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11. Moving to Bangalore

Bangalore at a Glance

Moving to Bangalore

Moving to Bangalore can be a challenge for many expatriates.

Moving to Bangalore is probably not the easiest step in any career, even for experienced expatriates. The city offers a sharp contrast between high-tech industries and the luxurious lifestyle of a few on one hand, and the poverty and destitution of the larger urban population on the other hand. However, expats moving to Bangalore might be less exposed to visible poverty than in some other Indian metropolises.

Bangalore was once called the “Garden City”, or “a Pensioner’s Paradise” due to its pleasant parks and the less frantic lifestyle compared to other Indian cities. While these days are long gone, most foreigners moving to Bangalore still benefit from relatively high living standards.

Moving to Bangalore: Climate

A tropical wet and dry climate awaits foreign residents moving to Bangalore. Thanks to the city’s elevated position on the Deccan Plateau, expatriates moving to Bangalore from cooler climes enjoy the comparatively moderate weather. With temperatures reaching an average high of 33 °C during the hottest period in April and dropping down to around 15 °C in January, people moving to Bangalore hardly face the same extreme conditions as, for example, in New Delhi.

The monsoons bring a lot of rainfall, though, mainly during the months of August to October. The heat and humidity are nevertheless a problem for many expats moving to Bangalore, and it can take weeks to adjust to the tropical climate, even if you are used to high temperatures. Many people fall ill for a couple of days after first moving to Bangalore.

Moving to Bangalore: Population

The advent of railway and telegraph connections in the second half of the 19^th century caused a lot of rural dwellers to move to Bangalore from other parts of the country. The 1940s and 1970s again saw huge waves of migrants moving to Bangalore.

International employees began moving to Bangalore in growing numbers in the late 1980s, after the first multinational IT corporations had moved to Bangalore. With its rich mix of cultures, religions and languages, the city still testifies to this long history of migrants moving to Bangalore. Expats moving to Bangalore today enjoy the city’s international flair.

Moving to Bangalore: Safety Issues

Despite repeated terror warnings issued by Western governments, Bangalore is generally considered safe. After decades of mostly friendly coexistence, however, religious tensions between Muslims, Hindus and Christians have manifested themselves all across India in recent years. In July 2008, for instance, a series of bombings killed two inhabitants of Bangalore, and the attacks – for which no organization claimed responsibility – were ascribed to various extremist groups.

Expats moving to Bangalore should therefore be aware of the potential threat of terrorist attacks. It is always a good idea to stay alert when visiting public places or events attracting large crowds. Always keep in mind, though, that you are much more likely to get injured in a traffic accident than in a terrorist attack when moving to Bangalore.

Moving to Bangalore: Health Advice

There are other, slightly more tangible threats to your safety and health in Bangalore. These include vector-borne diseases such as malaria, Japanese encephalitis, dengue fever, and chikungunya (another tropical fever) as well as gastrointestinal diseases caused by a lack of proper hygiene. If you take reasonable precautions against mosquito bites and are careful when buying food and drinking water, these risks are avoidable.

If necessary, all standard vaccinations such as tetanus, MMR, polio, pertussis, diphtheria, and influenza should be refreshed before moving to Bangalore. People whose intended period of stay in Bangalore is longer than six months should consider additional vaccinations against hepatitis, typhus, and rabies.

If no health insurance scheme is provided by your employer, make sure to take out comprehensive insurance cover before leaving for Bangalore. Although there are some excellent private hospitals and specialist clinics in Bangalore, the general standard of healthcare and treatment might not conform to what you are used to. Most private clinics offer highly specialized, complicated treatments, but they might not be suitable for emergency treatments or patients with general health concerns.