Thinking of moving to a Tier 2 city.
Currently in a metro paying 50% more rent, spending 5-10K extra per child on schools, dealing with expensive healthcare, wasting hours in traffic, and feeling constantly stressed. Has anyone made this shift? Is life actually more peaceful in smaller cities?
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Bangalore has become an expensive shit hole, bad roads, contestant traffic jam, corrupt police & language bullshit.
I am in my 30's. I lived there from 2018 to 2022. I started working on leaving Bangalore around 2022 and got 3 offers. 2 WFO and one permanent WFH, took up the WFH one, Left Bangalore in 2023.
It's the best decision of my life. My take home was 1 lacs when I moved back to my native state. My native house is bit inside, sort of a village. Electricity and broadband issues. Hence, I took a house on rent in the city. It's 4 BHK. Guess the rent? It's 9k only. Water free. No maintenance money crap. It's super spacious, amble of space to walk in front yard and back yard, two balconies, Each bedroom size is around 220sq. It's a spacious house. Calm and serene. No bursting crackers or loud noises in festival.
I bought an SUV, planned on becoming a father. My wife is on 7th month now. I was able to save up a lot. I have3 members on dependent on me. Mother, younger sister and wife.
I have also started my own venture and left corporate in the month of June 2025. Now making around 2.5-3 lacs per month.
All of this I was able to do because I was able to save money. In Bangalore, I was getting 70k. And by month end I was left with less than 10k. Rent, electricity, shopping, food etc etc.
Overall, life is peaceful now. You get have fresh veggies, fish, meat, mutton etc. No fake friends. No late night paries. In your 30s, you don't do much parties and have friends I believe. Need to give time to family.
Glad to hear all this, what did you start as your own venture after quitting corporate ?
Sounds amazing! Which nearby city are you talking about here? 🤔
I have made the shift
Went from Bangalore to a tier-3 town ( not even tier-2)
My motivations -
High rent and in general high cost of living in Bangalore
Bad quality of food, veggies, air and water
Family ( in north india) was far
And all other ( infra, traffic, south north divide)
Moved to tier 3 town near nature last year
- its definitely calmer, peaceful. Still hustling but the hustle is peaceful
- monthly costs has gone down drastically. Rent a 2500sq ft villa in 25k in gated community. Has full time help
- health has become better , lost some weight naturally, digestive and stomach issues are all gone ( were frequent in Bangalore)
Cons - no community, sometimes i wish to watch movie in imax or dine at an amazing restuarant. These things aint present ofcourse, you gotta make do with whats here.
Overall - 10/10 worked for me. Might not live here all my life, but seeing the current aqi in delhi, Mumbai and constant frustration of folks in Bangalore, i love my decision. There were few ups and downs, it cost a lot to move here with all furniture and car, took some time to figure out remote work and balance here. But absolutely loved the decision
I had written a post about this when i was moving from Bangalore
https://www.grapevine.in/post/530ac274-dd33-4001-aef4-cae532f2f2fd
You might find a lot of things i thought about or what people asked in comments.
This reminds me to maybe write a follow up now
Which city you move on?
I am thinking of leaving Bangalore, rent is too much. Search for a city where to go.
The most important part is pollution and water which is poor in tier 1 city then why companies enforce to come and work in tier one those who have home in tier one and who are comfortable to come as their home town is nearer only those people should come. It company makes tier one city garbage bin and costly as well in every term from food to convance to school fees to property
In pune where we are living property land owner Use water tank and that water is not so good.
Water and air quality issues are real and measurable - we're literally paying a health tax to work in these cities. The solution is obvious: let people choose. Those comfortable in Tier 1, let them come. Others should have the option to work remotely. But companies seem hell-bent on making everyone suffer equally. The "collaboration" excuse falls flat when you're spending 3 hours in traffic anyway.
Couple of my friends moved to Indore from Bangalore and Mumbai. One of them was not even natively from there.
Housing is like 1/3 there.
Education - cheaper
Much less traffic
Healthcare - cheaper
Food costs remain almost similar.
I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about Indore
I shifted from Pune to Nagpur. Yes it was good decision, now able to save more with good quality life but at the same time feels like dont have much opportunities if i'll try to switch further!
Nagpur is known for its hot climate but its manageable better savings and quality of life matter a lot.
I shifted in May, So far i dont feel here like hot climate and not much difference like in pune. Nowadays Pune's weather is also changing and not like before.
Desperately want to move out of Bangalore. But opportunities are limited elsewhere.