Essentials
- City
- Kolkata, West Bengal, India
- Population
- Approx. 15,300,000 (Metropolitan Area)
- Internet Speed
- Average 100 Mbps (JioFiber and Airtel Xstream widely available)
- Currency & Banking
- Indian Rupee (INR). 1 USD ≈ 83.10 INR, 1 EUR ≈ 90.50 INR
- Tap Water
- Not drinkable; use filtered water or brands like Bisleri (₹20 per 1L)
- Power
- 230V, 50Hz, 🔌 Type C/D/M sockets
- SIM Card
- Jio, Airtel, Vi. Pre-paid 2GB/day for 28 days approx. ₹299
- Banking for Expats
- HDFC, ICICI, HSBC; UPI (GPay/PhonePe) is essential for daily use
- Accommodation
- Stay Vista, Airbnb, Settl (Co-living)
- Cashless Friendly
- Yes, UPI is accepted everywhere from malls to street vendors
- Short Term Rentals
- Airbnb, Nestaway, Salt Lake Guest Houses
- Budget Accommodation
- Central Bed & Breakfast (₹1,500/night), Galaxy Guest House (₹1,200/night)
- Best Area to Stay for Tourists
- Park Street / Camac Street (Central, nightlife, landmarks)
- Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads
- Salt Lake (Sector V) or New Town (Modern infrastructure, tech hubs)
Working and Networking
- Best Coworking Space
- Awfis (Sector V, Salt Lake) - ₹500/day; WeWork (DLF Cyber City) - ₹700/day
- Best Cafe for Work
- Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters (Park Street), Artsy - Coffee & Culture (AJC Bose Rd)
- Networking Events
- NASSCOM Events at Sector V, Kolkata Tech Startup Meetups
- Social Events for Expats
- InterNations Kolkata Chapter, Calcutta Club events
Transportation
- Best Taxi/Ride App
- Uber, Ola, Indriver, and Rapido (Bike Taxis)
- Bike/Scooter Rental
- ONN Bikes (New Town) - approx. ₹400/day
- Best Beach Nearby
- Digha (185 km away, approx. 4 hours by train/bus)
- Top Regional Airline
- IndiGo, Air India Express
- Top International Airline
- Emirates, Qatar Airways, Thai Airways
- Highway Access
- AH1 (National Highway 19) and NH 12 (formerly NH 34)
- Main Train/Transit Hub
- Howrah Junction and Sealdah Station
- Public Transport Passes
- Kolkata Metro Smart Card (₹100 minimum recharge)
- Regional Travel
- West Bengal Surface Transport (WBSTC) AC buses; Shatabdi Express to NJP/Darjeeling
Health and Wellness
- Best Hospital
- Apollo Multispecialty Hospitals (Canal Circular Rd), AMRI Hospitals
- Yoga & Wellness Centers
- Mystic Yoga (Salt Lake), The Yoga Studio (Hazra)
- Gyms & Fitness Centers
- Gold's Gym (Salt Lake Sector III), Cult.fit (Multiple locations - ₹3,000/month)
- Laundry Services
- UClean (Laundry & Dry Cleaning), Pick My Laundry (App-based)
Food and Drink
- Best Food Delivery App
- Swiggy, Zomato
- Best Local Dish to Try
- Kolkata Biryani (with potato) and Kosha Mangsho (Mutton Curry)
- Vegan/Vegetarian Options
- Fly Kouzina (Vegan friendly), Ubq by Barbeque Nation
- Best Dessert Spots
- Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick (Mishti Doi/Sandesh), Flurys (Park Street)
- Affordable Shopping Spots
- New Market (Hogg Market) and Gariahat Market
- E-commerce/Online Store
- Amazon.in, Flipkart, Myntra
- Grocery Delivery
- BigBasket, Blinkit, Zepto (10-min delivery)
- Bar/Nightlife Area
- Park Street - Someplace Else, Trincas, Peter Cat
- Local Brewery
- The Grid (Topsia), Scrapyard (Camac Street)
- Wine Bars
- The Lords and Barons (Park Street)
- Street Food Stalls
- Decker's Lane (James Hickey Sarani) for office-crowd snacks
- Popular International Cuisine
- Mocambo (Continental), Barbeque Nation (Grills), Mainland China
