Ultimate Delhi City Information Guide for Expatriates!!
“I asked my soul what is Delhi? She replied, the world is the body and Delhi its life”.
Nothing can describe Delhi better other than these Mirza Ghalib words. That is what exactly Delhi is and the vibe this Indian capital has. Are you planning to move to Delhi either for schooling, graduation, vacation, or a new life? Well, the first and foremost thing that you should know about Delhi is “Everything About Delhi!” Owing to this, we have this Delhi city guide for you covering everything from cost of living in Delhi, best residential and posh areas, best colleges and universities, best markets and malls, and whatnot.
Get to know them one by one here. Let’s begin the Delhi tour:
Table of Contents
About Delhi
Delhi is one such place that has it all. From being the “Capital City” to offering a tremendous variety of Indian cuisine foods to being the party hub, this Indian city gives people a lot. Move here, and you will get a plethora of top-notch job options, move here, and you can get one of the top universities to study; if you are willing to spend the rest of your life in a good state of mind, you can get here such gem residential areas. What else you want from a city? Well, whatever your demand is, hopefully, Delhi will serve you better and in a pocket-friendly way.
If you are willing to shift to Delhi, then a proper introduction to Delhi is what you need. So, we have listed some important information and highlights of Delhi for you. To know more details, you can check out our Delhi city information guide.
Best Residential Areas in Delhi
Vasant Kunj | Mayur Vihar | Udyog Vihar | Hauz Khas |
Golf Course Road | Karol Bagh | Nehru Place | Saket |
Connaught Place | Dwaraka | Sector 21 | Greater Kailash |
Cyber City | Gandhi Nagar | Dilshad Garden | Sector 62 |
Patel Nagar | Moti Nagar | Pandav Nagar | Sector 45 |
A city becomes perfect when it can have you safely and securely. To make it possible, having safe and secure residential areas is very important, and hence, we have listed the top twenty residential areas in Delhi. All the locations are not only offering homes to you, with homes; they have a lot more to offer, like fabulous malls, markets, affordable rates, and many amenities. So, choose your location wisely and take a step towards a new life.
Best Posh Areas in Delhi
Lutyens Bungalow Zone | Shanti Niketan | Jor Bagh | Model Town |
Sunder Nagar | Golf Links | Mayfair Gardens | Naraina Vihar |
Vasant Vihar | Anand Lok | New Friends Colony | Nizamuddin West |
Greater Kailash II | Golf Course Road, Gurgaon | Saket | Punjabi Bagh |
Hauz Khas Enclave | Panchsheel Marg | Amrita Shergill Marg | Defence Colony |
Like Mumbai, Chennai, Pune, and other metropolitan cities in India, Delhi has exclusive posh localities where living feels like heaven. The table shown above has top posh areas in Delhi where you can rent or buy a home to enjoy all the amenities like a pool, gym, golf course, and many more.
Best Markets in Delhi
Janpath Market | Tibetan Market |
Sarojini Nagar | Chandni Chowk |
Lajpat Nagar | Dastkar Nature Bazaar |
Dilli Haat | Khan Market |
Paharganj | INA |
Delhi is primarily known for the lip-smacking street food it is offering to the residents and tourists. With street food, street shopping is also very famous in Delhi. You can find many markets and designer boutiques offering high-end brand dresses, bags, footwear, and accessories at such an affordable price. You can reach any of these famous markets in Delhi through the metro station and bag bounties of items.
Best Malls in Delhi
Select City Walk Mall | Ambience Mall | DLF Place Mall | Pacific Mall |
DLF Promenade Mall | City Square Mall | V3S Mall | DLF City Center Mall |
Ansal Plaza Mall | Metro Walk Mall | Cross River Mall | TDI Mall |
DLF Avenue | DLF Emporio Mall | DLF Mall Of India | The Chanakya Mall |
The Great India Place | Garden’s Galleria | Ardee Mall | Vegas Mall |
Delhi is known for its vibrant street dolled up with shopping malls, state emporiums, shopping complexes, and high-end boutiques, attracting people from all over the country. Sprawling up in the number of shopping malls in Delhi has shown positive growth during the last few decades.
