Business
- Dividend Withholding Tax
- 10% for residents; 20% for non-residents
- 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., 80 m² ≈ ₹4,400,000)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx ₹35,000 per m² (e.g., 80 m² ≈ ₹2,800,000)
- Corporate Tax
- 25% for domestic companies; 15% for new manufacturing companies
- Tax System
- Residential status based; global income taxed if 'Resident and Ordinarily Resident'
- Highest Income Tax Bracket
- 30% (plus surcharge and cess) for income over ₹1,500,000
- VAT
- GST (Goods and Services Tax) - Standard rates 5%, 12%, 18%, 28%
- Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules
- POEM (Place of Effective Management) rules apply
- Property Tax
- Yes, managed by GVMC (Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation)
- Property Transaction Tax
- Stamp Duty 5%, Registration Fee 1%, Transfer Duty 1.5% (Total ~7.5%)
- Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads
- No specific nomad visa; standard E-Tourist or Business visa rules apply
Essentials
- City
- Visakhapatnam (Vizag), Andhra Pradesh, India
- Population
- Approximately 2,350,000
- Internet Speed
- Average 100-200 Mbps on Fiber (ACT Fibernet, JioFiber); 5G covers most central areas
- Currency & Banking
- 1 USD ≈ 83.50 INR, 1 EUR ≈ 90.20 INR
- Tap Water
- Not drinkable; use RO filtered water or branded bottles like Bisleri (₹20 for 1L)
- Power
- 230V, 50Hz, 🔌 Type C, D, and M sockets
- SIM Card
- Jio and Airtel; available at Visakhapatnam Airport (VTZ) or stores like Reliance Digital for ₹299/month (2GB/day)
- Banking for Expats
- ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank are expat-friendly; UPI (GPay/PhonePe) is used everywhere
- Accommodation
- Guesthouses, serviced apartments, and hotels like Novotel Varun Beach
- Cashless Friendly
- Yes, extremely high via UPI and Cards; keep small cash for local auto-rickshaws
- Short Term Rentals
- Airbnb (₹2,500 - ₹5,000/night) and NestAway for monthly stays
- Budget Accommodation
- Zostel Visakhapatnam (Dolphin's Nose) - approx ₹800/night for a dorm bed
- Best Area to Stay for Tourists
- RK Beach (Ramakrishna Mission Beach) for views and proximity to attractions
- Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads
- MVP Colony or Siripuram for better cafes, reliable power, and residential quietness
Working and Networking
- Best Coworking Space
- The Office (Siripuram) - ₹500/day or ₹7,000/month
- Best Cafe for Work
- Fresh Choice Patisserie (Siripuram) or Bean Board (Ramanaidu Studios Jump Services)
- Networking Events
- Events hosted by NASSCOM Community or local startups at Sunrise Startup Village
- Social Events for Expats
- Internations Vizag Group or weekend meetups at The Park Hotel
Transportation
- Best Taxi/Ride App
- Uber and Ola are dominant; Rapido for bike-taxis
- Bike/Scooter Rental
- Royal Brothers (Near RTC Complex) - approx ₹500/day for a scooter
- Best Beach Nearby
- Rushikonda Beach (Blue Flag certified, 12km from city center)
- Top Regional Airline
- IndiGo and Air India Express
- Top International Airline
- Air Asia (to KL), Scoot (to Singapore), and connecting flights via Emirates/Qatar
- Highway Access
- NH16 (Chennai-Kolkata Highway) passes through the city
- Main Train/Transit Hub
- Visakhapatnam Railway Station (VSKP) in the city center
- Public Transport Passes
- APSRTC City Bus passes (approx ₹1,000/month for general city travel)
- Regional Travel
