Moving to India from United States
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United States to India — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United States to India, you would find that India is 84.4% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly ₹1,110,000 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 62°F in New York City, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is India cheaper than United States?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 84.3% less
Groceries
pay 78.4% less
Transportation
pay 62.7% less
Housing
pay 92.3% less
Childcare
pay 95.2% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 72.1% 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.
What salary do you need in India?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → ₹1,110,000
To maintain the same standard of living in India
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
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 80% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to India
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United States to India, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United States to India.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United States generally does better on safety, though India leads in homicide rate.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
India generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
United States generally does better on environment, though India leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
United States performs better than India across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
United States generally does better on employment & economy, though India leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
United States performs better than India across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2010–2011), Internal Revenue Service (2016), Ministry of Finance, Government of India (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in India vs United States
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | New York City | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/30°F (6°/-1°C) | 76°/52°F (25°/11°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 101°/78°F (38°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) | 93°/79°F (34°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/41°F (12°/5°C) | 82°/56°F (28°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | New York City | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°/27°F (3.5°/-2.8°C) | 69°/46°F (20.8°/7.8°C) |
| Feb | 42°/29°F (5.3°/-1.7°C) | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.3°C) |
| Mar | 50°/35°F (9.8°/1.8°C) | 85°/60°F (29.6°/15.4°C) |
| Apr | 61°/45°F (16.2°/7.1°C) | 97°/71°F (36.0°/21.5°C) |
| May | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.2°C) | 104°/79°F (39.8°/26.2°C) |
| Jun | 79°/64°F (26.3°/17.6°C) | 103°/83°F (39.4°/28.3°C) |
| Jul | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.4°C) | 95°/81°F (35.2°/27.0°C) |
| Aug | 83°/68°F (28.1°/19.9°C) | 92°/79°F (33.6°/26.2°C) |
| Sep | 75°/61°F (24.0°/16.0°C) | 93°/76°F (34.0°/24.7°C) |
| Oct | 64°/50°F (17.7°/10.0°C) | 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.4°C) |
| Nov | 54°/42°F (12.1°/5.3°C) | 82°/55°F (28.0°/12.8°C) |
| Dec | 43°/32°F (6.1°/0.0°C) | 73°/47°F (22.7°/8.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
India Meteorological Department
Can you move from United States to India?
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
Visa Online (e-Visa)
India passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in India than United States?
Yes — India is on average about 84% cheaper than United States. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to India?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ₹277,500 in India on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from India?
Internet is rarely the blocker — India has 3.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is India safe for expats?
United States generally does better on safety, though India leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in India is 2.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.8 in United States.
How is healthcare in India compared to United States?
India generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 7.2 doctors per 10,000 people in India, compared to 36.8 in United States. India scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in India compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Delhi is 88°F, compared to 62°F in New York City. Delhi receives around 28.2 in of rainfall per year, while New York City gets 49.9 in.
What language do they speak in India?
The official languages in India are English, Hindi and Tamil. In United States, the official language is English.