Culture and Attractions
- Must-See Landmarks
- Victoria Memorial, Howrah Bridge
- Museums & Art Venues
- Indian Museum (Chowringhee), Science City
- Historical Sites
- Marble Palace, Fort William, Writer's Building
- Religious Sites
- Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Belur Math, St. Paul's Cathedral
- Annual Events
- Durga Puja (September/October - City-wide festival)
- Cultural Districts
- Kumartuli (Potter's Colony), College Street (Boipara)
- Theater Venues
- Academy of Fine Arts, Rabindra Sadan
- Local Markets
- College Street (Old Books), Flower Market (Mullik Ghat)
- Music Scene
- Skinny Mo's Jazz Club, Hard Rock Cafe (Park Street)
- Street Art
- Hatibagan and Shyambazar street murals
- Cooking Classes
- Calcutta Capsule (Cooking/Walking Tours)
- Art Galleries
- CIMA Art Gallery, Birla Academy of Art and Culture
- Historic Buildings
- Metcalfe Hall, General Post Office (GPO)
- Local Heritage
- The Yellow Ambassador Taxi, Hand-pulled rickshaws
Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Nearby Nature Escapes
- Sundarbans National Park (Mangrove forest, 100km away)
- National Parks Nearby
- Jaldapara National Park (7-hour train journey)
- Cycling/Walking Paths
- Eco Park (New Town) - 480 acres of green space
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Princep Ghat (Ganges riverside at sunset)
- Birdwatching Locations
- Santragachi Jheel (Migratory birds in winter)
- Bonfire-Friendly Spots
- Bawali Farmhouse (Outskirts of Kolkata)
Other Services and Amenities
- Parcel Delivery Service
- Blue Dart, DTDC, Delhivery
- Tech Repair Services
- Chandni Chowk Market (The tech hub of Kolkata)
- Table Tennis Spots
- Bengal Table Tennis Association (Salt Lake)
- Language Classes
- Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture (Bengali/Hindi)
- Libraries & Study Spots
- National Library (Alipore), British Council Library
- Community Centers
- ICC Calcutta (Indian Chamber of Commerce)
- Gaming Lounges
- LXG (League of Extraordinary Gamers) - Sector V
- Casino & Gaming Halls
- Not permitted (Offshore/Online only in West Bengal)
Business
- Studio Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. ₹85,000 per m² (e.g., 40 m² ≈ ₹3,400,000)
- Studio Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. ₹55,000 per m² (e.g., 40 m² ≈ ₹2,200,000)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. ₹80,000 per m² (e.g., 60 m² ≈ ₹4,800,000)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. ₹50,000 per m² (e.g., 60 m² ≈ ₹3,000,000)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. ₹75,000 per m² (e.g., 80 m² ≈ ₹6,000,000)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. ₹45,000 per m² (e.g., 80 m² ≈ ₹3,600,000)
- Corporate Tax
- 25% for domestic companies (new regimes offer lower rates)
- Dividend Withholding Tax
- 10% for residents; 20% for non-residents
- Tax System
- Worldwide income for residents; Source-based for non-residents
- Highest Income Tax Bracket
- 30% (plus surcharge for high earners)
- VAT
- GST (Goods and Services Tax) - 5%, 12%, 18%, or 28%
- Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules
- Yes, Place of Effective Management (POEM) rules apply
- Property Tax
- Yes, based on Unit Area Analysis (UAA) by KMC
- Property Transaction Tax
- Stamp Duty 6% (Urban), Registration Fee 1%
- Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads
- No specific nomad visa; standard business/e-tourist visa rules apply