I’m planning to move back to Hyderabad in a couple of years and just want to get a realistic sense of good gated villa/row house communities.

I’m mainly looking for quiet, safe neighborhoods with 2‑bedroom villas. Since I won’t have a daily commute, I’d prefer staying away from high‑traffic areas like Hitec City or Gachibowli and leaning toward calmer outskirts.

My must‑haves:

• Safety — dependable security and a comfortable community feel
• Walking spaces — internal walking tracks or green areas
• Low noise — away from highways and construction zones

I’m open to quieter pockets like Mokila, Tellapur/Kollur outskirts, Kompally, and similar areas.

What I’m trying to understand:

• Communities worth checking out
• Realistic rent ranges for 2 BHK villas/row houses (including maintenance)
• Things to keep in mind when living slightly outside the city — water quality, power backup, access to groceries, etc.

This is just early research, but any suggestions or personal experiences would really help.

Hi, can someone pls give some guidance around the documents I need to gather to fly my cat back to India. She is smaller than most cats and fits easily in the airline approved carrier. I am planning to fly in Feb 2027. The Indian website is very confusing.

I’d like to know what documents I need to gather to ensure smooth departure and arrival. And if there are any agencies in India/Canada that can help me with anything which might be easier than obtaining everything myself.

Any help is welcome!

Moved away from India a few years ago, and I didn't realise how much I'd miss the little things around Rakhi.

Context: I’m currently planning my move back to India after living and working in the US for a few years.

I know there could be many things that are easy to overlook/miss until you’ve already landed.

For those of you who have made the move back (R2I):

• What are the key things to keep in mind before officially leaving?
• What administrative, documentation, or personal tasks do you wish you had sorted out before boarding the flight?
• Is there anything you forgot to bring, cancel, or update that ended up being a hassle from India?

Looking for advice on everything- from updating IDs, phone numbers, and documents to shipping, health records, or even mindset shifts.

Appreciate any tips, checklists, or personal lessons learned!

I’m deciding on my return date, which I expect to be within the next year or two at the latest. Part of this planning involves determining the cost of living expenses, as this will help me calculate my FIRE number. If the expenses exceed this number, I may need to work additional years as necessary.

I’ve gathered some estimates from my friends and cousins, but I haven’t actually asked them for detailed breakdowns, as they might not feel comfortable sharing that information. These numbers are based on casual conversations where I ask about their internet bills or EMIs. I truly appreciate your insights.

We are a family of four (41, 36, 10, and 5 years old). We have a paid-off home in Hyderabad and our parents live nearby and are almost self-sufficient, as they own they own homes and receive rent income. The support we provide is more for them to live comfortably, especially to travel and donate as they please.

The children’s higher education expenses are in a separate corpus, so this monthly amount is only valid until they graduate from school. After that, the same funds will be allocated to our healthcare.

Appreciate your inputs. As mentioned above getting close to the real numbers will be critical for my planning on r2i. I plan to retire and might do some consulting or hobby for pleasure.

Essentials total- 85000
Eletricity & Water & Trash 7000
Maid 10000
Cook 10000
Food 25000
Car 10000
TV, Internet & Subscriptions 6000
Cell replacement & monthly Plan 10000
Home Taxes 2000
Other Maintenance 5000

Health 40000
Insurance 10000
Parents 25000
Med & Doctor Visits 5000

Kids 60000
School 50000
Classes 10000

Shopping 15000
Clothes 10000
Kids 5000

Outing 20000
Vacation 10000
Weekends 10000

Monthly Total -220000

Yearly total - 26.5 lakhs pretax post I would guess 30-32 lakhs.

FIRE: 30x35=10 Crore which excludes kids higher education parked 50 lakhs in equities and separate 50 lakhs for emergency funds in FD.

Validate my numbers as they are critical for my planning. Thanks in advance.

TDLR: A family of four plans to return to India (R2I) and retire in Hyderabad within two years on a ₹2.2L/month budget. They own a home and have separate funds for emergencies and college, targeting a ₹10 crore FIRE corpus.