List of Educational Institutes in Delhi
List of Universities in Delhi
All India Institute of Medical Sciences | Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University | Indian Institute of Foreign Trade | Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences |
Delhi Pharmaceutical Science and Research University | Indian Agricultural Research Institute | Indian Institute of Mass Communication | Jamia Hamdard |
Netaji Subhash University of Technology | Ambedkar University Delhi | Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi | Jawaharlal Nehru University |
Delhi Technological University | Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women | Indian Law Institute | National Institute of Fashion Technology |
Indian Statistical Institute | Indira Gandhi National Open University | Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology | National Law University, Delhi |
If we talk about the top universities in Delhi, then there are five central universities, thirteen deemed universities, and seven state universities in this Indian city. Owing to this, you can see a vast number of students moving here for studies.
List of Colleges in Delhi
Govind Ballabh Pant Engineering College | Vardhman Mahavir Medical College | Acharya Narendra Dev College | Sri Venkateswara College |
Amity Law School | Aryabhatta College | Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences | Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies |
Bhim Rao Ambedkar College | Ch. Brahm Prakash Government Engineering College | Delhi Music Academy | Maulana Azad Medical College |
Gargi College | Kirori Mal College | Ram Lal Anand College | Miranda House |
Government Engineering College | PGDAV College | Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies | Mount Carmel Business School |
Delhi/NCR has impressed us with the expansion in the education system and policies. Not only known for the top-class universities, but you can also find here a plethora of reputed and popular colleges for graduation. Apart from the government-funded colleges, Delhi also has several high-quality private colleges and makes their presence in the list of top colleges in Delhi/NCR and across India.
Top 20 Tourist Places in Delhi
Akshardham Temple | Azad Hind Gram | Lotus Temple | Red Fort |
Birla Mandir | Birla Mandir | Garden of Five Senses | Rashtrapathi Bhavan |
Humayun’s Tomb | India Gate | Iskcon Temple | Gurudawra Bangla Sahib |
Jama Masjid | Jantar Mantar | Kalam memorial | Guru Tegh Bahadur Memorial |
Parliament House | Purana Quila | Qutab Minar | National Police Memorial |
Delhi is indeed having the best features for the finest living standards, making it a modern Indian city. With a metro system, gorgeous markets, extraordinary eating places, and top-class colleges and institutes, Delhi is also widely famous for having centuries-old forts and monuments. These historic golden architects have become a part of the city’s daily life. Here, in the table shown above, we have mentioned the top 20 tourist places in Delhi that must be on your checklist whether you are moving here to start a new life on vacation.
Cost of Living in Delhi
People from all around India consider Delhi the perfect city to start a business in any field. People also prefer to relocate to Delhi to make a living. Delhi welcomes everyone by offering a wide range of facilities to fulfill every basic need of people moving to this Indian city. Loaded with quality medical facilities, standard educational institutions, affordable marketplaces, top-range job opportunities, and of course, extra luxurious living facilities, Delhi is having everything one search for before relocating. Compared with other metropolitan cities in India, Delhi is known to offer a lesser and pocket-friendly cost of living to ex-pats.
Delhi has a lot to offer you if you are planning to move to Delhi either for starting a new business or for studying. Given below is some information about Delhi, life in Delhi, Delhi’s expenses, etc., so that a person can decide whether Delhi is worth moving to .
So, let us get started:
Distribution of Expenses in Delhi
Parameters | Percentage of Expenses |
Markets | 36.2% |
Rent per month | 21.1% |
Restaurants | 14.8% |
Transportation | 12.2% |
Sports | 6.6% |
Utilities | 5.2% |
Clothing | 3.7% |
The table shown above is representing the expenses of a person either yearly on per month. These expenses give us an idea of how expensive or budget-friendly it can be to start your life in Delhi. These percentages are not fixed as several factors like area, market rates, and others affect the rates, and hence, the percentage of expenses also gets affected.
Cost of Living in Delhi for every Expat
Description | Families | Couples | Bachelors |
Accommodation | 10K to 30K | 8K to 20K | 4K to 8K |
Transport | 3K to 8K | 2K to 3.5K | 1K to 2.5K |
Groceries | 5K to 15K | 3K to 4.5K | 1K to 1.5K |
Entertainment | 4K to 8K | 4K to 10K | 4K to 7K |
Utilities | 3K to 7K | 2K to 4K | 500 to 1.5K |
Shopping | 6K to 10K | 4K to 8K | 2K to 5.5K |
Kids Schooling | 3K to 20K | Nil | Nil |
Planning to move to a new city like Delhi is indeed a great decision for everyone: either a bachelor, married or a family man. What makes it the best is to gain all the information needed to make your life sustainable in this Indian city is knowledge of the expenses. This step will help you to make a full-fledged budget. The above table shows how much a person can spend on different fields like food, transportation, shopping, sports, etc. These expenses will also help you to calculate the proper cost of living in Delhi, whether you are single or mingle or a family man.
