Money saving tips for expats moving to India

Thinking of making the move from abroad to live in India? More expatriates are discovering the magic of living in India and deciding to make it their new home by planning an international move. Regardless of whether you are relocating to India alone or moving with a family, an international move to India can be expensive! Fortunately, we at Allied Moving Services India are locals so we know the tips and tricks to get the most out of your budget when relocating. You can follow our helpful advice below to ensure that you don’t blow the budget when moving internationally to India.

There’s no doubt that relocating overseas is a thrilling experience! However, it can be costly if you don’t properly plan. Here is our advice to help you save money during your relocation to India as an expat.

When compared to other popular expat destinations such as Singapore and London, the cost of living in India seems unbelievably cheap. Many expats are drawn to the opportunity to live a more luxurious lifestyle in India, that they may not necessarily be able to afford elsewhere. It’s important to research the actual cost of living so you have adequate savings and income to support yourself, especially if you will be paid in Indian Rupee (INR) instead of your home currency. At the time of writing, USD$1 is equivalent to INR$83.32. Keep in mind that the cost of living will depend on where you relocate to, as larger cities may be more expensive than smaller rural areas, so research your intended destination.

Aside from your cost of living budget, you should also create a budget for the move. This budget will include the costs directly related to your move, such as visas, customs requirements and other immigration fees, packing materials, flights, and short-term accommodation for when you first arrive. It’s also recommended that you request a quote from your chosen moving company to give you an idea of the cost of your move. Don’t forget to include any additional moving services you need such as packing services and transit insurance.

One of the biggest expenses involved in moving to India as an expat is converting your home currency into rupees. Beware that there are many banks and third-party services that can charge exorbitant fees and mark up the exchange rate to increase their cut. To avoid this, research your options and regularly check the currency rate online.

Once you’ve settled into India, you’ll be able to apply for a Non-Resident Ordinary Rupee Scheme Account, known as an NRO account, from an Indian bank. Some NRO accounts require you to maintain an average balance each quarter otherwise you are faced with a penalty fee. Read the terms and conditions carefully before opening an account. After you’ve been in India for more than 182 days, you will be considered a tax resident and may need to pay tax on your income.

A simple way to reduce costs during your move to India is to pack carefully! This means thinking strategically about what items you need to bring with you and what you need to sell, donate, or place in storage. Think about which items can be easily replaced once you’ve arrived in India, and are not worth the expense of being packed and moved.

One good example of packing carefully is considering clothing. While it can depend on where you are living, the majority of India enjoys temperatures averaging between 25℃ to 30℃ throughout the year. Because of this, you likely don’t need to bring all your thick winter coats and jumpers with you. Instead, focus on packing warmer weather clothing.

We highly recommend using a professional packing service for your move to India as experts will carefully pack your furniture and belongings for their international journey, minimising the risk of damage, breakage or loss.

Where you decide to live in India not only impacts your lifestyle, but your career opportunities, accommodation options and overall quality of life. We believe that the best Indian cities for expats are Bengaluru, Pune, and Kolkata. will not only have an impact on your lifestyle, but also your cost of living. These cities provide the best in ease of living, scenery and job opportunities, they also have considerable expat populations which is great for when you first move!

It can be tricky to know what will work in your new home before you have relocated. To prevent you from having to bring every item with you to India, you can instead choose to securely store your belongings and furniture in a storage facility. This will save the cost of initially packing and moving potentially unnecessary items. Allied’s storage service provides both short-term and long-term storage options for maximum flexibility, and is highly secure with 24/7 monitoring and inventory recording so you have complete peace of mind.