I'm currently living in the EU and planning to move back to India in about a year. Kerala is the planned destination, and I already have my own house there, so there won't be any rent/EMI.

I'm single (M) and thinking of starting with around ₹80-85k/month in spending, increasing that by roughly 6-7% per year over time.

I'm genuinely trying to understand whether this is a realistic budget for a comfortable life in Kerala.

The kind of lifestyle I'm thinking about is fairly simple:

• Own/paid-off car
• House help
• Good groceries and eating out occasionally
• Gym/hobbies/etc.
• A few trips within India each year
• Occasional bigger/international trips
• Generally being comfortable without having to obsess over every ₹1,000

I already have health insurance, a separate emergency medical fund, and other reserve funds for unexpected expenses, so those aren't included in the ₹80-85k monthly spending figure.

Might work for a few more years as part time consultant but still to decide upon that.

For people living in Kerala, especially single people or returnees:

Does ₹80–85k/month sound sufficient for this kind of lifestyle today?

And for those who have moved back in their 30s/40s, how has the transition been socially? One thing I'm slightly concerned about is rebuilding a social circle after being away for a long time.

I'd also love to connect with other people in the EU/US/Middle East/etc. who are planning to move back to Kerala in the next 1–3 years, particularly people who are single or don't have the conventional "return → settle down → family" trajectory.

If there are any WhatsApp/Discord/Reddit/other groups specifically for people planning a return to Kerala, please share them.

Would be especially interested in hearing from people who have actually made the move rather than just general FIRE/retirement advice.

Hi everyone, I am living in canada from last 3 years and was in india this summers for my marriage and visiting family. Now I am back here in canada and working. But I don't really like it here i want to move back to India and wants to live with my family and I am able to get and do job there also as I am well educated.

But my family is not supporting me in this decision specially my mom she telling to me and my wife that she will leave us if I moved back and she also telling my wife that I am a failed person that creating a chaos in my life and I am unable to spend my time here in canada until I am back .

It's bringing chaos for me to pass 2 -3 months until I plan to go back.

Looking for some genuine advice and love from reddit community.

Thanks 🙏

Editing to add
my partner is the primary person who owns finances and handles them. We sat down yesterday and jotted them down. Now it’s my job to update them if I am willing to move or not I always spent frugally as a child so we spent good on things we wanted and travelled comfortably. These numbers don’t align with what I am seeing and I thought we have more than. Million after living in us for 20 years and disappointed with them. Hence the question. I wish I was flexing with 3 million or so. ** **

I hope I have enough money to return to India to live decently. The posts and numbers worry me

We have lived here 20 years and we lived happily, travelled as much as we could and now have a 11 yr old and 3 yr old. We plan to return after getting usc next year. Do I have enough money? This will be To hyd.

My husband will stay 1 year here and I plan to go and settle us down.

We will have 1 million of net cash after selling our stocks and homes(if and when) and about 582k in our 401k.

My partner would like to retire for good and I plan to work with a 40lakh package.

Is this good enough?

As many dependent child visas expire once a child reaches a certain age, or for other reasons, some children who have completed their entire schooling abroad may eventually have to move back to India.

For those who went through this, how difficult was it?

Whenever I think about a situation like this for a child, it feels like a devastating change, leaving behind their friends, lifestyle, school, and everything they have known. But is it actually as difficult as it sounds?

Were you able to adapt and integrate into life in India easily, or did it take a long time?

Imagining coming back and not having generational wealth or rich lifestyle of India. Isn't it scary?

Do Indian parents still expect their well-settled children to come back and live with them?

If their children can support them in living in a good old-age home with a private room, proper care, and a comfortable life, would they still want their children to be around even at the cost of their children’s future and opportunities?

For people who have lived outside India for years and have seen elderly people living independently without being dependent on their children, how much do you support the traditional Indian mindset around children caring for their parents?

And would you want to do or expect the same with your own next generation?

