Moving to India from California
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from California to India — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from California to India, you would find that India is 76.6% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly ₹1,501,370 in India to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Delhi averages 88°F vs 74°F in Sacramento, making it significantly warmer. What to expect for your wallet after moving from California to India. What does your salary buy? $75,000 → ₹1,501,370 To maintain the same standard of living in India Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day Restaurants pay 84.3% less Groceries pay 75.4% less Transportation pay 58.6% less Housing pay 90.9% less Childcare pay 95.7% less Entertainment and Sports pay 74.1% less Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources. Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%). On average, cities in India cost about 78% less than cities in California. Compare cities head-to-head We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes. How many people actually move from California to India, based on official data. Key indicators for anyone considering a move from California to India. share of adults with obesity India performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics. share of households with internet California performs better than India across all infrastructure metrics. percentage of the labour force without work a broad measure of economic output per person share of people below the poverty line California generally does better on employment & economy, though India leads in unemployment rate. average years of life at birth California performs better than India across all family life metrics. Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and India. To live, work, or study long-term in India, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check India's immigration authority. United States passport holder visiting India India passport holder visiting United States Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements. Yes — India is on average about 79% cheaper than California. City-level variation can be significant. Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₹375,342 in India on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees). Usually fine from major cities in India. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries. India performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics. The average high temperature in Delhi is 88°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Delhi receives around 28.2 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in. The official languages in India are English, Hindi and Tamil. In California, the official language is English. How Far Will Your Money Go?
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Key Indicator Comparison
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Sacramento Delhi Jan–Mar 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) 76°/52°F (25°/11°C) Apr–Jun 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) 101°/78°F (38°/25°C) Jul–Sep 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) 93°/79°F (34°/26°C) Oct–Dec 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) 82°/56°F (28°/14°C) View all months
Month Sacramento Delhi Jan 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) 69°/46°F (20.8°/7.8°C) Feb 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.3°C) Mar 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) 85°/60°F (29.6°/15.4°C) Apr 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) 97°/71°F (36.0°/21.5°C) May 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) 104°/79°F (39.8°/26.2°C) Jun 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) 103°/83°F (39.4°/28.3°C) Jul 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) 95°/81°F (35.2°/27.0°C) Aug 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) 92°/79°F (33.6°/26.2°C) Sep 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) 93°/76°F (34.0°/24.7°C) Oct 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.4°C) Nov 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) 82°/55°F (28.0°/12.8°C) Dec 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) 73°/47°F (22.7°/8.4°C) 
National Weather Service, 
India Meteorological Department Visitor Visa Requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in India than California?
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Can I work remotely from India?
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