How people live in India. How do they live in India How do ordinary Indians live in India

We are used to seeing India from fantastic Bollywood films and beautiful nature photographs, but few people remember that India is a third world country. People in Indian slums live in horrible conditions, but they are so used to it and they seem to be happy with everything, or maybe they just have never seen a better life. We invite you to stroll through the streets of Indian slums, away from the tourist routes and see the real, harsh reverse side of India.

Slums of Delhi:

The most popular trash can in Delhi is the river

For obvious reasons, the river smells very bad, even at a decent distance from it.

The life of many ordinary Indians is the same as it was a hundred years ago. Cordless charcoal iron

Indian school "bus"

Street toilet. The Indians are not burdened with complexes. Many generally go to the toilet wherever they have to, without embarrassment of passers-by

Some men squat down, according to some custom

"Internet cafe" and computer club in Delhi

Typical slums in Delhi. The population of India is 1.22 billion people. Not everyone has enough decent housing

Some drive cars from the British colonial era

"Cozy" taxi stop

Street barbershop

In addition to the disabled, such firecrackers are begging on the roads. Seeing tourists, they quickly approach and begin to pat you on various parts of the body, probably figuring out the presence of coins.

The man who died on the street was immediately cleaned up in front of everyone's eyes. They took out their pocket money and took off their shoes

A stone was thrown at the photographer and he had to hastily retreat. Maybe this person didn’t even die, but simply passed out.

Fresh chicken

Cartage, 1 bull strength

Harsh Indian childhood

On the street you can eat tasty and not expensive, but there is a problem with hygiene and sanitation

Motor traffic jam in Delhi. A great opportunity to find out the latest news and meet

Delhi jungle with wires hanging anywhere

Dwelling in the city center

As you know, the cow is a sacred animal in Hinduism. Eating beef is taboo. Cow's milk and dairy products play a key role in the rituals of Hinduism. Everywhere cows are respected - they are allowed to roam the streets of cities freely. Everywhere in India it is considered a very auspicious omen to give a cow something to eat before breakfast. Many states in India prohibit the killing of cows, killing or wounding a cow can go to jail. Historically, due to the ban on eating cows, a system arose in Indian society in which only pariahs (one of the lower castes) ate the meat of slaughtered cows and used their skins in leather production.

Killing cows is restricted in all states of India except West Bengal and Kerala, where there are no restrictions. Cows are methodically transported for slaughter to these regions, despite the fact that transporting cows across state lines is prohibited by Indian law. In large cities, however, there are many private slaughterhouses. As of 2004, there were approximately 3,600 legal slaughterhouses in India, while the number of illegal slaughterhouses was estimated at 30,000. All attempts to close illegal slaughterhouses were unsuccessful.

Let's go to another Indian metropolis - Bangalore

On the Delhi-Bangalore train. Indian conductors do not have a separate compartment, they sleep on the floor next to the toilet

Bangalore:

Mumbai:

Mumbai (Mumbai, until 1995 - Bombay) is the most populous city in India (15 million people). Center for the entertainment industry. Bollywood film studios are located here, as well as the offices of most of India's television and satellite networks.

Childhood of children in Mumbai

Wash on the banks of the river

Another million-plus city in northeastern India is Allahabad:

After seven years of work in the Russian office of Home Credit Bank, I was invited to the Philippines for two years, and from there I moved to the Indian branch - and stayed there for almost a year and a half. I chose India as a professional challenge: the opportunity to take part in the development of a bank in a country where about 1.3 billion people live is not given every day.

When I first came to India "for exploration", it seemed to me that she had a lot in common with the Philippines. In fact, they are united only by the fact that they are in one part of the world. The rest is not very similar. People, culture, market, business practices - everything had to be studied anew.

India is so interesting and strange that it seems as if you are in several eras at the same time. Here wild tribes that kill foreigners who come to them. And there are cities with metro, modern shopping centers and the City. There are people who are far below the poverty line and live on the street. At the same time, there are super rich people. According to a study by Wealth X in 2017, India fourth place in the world in terms of the number of dollar billionaires - after the United States, China and Germany. According to this indicator, it has overtaken, for example, Switzerland, Russia and Great Britain.