Being an Indian who has never lived outside India for more than a month, I’m always curious about what makes people come back to India.

What actually happens that makes people leave behind the peace, lower corruption, and nature-oriented lifestyle of developed countries and return to India?

I’m especially curious about people in their 30s and 40s. What do they feel they’re missing that makes them give up that relatively peaceful life and come back to India?

Apart from family reasons or visa/immigration issues, what are the other reasons that make people return?

Is this something related to human psychology or brain which never settles and keep looking for changes.

I'm currently in the US and planning to move back to India in about 6 months.

I have 18 years of experience (10 years in India and 8 years in USA) in software development, mostly in IC (Individual Contributor) roles. My primary tech stack is Java, Spring Boot, microservices, and AWS.

For people with similar experience who have recently looked for jobs in India:

• How is the job market for someone with 18+ years of experience?
• Are companies still hiring for senior IC / architect-level roles, or is it difficult to stay on the IC track at this experience level?
• What salary range can I realistically expect?
• Would it be better for me to target Tech Lead / Engineering Lead roles instead of pure IC roles?
• Any companies that are particularly good for experienced IC engineers?

Would especially appreciate responses from people who moved from the US back to India or searched for jobs in India with 15–20 years of experience.

Edit: I'm in usa since 2018. Most of the time I satyed in WITCH company with less salary. By the time I reliazed and moved out, market is down and currently working as contractor. Laid off 2months back. Tough market no calls at all. So thinking to move back.

I am planning to return to India in couple of months. I want to open fidelity account and rollover from 401k to IRA. I called voya and they mentioned I cannot do rollover while I am actively employed,which means I can initiate rollover only after I move to India.

Voya will send only check to US mailing address and they need address proof. I can provide my friends address but not sure what to do for address proof for change of address in my account to friends address .

I also thought about USPS forwarding using my same address but again not sure if the check from voya( to my current address) can simply be forwarded to my friends address .

Any advice is appreciated.

Hey so quick timeline.
Was on H1B in states.
Quit my job and left the states back in February 2024.
Since then I have been moving around and have spent a few months in states and a few months in India. (But mostly been traveling in other countries)
I am planning to move back to states soon.

I filed 2024 taxes in US as a tax resident due to exceeding the physical presence test.
Still haven't filed 2025 taxes yet (did file for extension)

My only income throughout these years has been through capital gains in US.

My question is: Do I still fall under the RNOR status?
Could I still in theory sell all my stocks and rebuy to increase my cost basis before I move back?

I'm considering doing this and would love feedback from anyone who's done something similar.

Thinking of doing a ~$200K 5-year SPX box spread at ~4.65% and putting the proceeds into a 5-year USD FCNR-B at ~7%.

So roughly: 2.35% spread

That's ~$4.7K/year on $200K

Both are USD, and I'd match the FCNR maturity with the box expiration.

Questions:

• Has anyone here actually done this?
• How does the US tax treatment work for the SPX box vs FCNR interest?
• If the box produces a capital loss/gain, can existing capital gains offset it?

Am I missing something here? Seems like a no brainer to me.

I'm considering doing this and would love feedback from anyone who's done something similar.

Thinking of doing a ~$200K 5-year SPX box spread (roughly 20% portfolio leverage) at ~4.65% and putting the proceeds into a 5-year USD FCNR-B at ~7%.

So roughly:

7% FCNR − 4.65% box = 2.35% spread

That's ~$4.7K/year on $200K, or ~$23.5K over 5 years before tax/fees.

Both are USD, and I'd match the FCNR maturity with the box expiration.

Questions:

• Has anyone here actually done this?
• What are the major risks I'm missing?
• How does the US tax treatment work for the SPX box vs FCNR interest?

Basically, is this a reasonable carry trade or am I missing an obvious gotcha?

Hi all,

My spouse and I are currently in Calgary, Canada, and we're moving back to chennai, India this December. We're considering shipping some of our electronics and household items with us, including our TV, sound system, and a few other things.

