Where to live
Neighbourhoods, Housing Market, The IKAN Method. 11 min read.
01Neighbourhoods
Where families live
Where you live in Bengaluru comes down to two things: where your office is, and how much traffic you can bear.
People who work in Whitefield or on Sarjapur Road usually pick a gated community nearby. People with offices on MG Road, at UB City or in Indiranagar prefer the central areas. North Bengaluru is the newer choice for anyone at Manyata Tech Park or with an office near the airport. After the office, weigh your children's school run.
The map of Bengaluru loads here.
Photo: Indiranagar Seller, CC BY-SA 4.01
Indiranagar
100 Feet Road · Restaurants and Pubs
₹80k to 1.5L a month15 to 25 min to MG Road
Best forMid-career corporate expats, couples, those who want to walk to restaurants and bars
The original cosmopolitan corridor, 100 Feet Road and CMH Road are central Bengaluru's main streets for restaurants, bars and shops. Toit (the city's most-loved brewery), Arbor, Glenn's Bakehouse, Mahesh Lunch Home and Chianti are within a kilometre. Old-Bengaluru bungalows mix with mid-premium apartment blocks. Manipal Hospital HAL is at the doorstep. Closest to the city's pre-tech cosmopolitan identity.
Photo: Slyronit, CC BY-SA 4.02
Koramangala (5th, 6th & 7th Block)
Startup HQ of India
₹70k to 1.5L a month35 to 70 min to Electronic City
Best forFounders, younger corporate expats, single tech leadership, those who want to be in the action
India's startup capital, Flipkart, Swiggy, Razorpay, Postman and Cred trace their founding offices to Koramangala blocks. Sony World Junction is the unofficial heart, Forum Mall the anchor, and it has as many restaurants and bars as Indiranagar. Walkable by Indian standards, dense with microbreweries, third-wave coffee shops, and a young founder demographic.
Photo: PageImp, CC BY-SA 4.03
Whitefield
Eastern Tech Corridor · Gated Community Belt
₹70k to 1.8L a month45 to 90 min to MG Road
Best forExpat families with school-age children, MNC senior leadership, long-term assignments
Originally an Anglo-Indian retirement village, now Bengaluru's primary tech corporate corridor and the densest concentration of large gated communities in India. ITPL, EPIP and the SAP/Dell/IBM/GE/Accenture cluster anchor employment. Palm Meadows, Prestige Lakeside Habitat, Brigade Cosmopolis, Sobha Indraprastha, full-service communities with clubhouses, schools, swimming pools and security. TISB, Inventure and Greenwood are within 20 minutes. The Purple Line Metro to Kadugodi (opened October 2023) finally connected Whitefield to the central city.
Photo: Goyaldevender, CC BY-SA 4.04
HSR Layout
Quiet Residential · Emerging Tech Spine
₹60k to 1.3L a month
Best forMid-career tech families with young children, returning NRI families (Indians coming home from abroad)
Adjacent to Koramangala but more grid-like, residential and family-friendly. Sector 1 is most premium; 27th Main is the street for restaurants, bars and the weekend market. Strong startup-employee base, Walmart Global Tech, Cisco, Razorpay HQ are next door. Agara Lake gives parkland. The Yellow Line Metro at Silk Board now connects HSR cleanly to Electronic City and JP Nagar.
Photo: Rameshng, CC BY-SA 3.05
CBD (MG Road · UB City · Lavelle Road)
Central Business District · Walkable Luxury
₹1L to 2L a month15 to 25 min from Indiranagar
Best forSenior executives, short-stay leadership, those who want a central, walkable base
Bengaluru's historic core and prime business address, MG Road, Brigade Road, Lavelle Road, Cunningham Road and the UB City luxury enclave. Premium high-rises and serviced apartments sit beside five-star hotels, fine dining, flagship retail and the best-connected metro interchange (MG Road, Cubbon Park). Walkable evenings, central to everything, and minutes from Vidhana Soudha and Cubbon Park.
Photo: Abhi071195, CC BY-SA 4.06
Sarjapur Road / Bellandur / ORR
Tech Corridor · Gated Community Belt
₹65k to 1.5L a month
Best forTech-corridor employees and families who want to live close to ORR campuses
Bengaluru's primary technology corridor, Embassy Tech Village, Cessna Business Park and the Microsoft, Cisco, Wipro and Intel cluster line the Outer Ring Road (the ORR). Large gated communities (Sobha Dream Acres, Prestige Sunrise Park, Adarsh Palm Retreat) offer clubhouses, pools, gyms and security. The trade-off is well known: ORR peak-hour traffic is among the heaviest in the city, so living within 5 to 8 km of your office matters.