View from the balcony in the guest house in Udaipur

The ancient city of Varanasi. India is an amazing country to travel

Varanasi residents

In the center of Old Delhi

Locals in the center of Old Delhi

Such a gigantic stratification between the rich and the poor is reflected, among other things, in Indian life. We can say that, in general, the quality of things that are produced for the mass consumer is lower in India than in Russia. But at the same time, you can buy goods of higher quality if you agree to pay more.

Accommodation

I live and work in Gurgaon, this is a satellite city near the capital of India, New Delhi - almost like Balashikha or Korolev for Moscow, only more (about 800,000 people live there). Gurgaon is considered a major industrial and financial center. Here are the head offices of many international companies, for example, in the field of consulting or IT. Therefore, the quality of life in Gurgaon - not only among expats, but also among local residents - is noticeably different for the better from life somewhere in Coimbatore or Allahabad.

Flat rent

Many Indians live for several generations at once under one roof: grandmother, parents, son - possibly with his wife. For this reason, they often own or rent large multi-bedroom apartments. The rental price can vary tenfold depending on the prestige of the house and the area.

So, an apartment (or townhouse) with an area of ​​about 120 sq. m unfurnished and in the usual area of ​​Gurgaon can be rented for 30 thousand rupees (27 600 rubles) per month. But in a guarded residential complex with a park on the territory, the rent of a four-room apartment (living room and three bedrooms) will start from 120 thousand rupees (110 400 rubles). To this amount, you will need to add the cost of maintenance of the territory, including renovation of the house - about 30 thousand rupees (27 600 rubles) per quarter. You also have to pay 20– 30 thousand rupees (18,400– 27 600 rubles) per year for access to services on the territory of the complex: swimming pool, gym, cafe, parking. If the apartment is rented without furniture and appliances, all this can be rented (approximately 30 thousand rupees per month, or 27 600 rubles).

Utilities

The weather in Delhi changes from season to season quite dramatically: in the middle of winter at night the temperature can drop to 6– 8 degrees Celsius, and in the summertime during the day - to reach 48 degrees. In the summer, everyone uses air conditioners and pays a lot for electricity: up to 10 thousand rupees (9,200 rubles) per month. There is no central heating in India, so in winter some people turn on radiators - with them, you have to pay about 5 thousand rupees (4,600 rubles) per month for electricity. The rest of the year, the bills are approximately 3 thousand rupees (2,760 rubles) per month.

Gurgaon, golf course and high-rise residential view for wealthy Indians and expats. Smog

Golf course in a haze of smog

In Moscow

My rented apartment in Gurgaon is 15– A 20-minute drive from Cyber ​​City is a corporate business park, something like Moscow City. This roughly corresponds to the Dorogomilovsky district of Moscow (next to the Park Pobedy metro station).

Rent a three-room apartment in this area, according to Domofond.ru costs on average 105 thousand rubles per month. A four-room apartment in an elite residential complex"Sparrow Hills" you can , for example, for 175 thousand rubles. The average cost of utilities for a similar apartment, according to Numbeo, is 8300 ₽.

Travel

Public transport

Gurgaon has a fairly comfortable metro. It takes 40 minutes to get to the center of Delhi.– 45 minutes. One metro ride costs 65 rupees (60 ₽), but if you buy a pass, you can save 10%. It turns out that 60 trips per month will cost 3240 rupees (2981 ₽).

Also in Delhi and in the cities in the neighborhood, you can get around by shuttle - a bus that travels non-stop to the terminal station. A package of 30 bus rides costs Rs 2,370 (RUR 2,180). You can pay for travel and top up your account through the mobile application.

Taxi

There are two main taxi providers in India - Uber and Ola. They are cheaper than in Moscow, but also of lower quality in terms of cars, cleanliness, driver skills and knowledge. Traffic in India is chaotic, with drivers constantly changing trajectory, driving in the middle of the road and honking each other. It will be extremely difficult to communicate with a taxi driver if you do not know Hindi. Although, in fairness, in Russia taxi drivers hardly speak English better.

A taxi ride from Gurgaon to Delhi city center will cost 400- 500 rupees (368 - 460 ₽), depending on traffic. At rush hour, a 30 km journey takes 1.5– 2 hours. For those who often travel by taxi, Uber offers a profitable service: you can buy a package for a month for 250 rupees (230 rubles), and then any trip will cost 39 rupees (35 rubles).

