can forget about seeing the security deposit at the end of the lease.
One last bit of advise ... the Company might try to push you to find your own place stating that you are being paid an accomodation allowance. Happened to me! Have nothing to do with it!!(This is simply because someone within the Company is getting a cut from the Housing Agent) Insist that they find you a place and they handle the rent.
Good luck!
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Left wing is definatly in left field and no where near India... 1500 is plenty to live on. It gives you enouph to get a pretty (nice for Mumbai) place. Just a heads up there are no nice areas of mumbai. There are nice buildings with slums around them, but no area that will be like where your from. Be ready it is quite a shock.. FYI Alchohal is extremely expensive.
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Basically like we all know who thinks what luxury $1500 can buy and who doesn't is a personal opinion, we are all different ages, with different backgrounds and different expectations. Here in Kolkata, I am in a top floor 2 story apartment the company is paying INR40 000 per mth (35000 + 5000 maintenance fees) , electricity is hugely expensive, at 6000-12000 per mth! But thats just where I am.
Beware also with agents, YOU will be expected to give them 1 mths rent as finders fee(so dont expect to get shown cheap apartments), the owner of the apartment will also give them 1 mths rent...unless you pre-negotiate before they show you the first apartment. India Travel Forum | IndiaMike.com is a good site for help and reference on living in India, although it has a lot of annoying Indians on it who really dont understand but slam you with advise!
Also if you company provides accom, dont get caught like I did , make sure its specific in describing what you will get, mine said a luxury furnished 2 bedrooms apartment in a luxury complex. Well to a Indian national it was luxury but to me it was a 800ft tiny apartment, brand new but full of rising damp and mold, with bare furnishings, no curtains, not a knife in the place, and just 2 glasses!, with just 2 aircons, and it was on the main road so really really noisy...and it was in a area with no internet service, and generator only electricity and absolutely no transport not even a taxi driving on the main highway out front! (but I have a fulltime driver and a car so this didnt matter) I had to have a temper tantrum and write some nasty emails to get it sorted out, and be prepared to be confrontational about topics like this its the only way to get it done most times.
In my personal experience India has had the most pitfalls out of the 5 countries I have now worked in, it makes my worst African experiences look good most days!
Good luck
Beware also with agents, YOU will be expected to give them 1 mths rent as finders fee(so dont expect to get shown cheap apartments), the owner of the apartment will also give them 1 mths rent...unless you pre-negotiate before they show you the first apartment. India Travel Forum | IndiaMike.com is a good site for help and reference on living in India, although it has a lot of annoying Indians on it who really dont understand but slam you with advise!
Also if you company provides accom, dont get caught like I did , make sure its specific in describing what you will get, mine said a luxury furnished 2 bedrooms apartment in a luxury complex. Well to a Indian national it was luxury but to me it was a 800ft tiny apartment, brand new but full of rising damp and mold, with bare furnishings, no curtains, not a knife in the place, and just 2 glasses!, with just 2 aircons, and it was on the main road so really really noisy...and it was in a area with no internet service, and generator only electricity and absolutely no transport not even a taxi driving on the main highway out front! (but I have a fulltime driver and a car so this didnt matter) I had to have a temper tantrum and write some nasty emails to get it sorted out, and be prepared to be confrontational about topics like this its the only way to get it done most times.
In my personal experience India has had the most pitfalls out of the 5 countries I have now worked in, it makes my worst African experiences look good most days!
Good luck
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1)Rental for decent 2 bedroom fully furnished accomodation(which includes air cons in all bedrooms,fridge,at least one TV with cable and all basic furniture including sofas and beds etc etc)in the "burbs" of bombay(andheri,powai,juhu etc)....Rs 60,000-90,000 per month(YOU do the math!).BTW this used to be at least 30-45k MORE about one year ago.Especially in powai.
2) Maid...3,000-4,000 PM depending on what you want out of her(quite literally).At 4K she would do ALL the house work INCLUDING cooking of all meals for a respectable family of four.Add 1k if you're an expat!
3) Booze....A 650 ml bottle of possibly the finest strong lager in the world would cost you max Rs 80 chilled delivered at your doorstep .The delivery is free.Rs 60 for same bottle of regular strength fine beer(kingfisher,fosters etc).Same drink in a half decent pub could cost you 2-3 times the same.
4)If you fly about 80 hrs a month(assuming short haul) your food should not cost you more than 20k PM.Your maid should do most/ALL of the cooking at home.But if you wish to be extravagant and eat about 3-4 times a month in a decent restaurant,add 10 k(in rupees) to your monthly bill.Thus 20-30k PM.A very very reasonable city to live off of.Food wise.Delhi being a little cheaper! This 20-30k PM includes cost of raw materials by the way.Its the amount I assume for a 3-4 header family eating 'normal' cusine.
5)What else are you looking for....hmmm.Ok...traffic is a f##k up.Stay in powai/juhu to avoid most/ALL traffic.The distance from powai to BOTH airports is negligible.But the traffic makes it a 10-45 minute ride depending on time of day.The Hiranandani builders seem to be the preffered locale for most expats.
5)Power/water bills should not exceed 5-7k a month.Cooking gas is very cheap.About Rs 500 PM at an average.
6)Unlimited internet for say SIFY or Airtel should be in the region of 1k PM max.
Most gyms and pools at decent condos come with the apartment.Should not cost extra.If it does,the agent's cheated you! Dont give him his 1%.
All in all 100k PM should look after almost ALL of your basics.Bombay IS a noizy city,but so is new york.Take your pick.Traffic is a bitch everywhere.So is pollution....(very low in the powai region,due greens).
