Coming to Mumbai! Advice?!

Hi Everyone,

Visa permitting I am coming to Mumbai for a year to work with a NGO working with schools in the area at the start of October. Its all happened very quickly and I would like any advice or info for a single British girl in her early thirties-on what to pack/do/experience/know all about her new life? (eg. malaria tablets? technology? smart work dress?) Its very exciting and will be hard work but hoping it will be worth it! I have visited India before but as a tourist and think this will be a very different. Once I have paid all my bills back at home I should have around 30,000 INR to live on each month-is this sufficient?
So many questions........

30,000 is not enough in Mumbai especially if you have to pay for rent in Mumbai.
Is your NGO helping you with the accommodation?

Rs.30000/- will not be enough for monthly expenses in Mumbai as rentals are high. I would suggest you to have atleast Rs.40000/- so that you can put up with some family as a homestay guest which will cost up to 10000/- for decent shared pg facility. Depending upon your diet you will need Rs.10000/- per month for hygienic 3 times meals and consider cost of transportation, laundry etc. Will suggest some options if you can intimate areas to be covered while in Mumbai for the NGO work.

Thats what I have left after all bills, as accomodation and all food will be paid for already by the company.
I want to make sure I have a bit of a life in India, as you know what they say about all work and no play......

well 30,000 will be sufficient ...i am in mumbai since 2 years ...

though the experiences varies from place to place......but mumbai gonna give you a close look of nested indian culture.....though the area where you gonna stay in mumbai gonna play a significant role...lol

anyways enjoy your stay ...if any problem thn feel free to contact me

Hey welsh,
No need to worry at all if the company is looking after your stay and food.
30,000 is enough money to have a good life in mumbai - work and play
i just moved to mumbai 2 months ago, and I earn pretty much the same...and I'm single too.
So I have my share of work and play.

I stay at bandra right now.
When would you be planning t reach mumbai.

Do holla if you need any more help.

cheers.

Accommodation, being provided by company, brings down your costs significantly. Traveling for work won't cost much if you opt for public transport. BEST buses will prove out to be a bit enigma. Much has been said about the locals, but they are not et all as crowded as they are deemed to be. Especially, with the Womens' compartments, you should be fine.

This said, I find Bombay to be the only 'city' in India. It is more about people. I love Bombay (though I crib over it after a bad day) and trust me, you'll like it even the more. Bombay is a perfect 'melting-pot' city. Whatever can be said, with conviction, about Bombay, the opposite will also be true inadvertently.

Best of luck.

You have not mentioned the locality where you will be working. Mumbai is a long strip of land and therefore for your stay you should consider location close to your work to save on commuting time and daily travel expenses.

I will advice you use at least Auto Rickshaw as travel by BEST will be difficult due to over crowding.