Taxi in Kolkata

In the center of Old Delhi

Five traffic controllers at one traffic light teach motorists to stop at red, Cyber ​​City, Gurgaon

In the center of Old Delhi

Also popular in India are tuk-tuk, or three-wheeled rickshaws. It is curious that tuk-tuk drivers accept payments not only in cash, but also by transfer to a mobile wallet. Imagine: an Indian landscape, a cow is walking along the road and chewing plastic, a tuk-tuk is driving nearby - and then the driver pulls out his smartphone, opens the application (called Paytm), scans the QR code and accepts payment for the trip. Awesome!

In Moscow

A card for one trip in the Moscow metro and ground transport costs 55 rubles. It is more profitable to pay for travel with a Troika card, each trip with it will cost 38 ₽. For those who often travel by metro or buses, the most profitable option is to "sign up" a package for 60 trips for RUR 1900 on the Troika.

Among the popular taxis in Moscow are the aggregator apps Uber, Gett and Yandex.Taxi. A trip, for example, from Tsaritsyno Park to VDNKh (about 30 km away) will cost 700 rubles. A taxi from the center of Balashikha near Moscow to the Moscow Kremlin will cost about the same. Average-distance taxi rides within Moscow cost an average of 300- 500 ₽.

Food

Products

Most Indians are vegetarians and do not eat meat or eggs (although the trend has been changing lately). In the state of Haryana, where Gurgaon is located, eating beef is generally prohibited by law. Instead, it is suggested to eat buffalo meat, which can be bought for 400 rupees (368 ₽) per kg.

The main emphasis on store shelves is on vegetables and all kinds of spices. Fruits are sold all year round - bananas, watermelons, pineapples. January is strawberry season, summer is mango and lychee season.

My girlfriend and I usually buy food in supermarkets. There are both local (Le Marche) and international brands like Spar. You can order food online at Amazon.in, they deliver not only packaged groceries, but also fresh vegetables and fruits. You can create a basket that will regularly "come" to you.

In total, it takes us about 15 to buy products.– 20 thousand rupees (13 800– 18 400 ₽) per person per month. To compare food prices in Gurgaon and Moscow, I made a table. For Gurgaon, these are average prices, but for a newcomer they can be higher than for a local. It is a matter of choosing the quality of products, knowing places and bargaining.

Product	Gurgaon	Moscow
Milk, 1 l	47 rupees (43 ₽)	67 ₽
White bread, 500 g	30 rupees (28 ₽)	40 ₽
White rice, 1 kg	71 rupee (65 ₽)	70 ₽
Eggs, 12 pcs.	77 rupees (71 ₽)	82 ₽
Local cheese, 1 kg	307 rupees (282 ₽)	553 ₽
Chicken breast, 1 kg	287 rupees (264 ₽)	275 ₽
Apples, 1 kg	154 rupees (142 ₽)	91 ₽
Bananas, 1 kg	57 rupees (52 ₽)	61 ₽
Potatoes, 1 kg	23 rupees (21 ₽)	37 ₽
Tomatoes, 1 kg	38 rupees (35 ₽)	139 ₽
Water, 1.5 l	28 rupees (26 ₽)	45 ₽
TOTAL:	1119 rupees (1030 ₽)	1460 ₽

Source: Numbeo.com. Prices are rounded to the nearest RUB.

Cafes and restaurants

There are many expats in Gurgaon, so there is a large selection of not only local but also European cuisine. Besides Indian, Italian and Asian restaurants are especially common. True, they also have a local flavor: for example, Italian pizza resembles Indian naan wheat cakes, and pasta or noodles are most often drowned in sauce- similar to curry.

The Indians themselves adore the national cuisine with tandoori, curry, and rice. And bread cakes - they are made from different flours, on water, with or without yeast. At the same time, products cooked in a closed oven, tandoori, are always considered a snack. And curry (pieces of meat, vegetables or cheese in a lot of sauce) is the main course. One of the most popular Indian dishes among expats is Butter Chicken, chicken in a creamy tomato sauce. I also love palak paneer, which is unleavened cheese in a thick green spinach leaf sauce. In the south of India, the cuisine is slightly different, there is more seafood, and coconut milk is often added to curries.

