01At a glance
Key facts at a glance
The figures families ask us for first. Each one is explained in its chapter.
- Where you are moving
- Mumbai, India's financial capital on the Arabian Sea.
- Security deposit
- Two to three months' rent as standard, up to six months for premium units, fully refundable at the end of the term.
- Standard lease
- Leave and license agreements (the usual Indian lease) commonly run 24 to 36 months with a 12-month lock-in (up to 24 months in the luxury tier), with two months' notice after lock-in. Registration with the Sub-Registrar is mandatory in Maharashtra.
- Brokerage
- Typically one month's rent.
- Move-in report
- Your move-in record is made in move.report and reaches you within 24 hours of check-in. You can comment on it for 24 hours from when you receive it. See a sample report.
- Foreigner registration
- Your landlord or hotel files Form C within 24 hours of arrival, and you keep the receipt. Then you complete FRRO registration within 14 days.
02Watch Out
What to watch out for
Mumbai rewards preparation. These are the realities every incoming expat deserves to know before signing anything or forming firm expectations.
Peak hour traffic is brutal
Bandra to Worli can take 90 to 120 minutes during peak hours, a journey that takes 8 minutes at 2am. Western Express Highway, Sea Link approach roads, and the Eastern Freeway all gridlock 8-10am and 6-9pm. Choose your neighbourhood based on your commute reality, not Google Maps off-peak estimates.
Monsoon flooding
Mumbai's drainage cannot handle the monsoon's ~2,000mm of rain. Matunga, Dadar, Sion, and parts of Kurla flood every monsoon, sometimes mid-thigh deep. Avoid ground-floor units in these localities. Research any property's flood history before signing. Generator (DG set) reliability is equally important.
Cost creep is real
Every expense category in Mumbai runs 50-79% above Hyderabad and Pune. Housing, dining, school fees, healthcare, the premium compounds. Build a Mumbai-specific budget before accepting your package. Cost-of-living adjustments from employers are often insufficient for premium neighbourhoods. Negotiate with data.
School admission timelines
Mumbai's top international schools are oversubscribed. DAIS and American School of Bombay have 6 to 12 month waiting lists, and mid-year admissions are rare. Apply before your relocation is finalised. IKAN's education team can help, contact us at the point of accepting your offer, not after arrival.
Winter air quality
Mumbai's AQI rises to 150-250 during November-January, driven by construction dust, vehicle exhaust, and winter inversions. Powai, Bandra, and Juhu fare better than eastern industrial areas. Invest in HEPA air purifiers, particularly important for young children and anyone with respiratory conditions.
Building age matters
Mumbai has thousands of old buildings, some colonial heritage, others structural risks. Check the age and maintenance history of any building before committing. The city council (BMC) publishes its list of dangerous buildings. Prefer developments registered with RERA (the state property regulator) or well-managed existing societies with documented maintenance records.
Landlord negotiation
Mumbai landlords are experienced negotiators. Verbal agreements mean nothing, insist on a properly stamped and registered Leave & License before paying any deposit. IKAN's legal team reviews all Leave & License agreements as standard. Never transfer a security deposit without a signed Leave & License in hand.
03Common Questions
Common questions
The questions families ask us most, answered from this guide.
How much security deposit do landlords in Mumbai ask for?
Two to three months' rent as standard, up to six months for premium units, fully refundable at the end of the term. Your IKAN consultant negotiates it and gets the figure in writing before you sign.
What is the standard lease length in Mumbai?
Leave and license agreements, the usual Indian lease, commonly run 24 to 36 months. They have a 12-month lock-in (up to 24 months for luxury homes), with two months' notice after the lock-in. In Maharashtra the lease must be registered with the Sub-Registrar. Three IKAN reviewers check every clause before the lease reaches you.
Is brokerage payable when renting in Mumbai?
Typically one month's rent. IKAN's home-search service handles the broker negotiations and viewings for you.
Which are the best neighbourhoods in Mumbai for a relocating family or professional?
This guide profiles 6 areas, and families ask us most about four of them. Bandra West is known as the queen of Mumbai's suburbs. Powai is a lakeside area that suits families. Juhu is on the beach, where film stars live. Worli and Lower Parel are the corporate luxury address. The Where to live chapter helps you match a shortlist to your budget and commute.
How does the IKAN move-in inspection work?
On check-in day your consultant photographs every meter, key and fixture. The record is made in move.report and reaches you within 24 hours. You can comment on it for 24 hours from when you receive it, and then it is locked as your move-in baseline. That baseline is what protects your deposit at move-out.
Do foreign nationals need to register with the FRRO in Mumbai?
Yes. Your landlord or hotel files Form C within 24 hours of your arrival, and you keep the receipt. Then you complete FRRO registration within 14 days. IKAN prepares the paperwork and books the appointment so the clock is never missed.