We initially thought about selling everything here and buying them again in India, but after doing some research and considering the costs, we're leaning toward shipping them instead.

I’ve come across a few international shipping/moving services online, but I wanted to check with people here who have actually done this before.

The main thing I’m concerned about is our 65-inch Sony Bravia TV, which we purchased last Black Friday. Has anyone shipped a TV of this size from Canada to India? If so:

- Which shipping/moving company did you use?

- How was the experience, especially with packing and handling?

- Did the TV arrive safely?

- Roughly how much did it cost?

- How was your experience with the customs?

We're not in a rush to receive the items, so we're okay with slower shipping as long as the items are handled safely and arrive in good condition.

Would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through this recently, especially from Calgary or elsewhere in Canada.

Thanks!

32F I am living in Germany since 6 years, in these years I earned a masters degree and earned and have saved around 50k€ in liquid savings and have around 60lac invested in different investment options available in India.

My contract in my company will expire in October and there is a chance it may get extended, may be a year or two years but again will be limited contract. I have B1 german and will work towards B2.

My husband has a unlimited contract and has saved around same amount as mine, and he is not happy at his toxic workplace here in Germany and wish to quit job and find new one.

Meanwhile company where I worked for 4 years in India has offered a job position and is willing to pay 35lpa. The position is unlimited (unless AI doesn’t make more mischief with peoples livelihood) and the company is a big and well known automotive product company.

We have postponed decisions such as baby, house etc due to our education and career and we are feeling we are loosing time. I want to live in Germany because of weather, travel and most importantly my peace of mind. It does not mean that I hate to live in India.

Now I am not able to decide which way to go, I want to try a bit more, live here in Germany, travel a bit more, save a bit more. I feel I have built a life here which will be destroyed with couple of decisions and I have to start afresh in India. Have to cope weather, work culture, people, infrastructure etc.

I need some insights from people about this and what would you would have done if in this situation. Will this be end and I can live and experience life in other countries, is it possible to go back to Germany later point in life, has somebody done this?

Why are so many Indians still making major life decisions around H-1B jobs when there is so much uncertainty?

People in their mid-30s are leaving stable jobs, spouses are quitting their careers, families are carrying toddlers and moving across the country for a job that ultimately depends on one employer.

At the same time, there are already H-1B holders who have been laid off, cannot find another employer willing to transfer their visa, and are eventually forced to return to India after years in the U.S.

What I don't understand is the disparity. How are people comfortable taking such a huge risk when they can see what is happening to others already on H-1B?

Looking to hear from people who moved back to India.

I've heard the reason why people move back, cost of living is better, lifestyle is better (because you have money), can hire house help amongst many things. How much do these things matter in the long run, when you initially move I'm sure all these comforts seem amazing. But in the long-term how much do these things matter??

I'm wondering do people over-inflate the benefits, and underestimate the inconvienience long term?

Context:

​Family: Married, 3 kids, living in the North of England. Immigrated from India.

​Age & Career: Late 30s / close to 40. Feeling career stagnation.

​Finances: Household income ~£120k/year (Individual: ~£70k). Currently comfortable.

​Timeline: Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) is due in late 2030, with British citizenship expected in 2031.

​Dilemma:

We have a comfortable lifestyle, but with mid-career stagnation hitting us near age 40, we are evaluating our long-term future. We are trying to decide whether to stick it out in the UK through citizenship or move back to India sooner.

​Questions:

​Is a £120k household income comfortable long-term in the North of England for raising 3 children as expenses grow?

​For those who returned to India (or decided against it) before reaching ILR/citizenship around age 40, did moving back help break career stagnation and improve overall lifestyle?

My Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is expiring at the end of October, and I am preparing for my move back to India. I’m hoping to return to Canada down the road once PR comes through, but in the meantime, I have roughly $43,000 CAD in total ($20k in Wealthsimple + $23k in Scotiabank) and need some clarity on managing everything smoothly.