Flower market in Varanasi

Pan merchant (pan - tobacco with spices that is put under the lip)

Vegetable market in Old Delhi

Food prices can vary greatly. You can buy lunch on the street - eat dosu (this is a flour pancake from South India) and drink lassi (a spicy drink made from yogurt) - for 50 rupees (46 ₽). And you can dine in a good restaurant with wine for 5 thousand rupees (4600 rubles), and the bulk of the cost will be alcohol, which is very taxed in the state of Haryana (15%).

In the business centers of Gurgaon, the average cost of lunches is 500- 700 rupees (460 - 644 ₽) per serving. This is quite expensive by local standards. But the total cost of lunch will be even higher: you need to take into account the amount of taxes of 5%, which is not indicated in the price list, and about 10% of the service charge - it is included in the bill automatically, but you can bargain.

There is a stereotype that in India you need to be very careful when trying food from public catering, otherwise there is a risk of poisoning. My family and I have never encountered such a thing - probably because we avoid "suspicious" places and choose only proven street food. It is also possible that some tourists confuse poisoning with the adaptation of the body to an unfamiliar climate, water and food.

In Moscow

You can taste Indian dishes in several establishments in the Russian capital. For example, in the Jagannat vegetarian cafe you can eat palak paneer for 120 ₽, in the Indian restaurant Khajurao - butter chicken for 790 ₽, and in Darbas you can drink lassi for 300 ₽.

Business lunches in Moscow City cost an average of 300- 450 ₽.

Internet and mobile communications

Until recently, India had three main mobile operators - Vodafone, Airtel and Idea. 2016 richest Indian billionaire another network is Jio. And this served as a tangible impetus for the development of the mobile communications market in India. Jio came with very low rates and the fastest mobile internet in the country and allowed many users to go online for the first time. So, they launched a tariff plan with a smartphone in the kit, which can be rented for a small fee.

This forced the rest of the operators to significantly reduce tariffs. So now mobile communication in India is very cheap. For example, a tariff plan for 28 days with unlimited calls and 1 GB of internet per day will cost 169 rupees (156 ₽). A package for 82 days with 2 GB of Internet per day will cost 499 rupees (459 ₽).

Home internet in Gurgaon is also cheap and relatively stable. My tariff includes about 50 GB of Internet per month, and the leftovers are carried over to the next period - and in 1 year and 2 months I have accumulated a whole terabyte of unused Internet, although I often watch online TV in HD format. This internet costs me 1,300 rupees (1196 ₽) per month.

In Moscow

A similar story happened with mobile communications in Moscow - when the operator Tele-2 entered the market. The cheapest package with conditions similar to Indian (30 GB of Internet, unlimited calls within the network and 800 minutes outside the network) costs 700 rubles per month. Home Internet for most providers is completely unlimited, and its price is on average 500 ₽ per month.

Entertainment

Gurgaon is located near Delhi, where there are many famous attractions - the 12th century brick minaret Qutub Minar, the tomb of the Mongol padishah Humayun, the historical citadel of Red Fort. For foreign tourists, a visit to each of them will cost about 500 rupees (460 rubles), but for locals it will cost only 20 rupees (18 rubles). The discount is also valid for those who work in India and pay taxes here.

Jaipur Monkey Temple

Evening performance in Udaipur. This woman is dancing on broken glass

Taj Mahal and surrounding area

Indian cinema is known far beyond the borders of the country, and it is easy to guess that the locals love to go to the cinema. In Gurgaon, there is an IMAX cinema that shows Hollywood blockbusters in English with subtitles - a ticket for such a session will cost about 500 rupees (460 ₽). But in general, Indians are hardly interested in American films. In cinemas in small towns or villages, only local films are shown, and you can buy a ticket there for 30 rupees (28 ₽).

In Moscow

Visiting popular metropolitan attractions is not a cheap pleasure. A ticket to the architectural ensemble of the Cathedral Square of the Moscow Kremlin costs 500 rubles, for the entrance to the Armory you will have to pay another 700 rubles. The entrance ticket to St. Basil's Cathedral on Red Square will cost 500 rubles. There are no discounts for local residents, but there are benefits for schoolchildren, students and retirees. Movie tickets on IMAX will cost 400– 600 ₽, depending on the location of the cinema and the session time.

Money

Indians are born negotiators, they love to bargain. They are very reluctant to make concessions if they see the needs of another, and vice versa, they are ready to offer favorable conditions, if the need is on their side.