- Vande Bharat Express to Vijayawada or sleeper buses to Hyderabad/Bhubaneswar
Health and Wellness
- Best Hospital
- Apollo Hospitals (Health City, Arilova) or SevenHills Hospital (Rockdale Layout)
- Yoga & Wellness Centers
- The Yoga Village (Beach Road) - ₹3,000/month for classes
- Gyms & Fitness Centers
- Talwalkars (Siripuram) or Cult.fit (Multiple locations) - ₹2,500/month
- Laundry Services
- The Laundry Basket (MVP Colony) or Fabricspa
Food and Drink
- Best Food Delivery App
- Swiggy and Zomato
- Best Local Dish to Try
- Bamboo Chicken (Araku style) or Punugulu (Street food snack)
- Vegan/Vegetarian Options
- Somaa Restobar (Vegan options available) or Laddu Gopal for pure veg snacks
- Best Dessert Spots
- Bakers Castle (Siripuram) or Sweet India (MVP Colony)
- Affordable Shopping Spots
- Jagadamba Junction and CMR Shopping Mall
- E-commerce/Online Store
- Amazon.in and Flipkart
- Grocery Delivery
- BigBasket and Zepto (10-minute delivery)
- Bar/Nightlife Area
- Siripuram and Beach Road; Ironhill Brewery is a top spot
- Local Brewery
- Ironhill Brewery (Siripuram) - Craft beers from ₹350
- Wine Bars
- Lawson's Lounge (The Park Hotel)
- Street Food Stalls
- Night Food Court (Opposite Central Park)
- Popular International Cuisine
- Upland Bistro (Italian/Continental) or Flying Spaghetti Monster
Culture and Attractions
- Must-See Landmarks
- INS Kursura Submarine Museum and TU 142 Aircraft Museum
- Museums & Art Venues
- Visakha Museum (Dutch Bungalow) on Beach Road
- Historical Sites
- Thotlakonda Buddhist Complex (Ruins dating back to 2nd Century BCE)
- Religious Sites
- Simhachalam Temple (Dedicated to Lord Narasimha)
- Annual Events
- Visakha Utsav (December beach festival)
- Cultural Districts
- Old Town (One Town area) for colonial architecture
- Theater Venues
- Vuda Gurajada Kalakshetram
- Local Markets
- Kurupam Market (Jewelry and local textiles)
- Music Scene
- Live bands at Somaa or moonlit drum circles at Rushikonda
- Street Art
- Graffiti on the sea walls along the 10km Beach Road stretch
- Cooking Classes
- Purnima's Kitchen (Local Andhra cuisine classes by appointment)
- Art Galleries
- Hawa Mahal (Cultural center and gallery)
- Historic Buildings
- St. Aloysius High School (1847) and the Harbour Master's Office
- Local Heritage
- Etikoppaka Toys (GI Tagged wooden toys from nearby village)
Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Nearby Nature Escapes
- Kambalakonda Wildlife Sanctuary (Trekking and night camping)
- National Parks Nearby
- Papikonda National Park (approx 4 hours drive)
- Cycling/Walking Paths
- Beach Road early morning cycle track (closed to cars 5 AM - 7 AM)
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Kailasagiri Hilltop (Accessible via cable car/Ropeway)
- Birdwatching Locations
- Kondakarla Ava Lake (Freshwater sanctuary)
- Bonfire-Friendly Spots
- Yarada Beach (more secluded than the city beaches)
Other Services and Amenities
- Parcel Delivery Service
- Blue Dart, DTDC, and Delhivery
- Tech Repair Services
- Reliance Digital or various shops at Nehru Bazar
- Table Tennis Spots
- Swarna Bharathi Indoor Stadium
- Language Classes
- Ramakrishna Mission (Telugu and Sanskrit courses)
- Libraries & Study Spots
- Visakhapatnam Public Library (VMPL) in Dwaraka Nagar
- Community Centers
- Lion's Club or Rotary Club of Visakhapatnam
- Gaming Lounges
- LXG (League of Extraordinary Gamers) Vizag
- Casino & Gaming Halls
- Not permitted (Gambling restricted in Andhra Pradesh)