Now, let us dig a little deeper to see how much it cost in every field, from accommodation to transport and schooling. For this, we have given relevant information so that movers can make the proper decision whether they will have a great and comfortable life in Delhi or not. Let us have a look on them one by one:
Cost of Accommodation in Delhi
Cost of Renting & Owning Property in Delhi
Types of Properties | Cost of Buying Property | Cost of Renting Property | Locations in Delhi |
Affordable Properties | Within 40L | Within 15K for 1BHK and 2BHK | Rohini Dwarka Mor Uttam Nagar Sawda Jangpura Mandi Sultanpur GTB Nagar |
Mid-segment Properties | Rs. 40L to 2Cr | Rohini Uttam Nagar Dwarka GTB Nagar Shalimar Bagh Sunlight Colony Lajpat Nagar Chhattarpur | |
Luxury Homes | More than 3Cr | More than 60K for 3BHK | Ashok Vihar Saket Jangpura Hauz Khas Green Park Jor Bagh Gulmohar Park Greater Kailash |
The following shows the cost of buying properties in Delhi, and with the cost, the major areas are also given where you can find the dedicated type of property. Like if you are looking for affordable and pocket-friendly 1BHKs, 2BHKs, or PGs, then Rohini, Dwarka Mor, Uttam Nagar, and others are the best localities to search in. Similarly, if you are willing to rent or buy luxurious houses, then their dedicated areas are mentioned in the table. So, check the table and make house hunting process easy and fruitful for you.
Cost of Renting Apartments in Delhi
Types of Apartments | Rents in Basic Areas of Delhi | Rents in Posh Areas of Delhi |
1 BHK | 5K to 7K | 20K to 30K |
2 BHK | 8K to 13K | 45K to 75K |
3 BHK | 12K to 18K | 70K to 95K |
Paying Guest (PG) | 3K to 5K | 15K to 40K |
Let’s compare Delhi with other metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Chennai. One positive thing is it becomes a lot easier to find accommodations in Delhi as compared to other cities. If you move to Delhi, you get bounties of budget-friendly and affordable apartments and PGs here for living either single or with family. So, check the cost renting properties in Delhi from the table.
The following points can be concluded from the table given above:
- Students or bachelors having a tight budget can get affordable PGs here with 3,500 to 4,000 INR.
- All those who seek privacy in their apartment can go for 1BHK that will cost them around Rs. 5K to 7K.
- If we talk about 2BHK, then Rohini or Uttam Nagar are offering 2BHKs with 8K to 15K.
- Similarly, 3BHKs in these areas will cost 12K to 18K.
- If you are willing to move to any posh area in Delhi like Greater Kailash or Gulmohar Park, then
- 1BHK will cost you around 20,000 to 30,000, offering a basic lifestyle.
- If you go with 2BHKs or 3BHKs in these areas, then the price can go up to 95K as they offer amenities like a pool, gym, parking, etc.
Cost of Transportation in Delhi
The following points will help you to understand the expenditure on transportation if you are willing to move to Delhi for starting a new life:
- Metro trains, cabs, DTC buses, and Cabs are some of the efficient transportation modes in Delhi.
- DTC is having the largest fleet of CNG buses running around every Delhi’s nook and corner.
- Delhi is also one such metro city experiencing traffic congestion. For this, you can take monthly passes that turn out to be very economical and budget-friendly.
- Talking about metro trains, they are the fastest and most convenient mode of travel in Delhi. The metro routes are now extended to Gurgaon and Greater Noida, making it easy for the people in Delhi/NCR to travel easily and affordably.
- Apart from these transportations, Delhi is having a wide number of autos, rickshaws, and cabs, providing people easy and convenient move from home to office or market.
Cost of Having Meal in Delhi
Delhi and street food comes hand in hand. Whenever it is about having the best street food, Delhi is not only a place but heaven indeed. From lip-smacking food stalls to high-end restaurants as well, you can find here a wide variety of food options and food joints to satisfy yourself with delicious delicacies. Here, we have covered some points related to the cost of food in Delhi, making it easier for the ex-pats to decide the cost of living in Delhi. Let us have a look:
- Hiring a cook for you is the best way to eat healthy and tasty food at the same time. The cook charges around Rs. 700 to 2,000 in Delhi depending upon the family size and the number of meals.