I recently sold my stuff online. And absolutely all potential buyers demanded huge discounts for the fact that things were already in use - despite the fact that they were all almost new! For example, on my announcement of a price of 17 thousand rupees (15,640 rubles), I received bids of 3 thousand rupees (2,760 rubles). Of course, there were also more adequate proposals. But all the discussions had to be conducted for a very long time, without haste.

Payments and banks

November 2016 in India monetary reform: the authorities withdrew from circulation old-style banknotes of 500 and 1000 rupees (460 and 920 rubles) in order to bring the country's economy out of the shadows and force businessmen to pay taxes. These bills accounted for about 90% of all cash in the country. The first few weeks it was possible to exchange small amounts for new banknotes, but then the government stopped the exchange and left the only option - to put money on deposit. Huge queues lined up at the banks, and there were even riots in some cities of India. However, the reform has given a big boost to cashless payments and the use of mobile wallets. Partly for this reason, every tuk-tuk driver accepts payment via a smartphone.

India has a very complex banking system and is heavily regulated by the state. There are universal banks licensed for all products. There are depository financial companies - those who can only accept deposits from the population, but have no right to lend them. Credit companies, in turn, are prohibited from accepting deposits. There is a narrow financial company for literally every field of activity: someone finances construction, someone - cars or household appliances.

The salary

Let me remind you once again about the gap between rich and poor and about the rather high standard of living in Gurgaon compared to the rest of India. The average salary of yesterday's graduate in an initial mass position, say, a call center employee, is 10– 15 thousand rupees (9,200– 13 800 ₽) per month. Specialists from 6– With 8 years of experience, they earn around 100 thousand rupees (92 thousand rubles) per month. At the same time, graduates from good universities that are in the top 10– 20 on academic performance in their course, can count on employment in some large corporation and on a monthly salary of about 150 thousand rupees (138 thousand rubles) immediately after graduation.

In Moscow in 2018, by Mosgorstat, the average salary was 78,946 rubles - this is also a pre-tax figure.

Average expenses per month:

Expenses	Gurgaon	Moscow
Rent ½ apartment	65,000 rupees (59 800 ₽) (1/2 three bedroom apartment in a gated community)	87 500 ₽ (1/2 of a four-room apartment in an elite residential complex)
Payment of ½ utilities	2500 rupees (2300 ₽)	4150 ₽
Metro, 60 trips	3240 rupees (2 981 ₽)	1900 ₽
Taxi, 2 times a week	1362 rupees (1253 ₽) (Uber package)	3200 ₽ (in Moscow for medium distances)
Buying products from the list, 2 times a week	8952 rupees (8 236 ₽)	11 680 ₽
Business lunch, 5 times a week	13 200 rupees (12 144 ₽)	7500 ₽
mobile connection	169 rupees (156 ₽) (28 days)	700 ₽ (month)
Home Internet	1300 rupees (1196 ₽)	500 ₽
Entertainment (2 cinema tickets, 1 museum ticket)	1020 rupees (938 ₽) (museum ticket for residents)	1500 ₽
TOTAL:	96 743 rupees (89 004 ₽)	118 630 ₽

Prices are translated into rubles at the rate of 1 rupee = 0.92 rubles.

Total:

India: 96 743 rupees (89 004 ₽)

Moscow: 118 630 ₽

When calculating the final spending, we used the prices indicated in the text. If a price range was indicated, the arithmetic mean was calculated. When writing the text, Sravn.ru did not cooperate with any company or brand.

India attracts with non-standard beauty, openness, friendliness of its inhabitants. Whichever side of life you take, everywhere modernity coexists with traditionalism, which is often surprising. Maybe that's why people evaluate life in India differently.

India is a land of contrasts

The multinationality of the country, the abundance of languages ​​and religions are striking. The "diversity" of the population is explained by the centuries-old mixing of nationalities due to migration processes.

Those who have lived in India for a long time are not surprised by the local flavor, slums next to palaces. For beginners, it is difficult at first to take for granted a lot of cows and dogs on city streets, chaos on the roads, dirt, a variety of smells, constant hum. And the fact that the standard of living of Indians is very different. There are a lot of millionaires here, but a lot more beggars.

It is not easy to answer the question: "Is India a poor country or a rich country?" Some sources write that a third of all poor people live in this particular state. Moreover, poverty is not considered a vice here. "It is written in the family" - the main law of karma. Social inequality is sky-high: there is an insurmountable chasm between the richest and the poorest.

