Essentials
- Internet Speed
- Stable fiber optic, average 100-150 Mbps on JioFiber or Airtel Xstream
- Currency & Banking
- Indian Rupee (INR). 1 USD ≈ 83.10 INR, 1 EUR ≈ 90.20 INR
- Tap Water
- Not drinkable; use RO filtered water or brands like Bisleri (₹20 per 1L)
- Power
- 230V, 50Hz, 🔌 Type C/D/M sockets
- SIM Card
- Jio and Airtel; affordable 2GB/day plans for approx. ₹299 per month
- Banking for Expats
- ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, and HSBC. UPI (GPay/PhonePe) is essential
- Accommodation
- Serviced apartments in Vesu or Adajan, Airbnb, and luxury hotels like Marriott
- Cashless Friendly
- Highly friendly; UPI and cards accepted almost everywhere
- Short Term Rentals
- Airbnb and local guest houses (₹2,500 - ₹5,000 per night)
- Budget Accommodation
- Ginger Hotel Piplod (approx. ₹3,000/night)
- Best Area to Stay for Tourists
- Dumas Road / Piplod for proximity to malls and high-end dining
- Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads
- Vesu or Adajan for modern infrastructure and residential quietness
- City
- Surat, Gujarat, India
- Population
- Approximately 7,500,000
Working and Networking
- Best Coworking Space
- iCreate Coworking (Vesu) or The Address (ICB City Centre) - approx. ₹6,000/month
- Best Cafe for Work
- Koffie Culture (Vesu) or Meraki Coffee Roasters (Piplod)
- Networking Events
- Surat Startup Community meets and SGCCI (Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce) seminars
- Social Events for Expats
- Surat Expat Club on Facebook or rotating mixers at high-end hotels like The Gateway
Transportation
- Best Taxi/Ride App
- Uber and Ola are dominant. InDrive is popular for price negotiation
- Bike/Scooter Rental
- Royal Brothers (approx. ₹500/day for a Honda Activa)
- Best Beach Nearby
- Dumas Beach (15 mins from city center) or Suvali Beach (30 mins)
- Top Regional Airline
- IndiGo and Air India Express
- Top International Airline
- Air India, Emirates (via Mumbai), and Qatar Airways
- Highway Access
- NH48 (Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway) and the NE-1 Expressway
- Main Train/Transit Hub
- Surat Railway Station (ST) and the newly launched Surat Metro
- Public Transport Passes
- Surat Money Card for BRTS (Bus Rapid Transit) and Metro usage
- Regional Travel
- Frequent trains to Mumbai (3 hrs) or Ahmedabad (3.5 hrs)
Health and Wellness
- Best Hospital
- Kiran Hospital (Katargam) or Sunshine Global Hospital (Piplod)
- Yoga & Wellness Centers
- The Yoga Studio (Vesu) and Sahaj Yoga Center
- Gyms & Fitness Centers
- P3 Fitness Hub (Vesu) or Gold's Gym (Adajan) - approx. ₹3,000/month
- Laundry Services
- UClean (Vesu) and various TumbleDry outlets
Food and Drink
- Best Food Delivery App
- Swiggy and Zomato
- Best Local Dish to Try
- Surti Undhiyu and Locho (Best at Jani Locho, Adajan)
- Vegan/Vegetarian Options
- Kansar Gujarati Thali (Annapurna) and Flower Valley (Vesu)
- Best Dessert Spots
- Dutt Bakeries (Nanpura) for Nan Khatai and A-One Fruit Salad
- Affordable Shopping Spots
- Chauta Bazaar and Shanivari Market
- E-commerce/Online Store
- Amazon.in, Flipkart, and JioMart
- Grocery Delivery
- Blinkit, BigBasket, and Zepto (10-minute delivery)
- Bar/Nightlife Area
- Surat is in a dry state (Gujarat). Nightlife is centered around late-night food stalls at Night Bazaar Piplod
- Local Brewery
- Alcohol is prohibited without a permit; non-alcoholic 'mocktail' lounges are popular
- Wine Bars
- Restricted (Permit holders only at designated hotel liquor shops)