- If you plan to eat outside daily while living in Delhi, it will cost you around 5K to 8K monthly as per the cost of a moderate restaurant.
- If you can control your expenses and the number of meals outside per day, then the cost can be reduced to 3K to 5K per month.
Cost of Shopping and Entertainment in Delhi
Delhi is a hub loaded with a plethora of amazing options where you can spend some quality time with your loved ones after the hectic office or college schedule. From a fantastic selection of walkways, malls, shopping complexes, and historical monuments, Delhi is having a lot more to offer you for an interesting life. The malls here in Delhi are offering your plethora of brands to shop in and several fun sports to enjoy your weekend. Delhi is also having several spots for fun activities like skating, water parks, and others perfect for both children and millennials.
- The cost of entertainment depends on the ticker price that costs around Rs. 1000 to Rs. 1,500.
- Apart from this, the cost of sports and leisure is around Rs. 1,000 to 2,000.
- The cost of enjoying in tennis court is around Rs. 1,000 per month.
- The cost of cinema or theater is around Rs. 500
- The cost of a fitness club is around Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 2,000
Cost of Kids Schooling in Delhi
Kids School | Cost of Kids Schooling |
Kindergarten for 1 Child | 4K to 6K INR |
Primary School | 5K to 10K INR |
International School for 1 Year | 12K to 15K |
Delhi is one such Indian city popularly known as the host of reputed and world-class educational schools and colleges, varying from ICSE to CBSE and many other boards. Many government schools and international schools are also working here to provide students with world-class education.
Buying and Renting Rates in Delhi – Top 10 Popular Delhi Localities
Delhi Localities | Cost of Renting Properties | Cost of Buying Properties |
Saket | 18K to 60K | 85L to 2CR |
Vasant Kunj | 15K to 60K | 80L to 2.2CR |
Greater Kailash | 20 K to 89K | 1CR to 2.9CR |
Vasant Vihar | 30K to 75K | 5CR to 11CR |
Lajpat Nagar | 15K to 60K | 45L to 2.2CR |
Model Town | 15K to 65K | 75L to 3CR |
Rohini | 15K to 60K | 60L to 1.7CR |
Punjabi Bagh | 15K to 50K | 20L to 85L |
Rajouri Garden | 17K to 70K | 50L to 2.5CR |
Uttam Nagar | 10K to 32K | 11L to 35L |
The table shown above is depicting the rates of buying and renting propertiesx in different localities of Delhi. All the Delhi areas mentioned above are popular, reputed, and known residential areas where you can imagine starting a good life.
Distribution of Salary – Delhi
Delhi is widely considered one of the best Indian cities to work in and start a new life. Whether it is medical or engineering or accounts, persons from different backgrounds can get the job very easily if they choose to work in Delhi. The salaries, increment in salaries, and the difference in salaries is calculated based on different factors like experience, education level, job titles, and others. Owing to this, we have created different tables explaining each of the factors affecting salary distribution in Delhi in-depth.
Salary Distribution in Delhi – by Percentage
Percentage of the Average Salaries | Salaries Earned by Employees |
100% | 145,000 INR |
75% | 90,000 INR |
50% | 33,000 INR |
25% | 20,000 INR |
If we talk about the salaries of the persons working in any field in Delhi, they earn around Rs. 33,000 per month. The wages shown in the table given above vary drastically based on different careers. The lowest salary one can get per month is 8,000 INR, and the highest salary one can get per month is around 145,000 INR.
Salary Range in Delhi – Maximum to Minimum
The table shown above is representing the range of salary in Delhi. As per the table, the maximum salary a person can earn by working in any field in Delhi is around 145,000 INR per month, and the minimum salary one can get per month is 8,000 INR by working in any field.
Median Salary
If you have gone through the salary distribution in the Delhi table shown above, you must have observed that the median is 33,000 INR per month. This means that half of the employee population earns less than Rs. 33,000 per month, and the other half of the working population make more than this amount per month. This implies that the median salary is basically the middle salary earned by an employee.