Ecology

Serious environmental problems harm the country and threaten the state of the world as a whole. Among the main ones are deforestation, soil depletion, air and water pollution. There is a lot of precipitation, but the water evaporates quickly, and the remaining pollution makes it inaccessible to a large number of the population. Smog in cities is a consequence of oversaturation with transport, the operation of old cars, and the use of low-quality gasoline.

The ecological disadvantage is also influenced by the fact that India is a country where residents do not care about the cleanliness of the environment, even at the household level: garbage is thrown right outside the doorstep of homes, even in prosperous neighborhoods.

But man does not harm the flora and fauna - the mentality and beliefs are not the same. There are many reserves, numerous projects are being implemented to protect forests, coral reefs, etc.

It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question of how people live in India. Life depends on wealth. Wealthy city dwellers have apartments or houses, cars and even servants. But many more families are barely making ends meet.

Life in India is absolutely unsettled. People are indifferent to comfort and convenience. Most apartments lack not only hot water supply, but also toilets.

clothing

The most popular women's outfit is a sari - a piece of fabric that envelops a woman from head to toe. Shalwar-kameez is no less fond of - tight ankle trousers and a tunic. Shiny numerous decorations are at a premium.

Men (especially in rural areas) also wear cotton linen with a shirt on top. But there are also button-down jackets - shervanis, sometimes in length reminiscent of coats. The traditional headdress is a turban, the shape of which depends on the locality, faith, interest.

Considering that India is a conservative country, travelers should dress modestly. Best of all in loose, hiding clothes made of light natural fabrics.

Food prices

Cheapness somewhat brightens up the life of ordinary people in India. 100 rupees at the beginning of April 2020 corresponded to 88 rubles. Compare. The cost in the markets of vegetables - up to 20 rupees, fruits - from 25 to 100 (mangosteen), fish - 200-250, lobsters - 1200. In stores, chicken can be bought for 100, beef - for 220, a dozen eggs - for 50, milk - for 40 rupees. Food prices in India in 2020 are surprising.

Features of Indian cuisine

For Hindus, food and everything related to its preparation has a sacred meaning associated with the life of the family.

There are many national features. For example, an excessive love of spicy and spicy dishes. Europeans are not ready for this. Unexpected product combinations are also honored. Fried bananas paired with cucumbers and chili are not the most amazing neighborhood on a plate.

The predominant food is rice, peas, vegetables, cheese, flat cakes. From meat they prefer lamb, goat meat, poultry. Because of beliefs, beef and pork are generally not consumed. Desserts are varied and tasty using milk, nuts, rice, honey, fruits, spices.

It is important for travelers to remember simple rules:

• wash your hands more often;
• drink only bottled water;
• taste national dishes with care, order them without local spices;
• do not neglect fennel, which can be found in any catering establishment and will help to avoid stomach problems.

Families are large, several generations live in the same house. It is allowed to marry only a representative of one's own caste and religion, by agreement of the parents of the young man and the girl. There are usually many children. There are practically no divorces. The head of the family is an older man, he solves all the problems of the household, he is given the earned money.

Many are interested in how women live in India? Also in different ways. For the poor, already in the womb, the girl becomes unwanted, and they try to get rid of her. If born, they can unobtrusively contribute to leaving for another world. All because the girl will have to be married off. And for this to pay a kind of kalym. This means that you have to strain your whole life to save up the required amount. She will not have the right to vote even when she becomes a wife. You have to work a lot, unless, of course, she is married to a very wealthy person. This one does not work anywhere, she has a lot of beautiful clothes and jewelry, she is not offended, especially if she gives birth to sons. But she is not reckoned with in the same way as the poor man.

Violence and discrimination affect women of Indian origin to a greater extent, foreign women feel more free. Russian wives speak of the country and their life in it good or bad, depending on whether they got married successfully. If a man is independent and decides to live outside the clan, or if the parents' family is educated and not poor and approved of the son's choice, then life, one might say, is a success. There will be inconveniences associated with the climate, food, utilities, but in general, everything is not very different from the existence of the average Russian family.

Housing cost

Real estate in India attracts investors with its affordability. Housing is purchased mainly in big cities and resort areas, where it can be profitably rented. Non-residential premises are also bought - for trade or production.

