Studying in Hyderabad

Naresh12

Hi all my name is Naresh and I am new to IndiaMike.

I have been reading some of the older threads but I still feel I should ask some questions.

I have just gotten accepted to Hyderabad University through the ICCR program.

I am looking for any advice to make things easier for me the do's and dont as well.

I am from the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago. I my look indian but I dont speak Hindi.

I would like to find out how much money I need to maintain my lifestyle.

I would be staying on campus (I Hope)

I am not a drinker one or two drinks for the month for the most. I am not to interested in clubbing. I would need a cell phone can anyone tell me which in there view is the best provider and call plan.

I will be eating from the canteen but I would like to eat out at least once a week at a decent establishment.

Should I bring a laptop or is it better to buy one in India?

I would like to know which are the best bookstores in Hyderabad.

What is the cost for internet. I would hardly be doing downloading, more chatting.

What is the relative cost for clothing eg, Jeans shirts etc.

I estimate $500US is enough for my monthly expense but this is a novice estimate. Any help would greatly be appreciated.

capt_mahajan

500 US will be enough for the general lifestyle you describe. Presumably you are not looking to travel much or expensively outside Hyderbad

Other comments/answers

-Medical insurance is a good idea. Don't know if you are entitled to buy Indian medical insurance, which will be a couple of thousand rupees annually (say 4500 for a 500,000 annual hospitalisation)

-Not knowing Hindi/Telegu may be a bit of a handicap but much more outside the university campus. I am sure you will pick up rudimentary vocabulary soon enough

-Campus is not well connected to the rest of the city- or cheaply anyway. Public buses will be there, however. Not too comfortable, but cheap. However, whatever you need on a daily basis, including a bank, is there or close enough. In any case, the campus is not too far. You will get most of what you need to do within ten km or so, max.

-I would get the laptop and allow for internet expenses. Work on 1000 rupees a month, maybe less.

-Clothes will not be expensive. Jeans from a few hundred rupees (cheaper Indian brands) upto a few thousand. Shirts ditto. A branded formal shirt is a thousand rupees and more , but you can get decent ones for less than half the price, not counting sales which seem to be perennial now in the eco climate.

-Cellphone suggest Airtel/BSNL. Airtel is easier to get, BSNL is a little cheaper once got. Overall, Airtel. Better signal strength, and not that much more expensive.

- Eating out once a week at a decent establishment will not be expensive (200 rupees if you splurge a bit). Decent, not five star hotels, this is. Good (higher than decent) resteruants will cost around 5/700 rupees a head, drinks excluded. A drink would be around 200 rupees a these places. Alternatively, a bottle of Old Monk is a couple of hundred rupees!

- Bookstores- Walden, Crossword and then Odyssey. All will be a little far (10 km max) from where you will be, but manageable. Walden at Begumpet is the best stocked, IMHO


For setting up costs, I would say five thousand rupees will be more than what you will need. This will include any installation costs/purchases to setup telephone and internet, or any minor deposits etc.

Overall, 500 US dollars a month is reasonably comfortable for a single foreign student in India, and even a middle class Indian, so I wouldn't worry. I daresay you will be able to afford a few luxuries. A middle class Indian student will be living on less than half of that, usually.

(Unless you are a filthy rich guy, when your definition of luxuries will differ from mine)

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Outside the machine

Hal

Good advice from the Capt. as always. I found the English bookstores in India to have a very limited selection. They will have every book by a few American or British authors, and they aren't always the most popular authors in the west. Lots of weird science fiction, Agatha Christie, Robin Cook and so on.

There's a good second-hand book market at Koti on Sundays. And across the road from Lifestyle in Begumpet there's a book dealer who sells remainders - mainly design and art books at good prices.

Name-brand western clothing is as expensive as abroad, but you can get good Indian brands for 1/4 the price. If you have some western clothes you can't do without, take some spares if you think you will need them.

Naresh12

I thank you guys you dont know how helpful you all have been

capt_mahajan

Try Walden at Begumpet. Has become commercialised over the years, but has a fairly decent selection, including Indian authors.

And Naresh, you are welcome.