Kfc,macdonalds,pizza hut etc etc etc are ALL within a phonecall.Most/all homedeliver.Just get their numbers initially and you will thank me.Security is no issue.Just keep your head on your shoulders like you would do in any part of the world.And enjoy your stay man.....
The rental's a killer.If you can live with that,you got a good thing going.
Just remember its COOL in christmas and the wind gusts anti clockwise in this part of the world....!! Oh...and the hookers don't come with the package! You're gonna have to PM me for that......lolol.
Have a pleasant stay in Bombay....
Oh and BTW...remember that you will have to negotiate quite a bit.Maybe a little more than you are used to in most parts of the world.But not too much.Negotiation,unlike what most peolple think is a fine art.One that modern young indians are quite lacking and therefore one that the yuppy indian is trying to negate.Therefore DO negotiate.But just to a point.And then be patient....!! You will be able to tell the men from the boys after a little while and be able to tell the bargain basements from the Prada showrooms within the year I forsee...
Off to mah beer...
2) Maid...3,000-4,000 PM depending on what you want out of her(quite literally).At 4K she would do ALL the house work INCLUDING cooking of all meals for a respectable family of four.Add 1k if you're an expat!
3) Booze....A 650 ml bottle of possibly the finest strong lager in the world would cost you max Rs 80 chilled delivered at your doorstep .The delivery is free.Rs 60 for same bottle of regular strength fine beer(kingfisher,fosters etc).Same drink in a half decent pub could cost you 2-3 times the same.
4)If you fly about 80 hrs a month(assuming short haul) your food should not cost you more than 20k PM.Your maid should do most/ALL of the cooking at home.But if you wish to be extravagant and eat about 3-4 times a month in a decent restaurant,add 10 k(in rupees) to your monthly bill.Thus 20-30k PM.A very very reasonable city to live off of.Food wise.Delhi being a little cheaper! This 20-30k PM includes cost of raw materials by the way.Its the amount I assume for a 3-4 header family eating 'normal' cusine.
5)What else are you looking for....hmmm.Ok...traffic is a f##k up.Stay in powai/juhu to avoid most/ALL traffic.The distance from powai to BOTH airports is negligible.But the traffic makes it a 10-45 minute ride depending on time of day.The Hiranandani builders seem to be the preffered locale for most expats.
5)Power/water bills should not exceed 5-7k a month.Cooking gas is very cheap.About Rs 500 PM at an average.
6)Unlimited internet for say SIFY or Airtel should be in the region of 1k PM max.
Most gyms and pools at decent condos come with the apartment.Should not cost extra.If it does,the agent's cheated you! Dont give him his 1%.
All in all 100k PM should look after almost ALL of your basics.Bombay IS a noizy city,but so is new york.Take your pick.Traffic is a bitch everywhere.So is pollution....(very low in the powai region,due greens).
Kfc,macdonalds,pizza hut etc etc etc are ALL within a phonecall.Most/all homedeliver.Just get their numbers initially and you will thank me.Security is no issue.Just keep your head on your shoulders like you would do in any part of the world.And enjoy your stay man.....
The rental's a killer.If you can live with that,you got a good thing going.
Just remember its COOL in christmas and the wind gusts anti clockwise in this part of the world....!! Oh...and the hookers don't come with the package! You're gonna have to PM me for that......lolol.
Have a pleasant stay in Bombay....
Oh and BTW...remember that you will have to negotiate quite a bit.Maybe a little more than you are used to in most parts of the world.But not too much.Negotiation,unlike what most peolple think is a fine art.One that modern young indians are quite lacking and therefore one that the yuppy indian is trying to negate.Therefore DO negotiate.But just to a point.And then be patient....!! You will be able to tell the men from the boys after a little while and be able to tell the bargain basements from the Prada showrooms within the year I forsee...
Off to mah beer...
Last edited by King on a Wing; 20th Sep 2009 at 18:04. Reason: Typo(s)....!!
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Just out of curiousity,is there any airline in India that offers commuting as an option? By that I mean commuting within the country. Here in the US you can jumpseat your way to work and back ,if you choose to. This practice has been ongoing for years and only now has drawn some unnecessary attention after the Buffalo crash.
For instance, one could live in a smaller city (other than the Big Four) where the quality of life is better in terms of crowding,access to western food, posh locations and traffic.One could jump seat to Mumbai or wherever,fly the sectors and jumpseat home again.Of course,if the sectors are closely grouped (i.e. several days together) then the airline might have to provide you with hotel accomodation etc.just like they would on a layover. Is that an option you can try and work into your contracts or is it just not done?
Smaller metros with better QOL would be Bangalore, Hyderabad,Pune,Lucknow,Cochin,Vizag ,Chandigarh,etc..
The flip side is , this is India we are talking about. Can't really get away from the crowds and squalor. However, these cities certainly offfer exclusive communities as close to the western lifestyle and conditions as possible.And, instead of being driven to the airport in a car, you get flown there!!
Alt3.
For instance, one could live in a smaller city (other than the Big Four) where the quality of life is better in terms of crowding,access to western food, posh locations and traffic.One could jump seat to Mumbai or wherever,fly the sectors and jumpseat home again.Of course,if the sectors are closely grouped (i.e. several days together) then the airline might have to provide you with hotel accomodation etc.just like they would on a layover. Is that an option you can try and work into your contracts or is it just not done?
Smaller metros with better QOL would be Bangalore, Hyderabad,Pune,Lucknow,Cochin,Vizag ,Chandigarh,etc..
The flip side is , this is India we are talking about. Can't really get away from the crowds and squalor. However, these cities certainly offfer exclusive communities as close to the western lifestyle and conditions as possible.And, instead of being driven to the airport in a car, you get flown there!!
Alt3.