The cost of a small apartment in Goa is about 10 thousand dollars. Far from the coastal zone, you can buy a spacious apartment with a good repair for 60 thousand dollars. In the largest cities, the price of 1 sq. m of housing - at least $ 950, and often reaches 20 thousand.

You can buy a hut in the countryside. Only the quality of housing is not high and there are no amenities. In addition, you will have to be all the time where the Indians live around. Not everyone likes it.

The purchased property must be declared and tax paid on it in a timely manner, the amount of which is approved by each state independently.

Where do they work

The national unemployment rate is off scale. In this situation, finding a job for an immigrant from Russia, even a good specialist, is problematic. You can evaluate the possibilities in the article "".

The authorities identify illegal labor force and expel from the country.

Salaries

The average Indian salary is significantly lower than in other countries. Based on per capita income, the average worker should be earning approximately $ 2,700 per year. But a third of the total cash flow goes to highly paid workers, of whom no more than 10%.

The minimum wage for a village is 4,000 rupees ($ 60); more than half of all workers receive it. This is practically a living wage. The average hourly can be as little as 30-60 cents. Employees of private companies receive more ($ 120), less - state employees ($ 75). The level of wages differs by industry.

In order for an immigrant to obtain a work visa, one must find a job for which they will pay over $ 2,000 a month. This is possible if you manage to get a job in a foreign company, for example, in the IT field. They pay based on European values.

Education system in India

The level of general education in the country is low, and there are many illiterate people. But the education system in 2020 includes all the traditional stages: preschool, school, professional, higher and postgraduate.

State and non-state education. The second is intended for both children and adolescents and adults. A 40-year-old schoolboy is not uncommon.

Kindergartens are preparatory groups for schools, already here begins acquaintance with English, which is compulsory for studying at school, where children come from 4 years old. The first 10 years study for free and according to a single program, then students are divided into those who will master the profession, and those who will continue their studies.

The secondary private school is paid, but available to the average family.

Higher education is represented by more than two hundred universities, mainly focused on European standards. Depending on the period of study and the future profession, students receive bachelor's, master's, doctor's degrees.

For foreigners, admission to local universities gives the right to obtain a residence permit. Diligent study leads to strong knowledge and guarantees decent employment in the country. Therefore, studying in India is popular among those who would like to stay in the country for a long time.

Education in India is no worse than in Europe, America and China. Well-trained specialists are graduated from universities. Russians have the opportunity to study for free, count on a hostel and a scholarship. The main condition is excellent knowledge of the English language.

Medicine level

There is no free medicine in India. There are many private clinics with a narrow specialization. Their services are cheaper than public health centers - most of them well-equipped, with highly qualified doctors receiving good salaries. Their services are used by well-to-do local residents and foreigners. The so-called medical tourism is the most developed here. This is facilitated by the low cost of services compared to the United States and Israel, for example. As well as adherence to the traditional methods of treatment set forth in Ayurveda and having many followers all over the world, which is used commercially.

For most local residents, quality healthcare is not available. Hospitals in remote areas serve patients in unsuitable rooms, often without electricity, water, or medication. In theory, help is free, in fact, they charge a fee for admission, focusing on the patient's income.

Childbirth often takes place at home, under the supervision of a midwife or mother-in-law. If in the clinic, then, as a rule, a cesarean section is offered. Natural childbirth must be negotiated additionally. The statistics are relentless: India's maternal and child mortality rates are among the highest in the world.

Tourists need to purchase health insurance, which includes the basic insurance option and, if desired, various options.

Russians in India

There are no more than a thousand Russians with Indian citizenship and permanent residence, mostly they settled in Delhi. But unofficially, there are many more. It is believed that Russians go to India for spirituality, the search for the meaning of life, and improvement in yoga. There are also many businessmen, but most of the "Russian Indians" are the wives of local men. To understand how Russians live in India, you need to communicate with them. The country is exotic, natural, specific living conditions and presents a serious test for Europeans.

The attitude of indigenous people towards Russian immigrants

The close collaboration between India and the former USSR has influenced the way Russians are viewed today. Memories are pleasant, but they are at once darkened when immigrants behave inappropriately, not recognizing the traditions, beliefs, and customs of local residents. For example, ardent Hindus and Muslims treat Christians badly. There are isolated cases of Russophobia. All immigrants from the former Soviet Union are called "Russians" here.