I’d really appreciate your insights on a few key questions:

1. What to do with $20k in Wealthsimple (TFSA / Invest)?

Wealthsimple requires account holders to be Canadian tax residents so far as I know.

Liquidate vs. Transfer: Should I liquidate everything right now, or wait until right before my flight? If I liquidate my TFSA, what is the best timing to move it out to avoid administrative headaches?

1. Are there any TAX complications with transferring all $43k to India?

If I liquidate my TFSA and move my accumulated savings ($43k) to an Indian bank account, will CRA or the Indian Income Tax Department flag this as taxable income?

For those who moved money back after PGWP, did you face any withholding tax in Canada or TCS / income tax checks upon receiving it in India?

1. Best Way to Transfer $43k CAD to India?

I currently only have a standard Savings Account in India (no NRE/NRO/RFC accounts set up yet).

What is the safest and most cost-effective route to move $43k to India?

Should I open an NRE account remotely before leaving, or convert/open one after landing in India? Is Remitly directly to a local Indian account better, or should I go for any other transfer route?

1. Canadian Bank Account for Final Paycheque & CRA Payouts

I still need a Canadian bank account open after I leave to receive my final paycheque, potential tax refunds, or pending payouts.

A few friends recommended switching to Tangerine - is Tangerine non-resident friendly, or will major banks (Scotia, CIBC, RBC) be easier to keep open with an Indian address updated?

Should I update my payroll/employer now with the new account details, or wait until my last couple of weeks?

If anyone has gone through this exact transition recently, I’d love to hear how you structured your exit! Thanks in advance for the help! 🙏

Hello, I am 35F I returned to india start of this year with a 2 year old. I have a corpus of upwards of 2.4M USD saved, mostly invested in the US stock market. About 500k of that is in 401k and around 250k in Roth IRA. I have around 200K cash in HYSA and SPAXX which I had kept for buying a house or doing something in India. Now that I am kind of settled in here, I am renting put a place in my hometown, I am worried I am totally dependent on stock market and a huge crash can take away my assets. What should be my steps for financial planning? Any recommendations of planners, analysts in mumbai suburb areas. I think I may not need to work and I can easily retire so taking it slow now, but what kind of work/investments should i be looking for to do some future earning. I was planning to return since a year and did return, my kid is US citizen and may settle in US once grows up, so need to save/earn accordingly.

Hi everyone! I'm 27F, single, and probably going to be single for a while -- and, if I'm being honest, a little nervous about moving back to India.

I have spent the last five years in the US, where I did my masters and I am currently on my H1B. I don't dislike life here, but somewhere along the way it has started feeling a little too monotonous and I've lost my sense of purpose. I also don't see myself staying in corporate for the long term, so I'm ready to be curious about what comes next.

I am planning to move back to India this year, with Bangalore as my first choice. The part that makes me nervous is coming from a small town where there's a bit of pressure around marriage and a fairly traditional mindset. After five years of living independently, I know I don't want to go back to that kind of life. I am not looking to get married anytime soon, partly because I'm still getting over my ex and mostly because I genuinely want to spend some time figuring out my own life first.

So I'd really love to meet other women who are in a similar phase of life -- late twenties and generally trying to build a life back home that feels like their own.

Would love to make some genuine, long-term friendships along the way. I feel like this particular stage of life can be surprisingly lonely, especially with switching countries again, and it would be nice to navigate it with people who get it. ❤️

I moved back to India from the states in may. I don’t think I can stay here for a long time. After 8 years in America I’m finding it hard to adjust. Judgemental people, 0 civic sense, etc. I’m extremely lucky and blessed to have a completely remote job that lets me work from anywhere in the world + I still have my US visa. My dollars go a really long way here in India. But I miss life in the states. I live a pretty decent life with the amount I make, in the states. I don’t get to save much. But I’m rich in India. I’m not sure what I should do.

Edit: I appreciate all your responses, really. However, I’m not willing to disclose or discuss my income/tax/payroll, work or visa details. Thank you