Salary Distribution in Delhi – by Years of Experience
Years of Experience | Progress in Salary |
More than 2 years | +30% growth in salary |
2 to 5 years of experience | +32% growth in salary |
5 to 10 years of experience | +36% growth in salary |
10 to 15 years of experience | +21% growth in salary |
15 to 20 years of experience | +14% growth in salary |
More than 20 years of experience | +9% growth in salary |
The table shown above represents the progress in a person’s salary over time. Here, the table’s data represents how having many years of experience can help you gain a good salary. But, the salary progress represented here varies from one location to another, and also, based on the field, and career one can be chosen for the job.
It is clear that the person having more years of working experience earns more. The conclusions drawn from the above-shown table are:
- Employees who have more than two years of experience or two to five years of working experience in any particular field can earn 32% more than freshers or juniors.
- The professionals having more than five years of working experience can earn 36% more than the employees having five years or less than five years of experience.
- When the person gains ten years or more working experience in any field, the salary gains an increment of 21%.
- The employees with more than fifteen years of working experience can gain 14% in their salaries.
- If you are an employee who has worked successfully for twenty years or more, then a 9% increment is what you get.
Salary Distribution in Delhi – by Education Levels
Education Level | Difference in salaries |
High School | Gets salary based on the field and post |
Diploma or Certificate Holder | +17% growth in salary than above |
Bachelor’s Degree | +25% growth in salary than above |
Master’s Degree | +30% growth in salary than above |
PhD | +25% growth in salary than above |
Again, the salary increments and differences are shown in the table given above vary based on the career field and the location in which the employee is working. Some points that can be concluded from the above-shown table are:
- The diploma holders or certificate holders earn 17% more than those who only passed their high school.
- The employees having Bachelor’s degree can earn 25% more than the diploma or certificate holders.
- The persons having Master’s degree earn 30% more than those having an only postgraduate degree.
- Similarly, the one having a Ph.D. degree earns 25% more than the one having a Master’s degree in the same field.
Salary Distribution in Delhi – by Job Titles
Job Titles | Average Salary per Month |
Accountant | 22,000 INR |
Accounting Assistant | 18,000 INR |
Charted Accountant | 30,000 INR |
Administrative Assistant | 16,000 INR |
Accounting Manager | 50,000 INR |
Office Manager | 28,000 INR |
Secretary | 15,000 INR |
Bookkeeper | 15,000 INR |
Receptionist | 13,000 INR |
Art Director | 30,000 INR |
Graphic Designer | 20,000 INR |
Internal Auditor | 30,000 INR |
Photographer | 20,000 INR |
Financial Manager | 67,000 INR |
Aerospace Engineer | 40,000 INR |
Corporate Treasure | 45,000 INR |
Air Traffic Controller | 37,000 INR |
Architect | 38,000 INR |
Mechanic | 13,000 INR |
Bank Branch Manger | 60,000 INR |
Flight Attendant | 23,000 INR |
Service Advisor | 22,000 INR |
Teacher | 25,000 INR |
Business Analyst | 40,000 INR |
Civil Engineer | 30,000 INR |
Pilot | 58,000 INR |
Translator | 30,000 INR |
Project Manager | 37,000 INR |
Call Center Manager | 44,000 INR |
Call Center Representative | 12,000 INR |
Electrical Engineer | 30,000 INR |
Mechanical Engineer | 29,000 INR |
Chief Executive Officer | 75,000 INR |
Chef | 21,000 INR |
Waiter | 10,000 INR |
Travel Agent | 20,000 INR |
Dentist | 80,000 INR |
Hotel Manager | 55,000 INR |
Nurse | 25,000 INR |
Laboratory Technician | 23,000 INR |
Dietitian | 62,000 INR |
Human resource Manager | 50,000 INR |
Database Administrator | 30,000 INR |
Computer Technician | 23,000 INR |
Developer | 30,000 INR |
Network Engineer | 30,000 INR |
Police Officer | 19,000 INR |
Journalist | 37,000 INR |
Pharmacist | 40,000 INR |
Cashier | 12,000 INR |
Sales Representative | 55,000 INR |
The table given above represents the average salary of an employee working in a particular firm for a designated post. The salaries shown above are not fixed; they can vary based on the location, education level, and gender as well. Yes, you heard it right. The salary distributions should not be based on gender, but several firms, fields, and posts entertain this factor in reality. And, based on this, males earn 9% more than females in some fields.
Closing Thoughts
This Delhi city guide must have cleared many of your doubts and queries related to Delhi’s lifestyle. Move to this gorgeous Indian city with Delhi packers and movers help and take the initiative to start a new life with a new business, new college, new office, and a new mindset.