Where live

It is easier to meet Russians in large cities and resort areas. In Mumbai, housing is the most expensive, but the city is considered safe to live. And it is easier to find a job than, for example, in Delhi, where life is more comfortable and a little cheaper, but unemployment and crime are high. Bangalore is attractive due to its modern infrastructure, reasonable prices for housing, especially rented. But the most popular of all is the state of Goa, where immigrants mainly seek.

Features of life in Goa

India through the eyes of the Russians is for the most part "Goa through the eyes of the Russians." A resort is a resort. The local settlers are happy with their lives and are not going to leave here. Children are sent to English schools, then they pay for education in good universities. The travel business generates a decent income. Compatriots are served not according to local, but European tariffs. There are many Russian restaurants and shops, they need a labor force, the owners prefer to take “their own”. Someone lives on odd jobs. Those who know English have a chance to get a job as a seller or a tour guide. Masseurs, dancers, animators are in demand.

True, foreigners are limited in their rights. But the Russian consulate, if necessary, helps to restore justice.

Lifestyle comparison in India and Russia

The pros and cons of the life of Russians in an ancient, distinctive country can be imagined in comparison with Russia.

	Russia	India
Life level	37th place in the world	104 place in the world
Culture	Needs improvement	Completely absent, public chaos
	Accessible to the majority of the population	Most of the population is inaccessible
People	People are sociable and friendly for the most part	Are withdrawn and uncommunicative with foreigners
Society	Not indifferent to what is happening, people strive to improve the state of things	Indifference to everything. Satisfied with the life that is.
Communication	In Russian or any other language	Exclusively in English or Hindi
Education	Constant striving to learn new things, improve	Poor education of the population, inability for the bulk of residents to study

India is an extremely interesting, colorful, attractive country for tourists. Few think about permanent residence. But if you are attracted here spiritually, it will provide an opportunity for self-improvement.

India is exactly the country where the beauty and wealth of some people and just the blatant poverty of others are fully combined.

Having visited this country, your consciousness will turn inside out and never again will you talk about the fact that some live in Russia richly, and all the rest are poor. Visiting India, and especially not the most prosperous areas and cities, you can see a combination of luxury and poverty.

How do they live

Luxurious mansions with gilded columns, swimming pools, paradise gardens with the same birds of paradise and miserable shacks in which half-hungry and half-dressed children and their mothers vegetate their days can stand quite nearby. While their fathers are trying to earn at least bread, so that the family does not starve to death.

These feelings will visit any tourist who wants to drive around the outskirts of Delhi or its provinces. The circle is full of dirt and the presence of sewage thrown directly into the street.
India's problem is not least its pollution of both land and water. If everything is clear with water, because probably everyone knows that the funeral procession is accompanied by the burning of the body and the dumping of the remains into a nearby river.

But the land is polluted due to the lack of the culture of the Hindus to throw garbage in garbage containers, which is practically impossible to find, at least in the provinces.

on the video how people live in India

Garbage is thrown at your feet (bought a bun, took off a bag and threw it under your feet. I drank a glass of coffee and threw a plastic bag under my feet as well.) near his house.
Looking at this kind of beauty of the provinces, you understand how ordinary and rich people actually live in India.

Life span

All this affects the life expectancy in India, which is 68.7 years, while men live on average 5 years less than women - 66.3 versus 71.2. But this trend is happening all over the world. India ranks 118th out of 192 countries in terms of duration. It is noteworthy that Russia is in 113th place. Apparently not far gone.

Standard of living

At the same time, the country's standard of living (economy, quality of life, level of freedom, sovereignty) is at a very low level. For 2014, according to the research of international organizations, it occupies as much as 106th place out of 108 investigated. Compared to our country, Russia is in 32nd place. Which cannot but rejoice.
So, if you look at the indications of the standard of living in India and in Russia, then without leaving for this country you can understand how ordinary citizens live there.

It should be noted that the pension system in India is not developed in the same way as in Russia.

It is mandatory that only civil servants receive a pension, for everyone else it is a funded system, but not all employers deduct a percentage on the employee's pension account, since this is not necessary. According to current data, there are 90 million people living in India who have reached the retirement age (60 years). However, they can no longer work, and the state does not make any payments.