- Street Food Stalls
- Night Food Bazaar near VR Mall
- Popular International Cuisine
- Sizzling Salsa (Mexican/Italian) and Leonardo Italian Mediterranean
Culture and Attractions
- Must-See Landmarks
- Surat Castle (Old Fort) and Gopi Talav
- Museums & Art Venues
- Sardar Patel Museum (Science Centre Complex)
- Historical Sites
- Dutch and Armenian Cemeteries (Kataragam)
- Religious Sites
- Ambika Niketan Temple and ISKCON Temple Surat
- Annual Events
- Navratri (Garba festivals) and International Kite Festival (January)
- Cultural Districts
- Nanpura and Chowk Bazaar
- Theater Venues
- Sanjeev Kumar Auditorium (Adajan)
- Local Markets
- Bombay Market (Textiles) and Surat Diamond Bourse
- Music Scene
- Performance spaces at Science Centre and various Garba venues during Navratri
- Street Art
- Murals along the VIP Road and Vesu canal walking corridor
- Cooking Classes
- Isha's Kitchen (Piplod) for traditional Gujarati snacks
- Art Galleries
- Prayas Art Gallery
- Historic Buildings
- Andrews Library and Mughal Sarai
- Local Heritage
- The Silk and Diamond industry heritage tours
Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Nearby Nature Escapes
- Sarthana Nature Park and Gavier Lake (Birdwatching)
- National Parks Nearby
- Vansda National Park (approx. 100km away)
- Cycling/Walking Paths
- Vesu Canal Walkway and Riverfront Walkway
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Cable-Stayed Bridge (Pandit Dindayal Upadhyay Bridge) at sunset
- Birdwatching Locations
- Gavier Lake and the wetlands near Dumas
- Bonfire-Friendly Spots
- Private farmhouses in Ubharat or Abhva
Other Services and Amenities
- Parcel Delivery Service
- Blue Dart, Delhivery, and DTDC
- Tech Repair Services
- Laptop Repair World (Adajan) or Apple Service Center (VR Mall)
- Table Tennis Spots
- Surat District Table Tennis Association (SDTTA)
- Language Classes
- Indo-French Cultural Center or local tutors via UrbanPro
- Libraries & Study Spots
- Kavi Narmad Central Library (City's largest)
- Community Centers
- Sanjeev Kumar Community Hall
- Gaming Lounges
- The Game Palacio (VR Mall)
- Casino & Gaming Halls
- Prohibited (Gambling is illegal in the state of Gujarat)
Business
- Studio Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. ₹65,000 per m² (e.g., 40 m² = ₹2,600,000)
- Studio Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. ₹45,000 per m² (e.g., 40 m² = ₹1,800,000)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. ₹60,000 per m² (e.g., 60 m² = ₹3,600,000)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. ₹40,000 per m² (e.g., 60 m² = ₹2,400,000)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. ₹55,000 per m² (e.g., 90 m² = ₹4,950,000)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. ₹35,000 per m² (e.g., 90 m² = ₹3,150,000)
- Corporate Tax
- 25% for domestic companies
- Dividend Withholding Tax
- 10% for residents; 20% for non-residents
- Tax System
- Residency-based; residents taxed on worldwide income
- Highest Income Tax Bracket
- 30% (excluding cess and surcharge)
- VAT
- Replaced by GST; standard rates 5%, 12%, 18%, 28%
- Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules
- India has POEM (Place of Effective Management) rules
- Property Tax
- Yes, collected by Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) based on area
- Property Transaction Tax
- Stamp duty approx. 4.9% and registration fee 1%
- Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads
- Standard Indian tax laws apply; no specific nomad visa/tax break yet