Indore, often referred to as the "Heart of India," and “Mini Mumbai” is a vibrant and culturally rich city located in central India. With a fascinating blend of tradition and modernity, it is the largest city in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Indore is renowned for its cotton industry, palaces, temples, and many more.
Indore is also home to many prestigious colleges and universities offering quality education across multiple disciplines. Students from across the country come here to pursue their higher education. Those coming from outside of Indore usually have queries related to accommodation, food, people, transportation etc in Indore. To answer such queries and tell us more about Indore from a student’s perspective, we have got Ayush Singh, a third year Computer Science student at the SAGE University, Indore.
In this article, Ayush has shared his firsthand experiences and important insights as a student living in Indore. He has provided valuable information on various aspects like accommodation cost, food costs, expenses on transportation, tourist places, popular shopping places, local cuisine, and many more.
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I live in the college hostel but many of my friends and classmates live in PGs and Flats. What I have known so far is that areas like Vijay Nagar, Rau, Bengali Square, Sudaman Nagar and Mahalaxmi Nagar are lost-cost areas. The accommodation expenses at these places have semi furnished one room for a rent of Rs 3,500 - Rs 4,000 pm; 1 BHK: Rs 6,000 - Rs 7,500, 2 BHK: Rs 8,000 - Rs 10,000, 3 BHK: Rs 12,000 - Rs 15,000.
Apart from the above, hostels and PGs are also available at single bed in sharing (hostels): Rs 2,500 - Rs 3,000; separate room (hostels): Rs 3,000 - Rs 3,500 and PGs : Rs 5,000 - Rs 8,000
(All the figures mentioned above do not include food expenses except for PGs. Additional charges for water, laundry, electricity, internet, and maintenance apply.)
Some of the famous upmarket localities of Indore are MR 10, Niranjanpur, Ujjain Road, Scheme No 54, Nipania, Bapu Gandhi Nagar, and Deep Palace Colony etc. The accommodation at these places can cost 1 BHK: Rs 8,000 - Rs 10,000; 2 BHK: Rs 12,000 - Rs 16,000; 3 BHK: Rs 18,000 - Rs 25,000,
Those residing in hostels and PGs get their food (lunch and dinner) within the premises from the accommodation provider. However, most of those who live by themselves or with other fellow students in shared flats hire a maid for cooking their food who roughly takes Rs 800 - Rs 1,000 per student. A lot of students also opt for tiffin services. The number of students preparing their food on their own is very low.
The average expenditure on food ranges between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,500. The monthly expense for tiffin service (two meals per day) can range from Rs 2,800 to Rs 4,000 per month depending on the food you prefer i.e., veg or non-veg.
Transportation is cheap compared to other big cities of India. Other than Uber, Ola, and i-bus, people use sharing auto a lot which is very economical. Public transport is also used by people as all the major places of Indore have well connected roads and transport facilities. The monthly expenditure on travelling doesn’t cross Rs 1,000 unless personal cabs are used a lot.
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Indore’s famous tourist attractions such as Rajwada Palace, Lal Bagh Palace, Ralamandal Wildlife Sanctuary, Chokhi Dhani, Patalpani Waterfalls, Kanch Mandir, Bada Ganpati, Annapurna Temple, Central Museum of Indore, Choral Dam, Tincha Falls, Indore White Church, and Mandavgad Forts etc.
Shopping hubs like Sarafa Bazar, MT Cloth Market, Sitlamata Bazar, Heritage Market, Moolchand Market, Khajuri Market, Topkhana Market, and Tibetan Market attract a lot of tourists and shoppers.
On an average, miscellaneous expenses including weekend leisures, movies, mobile recharge, medicines, clothes etc, is roughly around Rs 1,500 - Rs 2,000.
Indore is also famous for its food. Almost every person living in Indore is a foodie. Some very famous street foods of Indore are poha, dahi bade, jalebi, samosa, moong bhajiya, kachori, namkeen sev, parmal dal bati, garadu, sabudana khichdi, dal bafla, khopra patties, egg Benjos, mawa bati and many more.
Top educational institutions in Indore are IIM Indore, IIT Indore, Indore Institute of Law, PIMR Indore, IBMR Indore, SAGE University, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam University, Symbiosis Indore, Swami Vivekanand College of Engineering, Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, and AKS University etc.
The people of Indore are referred to as ‘Indori’. They are very welcoming, friendly and helpful in nature. Indore is also the first cleanest city in India.
The city's stunning architecture reflects its diverse heritage. Indore is also a hub for education and industry, making it a significant economic and educational centre in Central India. Indore is the commercial capital of Madhya Pradesh and famous for its cotton handloom industry, electrical machinery & appliances, and bicycle manufacturing.
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Application Date:11 November,2024 - 08 April,2025