Photo: Nagesh Kamath, CC BY-SA 2.07
Hebbal / Yelahanka
North · Airport Corridor
₹70k to 1.6L a month
Best forManyata Tech Park staff, frequent flyers, families wanting newer villa communities
North Bengaluru's premium residential corridor, powered by Manyata Tech Park, one of India's largest business parks, and proximity to Kempegowda International Airport. Hebbal Lake gives the area green space. Villa communities and integrated townships (Embassy Boulevard, Embassy Springs, Prestige Augusta) dominate, and the upcoming Airport Metro Line will make a big difference. The new, upcoming choice for expats at Manyata or near the airport.
Photo: Soumendrak, CC BY-SA 4.08
Rajajinagar / Malleshwaram
Old-Bengaluru Premium · Leafy Heritage
₹50k to 1.2L a month
Best forHeritage-leaning families, senior executives wanting a calmer central base
Traditional old-Bengaluru wealth, tree-lined streets, generous bungalow plots and a deep Karnataka cultural identity. Malleshwaram keeps the temple festivals, classical-music sabhas and the oldest restaurants (CTR, Veena Stores, SLV); Rajajinagar adds Orion Mall and Sankey Tank's morning walking circuit. Vidhana Soudha and Cubbon Park are minutes away. Calmer and greener than the tech belt.
A tip: In Bengaluru, two things decide where you should live: your office and the school run. If your office is in Whitefield, Electronic City or Sarjapur Road, a 30-minute commute is realistic only if you live within 5 to 8 km. If your office is in MG Road, UB City or Cunningham Road, central neighbourhoods (Indiranagar, the CBD or Malleshwaram) give you walkable evenings. IKAN arranges property viewings within 48 hours of arrival, and virtual tours before you arrive.
Commute
Indiranagar → MG Road
15 to 25 min
Old Madras Road / off-peak
Commute
Whitefield → MG Road
45 to 90 min
ORR or Metro Purple Line
Commute
Airport → Indiranagar
60 to 90 min
NH-44 / Hebbal Flyover
Commute
Koramangala → Electronic City
35 to 70 min
Hosur Road / Yellow Line
02Housing Market
What rent costs in 2026
Bengaluru has two rental markets.
The first is large gated apartment communities in Whitefield, Sarjapur Road, Bellandur and Hebbal. Service is good, and every one has a clubhouse, gym, pool, security and power backup. The second is independent floors and bungalows in Indiranagar, Malleshwaram and the central business district. These give up the amenities for character and a central address. Premium rents have risen 25 to 35% since 2022.
HOME
3 BHK Premium Gated Community
₹80k to 2.5L
/month (Whitefield / Indiranagar)
| Area | Typical Apartment Rent | Typical Villa / Premium Home Rent | Key Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiranagar | ₹80k to 1.5L | ₹2L to 3.5L onwards | 100 Feet Road restaurants and bars, walkable lifestyle, proximity to Manipal Hospital HAL, mix of independent floors and apartment communities |
| Koramangala (5th / 6th / 7th Block) | ₹70k to 1.5L | ₹1.4L to 3L | Startup hub, strong walkability, Forum Mall, microbrewery cluster, premium residential projects |
| Whitefield (Gated Communities) | ₹70k to 1.8L | ₹1.5L to 4L onwards | Large gated communities with clubhouse, pool, gym, security, and expat-friendly communities |
| HSR Layout (Sectors 1-7) | ₹60k to 1.3L | ₹1.2L to 2.5L | Grid-planned layout, family-friendly environment, startup employee hub, proximity to Agara Lake |
| Rajajinagar / Malleshwaram | ₹50k to 1.2L | ₹2L to 4.5L | Premium bungalow neighbourhoods, greenery, Sankey Tank proximity, traditional old Bengaluru character |
| Cooke Town / Frazer Town / Richards Town | ₹70k to 1.5L | ₹1.4L to 3L | Tree-lined cantonment neighbourhoods, heritage charm, central location near MG Road |
| Sarjapur Road / Bellandur / Outer Ring Road | ₹65k to 1.5L | ₹1.4L to 3L | Major technology corridor, large gated communities, proximity to tech parks, heavy traffic during peak hours |
| Hebbal / Yelahanka (North / Airport Corridor) | ₹70k to 1.6L | ₹1.5L to 4.5L onwards | Close to Kempegowda International Airport and Manyata Tech Park, premium villa communities and townships |
| CBD (MG Road / UB City / Lavelle Road) | ₹1L to 2L | ₹1.5L to 4.5L onwards | Central business district, walkable luxury, five-star hotels, fine dining, flagship retail and the best-connected metro interchange |
A tool
What a month costs
Pick a home and tick what you will pay for. Every figure is from this guide, as written.