04Expat Essentials
Staff, driving, pets and a monthly budget
The everyday questions every family asks: household staff, driving, pets, faith, safety and a realistic monthly budget. IKAN helps with each of these on the ground.
Household Staff
Hiring Help · Cooks, Maids, Nannies & Drivers
- How to hire: most families find staff through their housing-society network and building WhatsApp group, word-of-mouth referrals, or established placement agencies; vetted platforms such as Urban Company cover one-off cleaning and repairs.
- Police verification: for regular or live-in staff, submit a domestic-help verification form with the worker's photo, Aadhaar/ID and a reference at your local police station (several Mumbai jurisdictions also accept it online). Many societies require this before issuing an entry pass.
- Terms: agree hours, duties, the weekly off, paid leave and the customary Diwali bonus in writing.
- Salaries vary widely by role, hours, live-in vs live-out and locality, IKAN can share current Mumbai benchmarks and help with contracts and verification.
Driving & Licences
Getting Behind the Wheel
- You may drive on a valid International Driving Permit (IDP) for up to one year after arrival; beyond that, residents need an Indian licence.
- Foreign residents can apply for or convert to an Indian driving licence at the local RTO via the Parivahan portal, with passport, visa, address/FRRO proof and a medical certificate.
- Traffic is intense and lane discipline differs from the West, most expats use a hired driver or app cabs for the first few months rather than self-driving.
Bringing Your Pet
Pet Import
- Cats and dogs may be brought in, India generally allows up to two pets per passenger.
- You need an import permit from the Animal Quarantine & Certification Service (AQCS), a microchip, a current rabies vaccination and a veterinary health certificate from the origin country; some cases require a rabies titre test.
- Healthy, compliant pets are inspected by AQCS on arrival at Mumbai airport rather than kennel-quarantined. Start the paperwork 1 to 2 months ahead.
Places of Worship
Faith in a Plural City
Mumbai is religiously diverse, with somewhere to worship for almost every faith: Hindu temples (Siddhivinayak, Mahalakshmi, ISKCON Juhu), mosques and dargahs (Haji Ali, Jama Masjid), churches (Mount Mary Basilica in Bandra, Afghan Church, St Thomas Cathedral), gurdwaras, Jain temples, Parsi fire temples (agiaries), the Keneseth Eliyahoo synagogue, and Buddhist viharas. Most welcome respectful visitors, dress modestly and check timings.
Women's Safety
Getting Around Confidently
Mumbai is widely regarded as one of India's safer large cities for women, including after dark, though normal big-city precautions still apply. Use the women-only compartments on local trains, prefer app cabs with live trip-sharing at night, and save the Women Helpline 1091 and the all-in-one emergency number 112.1091112
LGBTQ+ Mumbai
An Open City
Same-sex relationships are legal, the Supreme Court read down Section 377 in 2018, though same-sex marriage is not yet legally recognised in India. Mumbai is among the country's most open cities, with an active community, the annual Kashish queer film festival and Pride events; comfort levels still vary by setting. Support organisations include The Humsafar Trust.
Accessibility
Step-Free Mumbai
Newer infrastructure, the Metro, CSMIA T2 and recent malls, is largely step-free, with lifts and accessible toilets. Older buildings, narrow footpaths and the suburban trains remain challenging, but provision is improving under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. IKAN can prioritise step-free buildings and accessible routes in your home search.
Sample Monthly Budget · Indicative
| Category | Indicative / Month (family of 4) | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing, furnished 3BHK (area-dependent) | ₹1.5L to 5L | Rent ranges in this guide |
| Groceries & household | ₹18,000 to 28,000 | Cost-of-living guide above |
| International schooling (per child) | ₹67,000 to 1.67L | ₹8L to 20L/year ÷ 12 |
| Local transport | ₹300 to 500 rail pass + ride-hailing fares | Cost-of-living guide above |
| Healthcare | GP ₹800 to 1,500/visit + insurance premium | Cost-of-living guide above |
| Utilities, cooking gas, domestic help, dining & leisure | Variable, request a current quote | · |
Read this as indicative, not a quote. The figures are drawn from the cost and rent tables elsewhere in this guide; schooling is shown per child and is usually the single biggest swing factor alongside neighbourhood. IKAN can prepare a tailored Mumbai budget for your package.
05Go Deeper · IKAN India Essentials
Step by step guides for the paperwork
Each step in this guide has a matching IKAN India Essentials guide. It goes through the forms one by one, and it is the pack your consultant works from. Start with these five.
FRRO Registration
The 14 day rule, the e-FRRO portal walkthrough and the exact document kit.
Read the guide
Money & Banking
NRE and NRO accounts, UPI setup and moving money in and out of India.
Read the guide
Renting Your Home
The Leave & License playbook: deposits, clauses and registration.
Read the guide
Schools & Admissions
Curricula, timelines and the admissions paperwork, board by board.
Read the guide
Healthcare in India
Hospitals, insurance networks, pharmacies and everyday care.
Read the guide
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.