3 BHK Premium Gated Community
₹94k to 2.7L a month
- Rent, 3 BHK Premium Gated Community₹80k to 2.5L
- Monthly Groceries (family)₹14k to 22k
One off, before you move in: the deposit, six to ten months' rent, ₹4.8L to 25L at this rent.
Indicative figures from this guide. Your IKAN consultant confirms rents and fees before you act on them.
Rental Rules
Key Market Practices
- Security deposit: 6 to 10 months rent is standard in Bengaluru (higher than most Indian cities), premium gated communities sometimes negotiate to 3 to 6 months for senior expat tenants. IKAN negotiates this hard.
- Lease length: An 11-month Leave & License (the standard Indian lease) is the norm in Bengaluru, renewable with 5 to 10% annual escalation. Longer agreements (2 to 3 years and upwards) are possible, but they must be registered.
- Furnishing: Most expat-grade apartments are semi-furnished (wardrobes, AC, kitchen, appliances). Fully furnished options are rare and come at a premium.
- Maintenance: All gated communities charge a monthly/annual maintenance amount for amenities (clubhouse, pool, gym, security, common-area upkeep), typically paid by tenant
- Documentation: Aadhaar (not required), Passport, Visa, FRRO and PAN. IKAN helps negotiate and prepare your Leave & License.
- Tax Withholding Compliance: As a tenant, one may be required to withhold tax at source from the monthly rent, so do consult a tax professional.
2026 Market Trends
Market Intelligence
- Whitefield / Sarjapur appreciation: 25 to 35% across premium gated communities over 24 months, driven by global capability centre expansion
- Indiranagar & Koramangala squeeze: Limited new supply, high demand from founders and senior tech, independent floors command sustained premium
- Hebbal / North corridor: Airport metro line construction is driving 10 to 15% premium creep along Bellary Road
- Yellow Line Metro effect: Properties near Electronic City and Bommasandra metro stations saw 8 to 12% spike post-opening (Aug 2025)
- North Bengaluru / Devanahalli supply: Airport-corridor villa townships from Prestige, Brigade, Embassy and Total Environment are adding premium inventory, best value for space-per-rupee, though commute to central offices remains long
- Rental yields & corporate leases: Gross yields of 3.5 to 4.5% on prime apartments (above the metro average), company leases from global capability centres (GCCs, the big tech back offices) and other multinationals keep Whitefield, Sarjapur and ORR vacancies tight, which gives landlords the upper hand
- Ready-vs-under-construction: Ready-to-move premium stock is scarce in Indiranagar, Koramangala and central CBD, expats willing to consider near-completion projects in Sarjapur and Hebbal find the best negotiation room and rent-free fit-out periods
03The IKAN Method
How your move works
Every relocation runs on fixed clocks. These are the sequences your IKAN consultant drives for you, from the first viewing to the day you have keys in hand.
Move-in
How your move-in inspection works
Every fixture and meter is photographed in move.report, then locked as your baseline. See a sample report.
- 1Move-in inspection with IKAN consultant
- 2Check-in: meters, keys, fixtures photographed
- 3Record made in move.report
- 424 hours to comment from receipt
- 5Report locked as move-in baseline
Lease
From walk-through to keys
Your consultant runs the term sheet, review and registration for you.
- 1Shortlist walk-through with your IKAN consultant
- 2Term sheet agreed within 48 hours
- 3Six-Eyes review: lease vetted by three IKAN reviewers
- 4e-stamp paid and agreement registered
- 5Keys handed over on possession day
First days
Settling in as a foreign national
The arrival paperwork runs in a fixed order, each step on its own clock.
- 1e-Arrival filed before you land
- 2Landlord or hotel files Form C within 24 hours
- 3FRRO registration within 14 days
- 4PAN card applied for tax and banking
- 5Resident bank account opened
Where should you live in Bengaluru?
A quick route to the right shortlist, built from the neighbourhoods in this guide.
What matters most?
- If you wantPremium, central, top schoolsLook atCBDRajajinagar
- If you wantClose to work and the tech hubsLook atIndiranagarKoramangalaWhitefield
Already moving with IKAN?
Your homes, dates and papers are in i-Navigate, IKAN's app for families. It opens with the email address your IKAN consultant has for you, then sends you a six digit code.
Open your move Not moving with IKAN yet? Write to relo@ikan.com and a consultant will reply.