I am moving from Chennai to North India to the Delhi NCR area. The two places I am considering moving to are Delhi or Noida. I think both places are quite different, and if looking for a home maybe Noida is slightly cheaper than Delhi itself, but I need some confirmation on this yet. Other things which I need some help with are the safety of the places, I would like to know which place is safe for a family, where kids can go out and play, or you can go out for evening or morning walks without any hesitance. Other factors that I need to find out about is the places where groceries are cheaper and there is easy access to shops for daily needs as well as clothing and home essentials. Taking at look into the above mentioned which is better Delhi or Gurgaon?
Mr Ranganathan, living within Delhi will cost you more than living in Noida. Living in Gurgaon is most expensive though. So, I would stick to your original plan of living in Noida. You'll have to scout properties yourself, but much of the good residential colonies/vihars in NCR have parks and all. So, kids can play. In terms of safety, its just as safe as any other major city. Delhi never sleeps but most family societies do, around 11pm. Other than that, everything is available in all these locations. Groceries, veggies, and all you can buy from the nearby big bazaar or reliance fresh.
Hi there, welcome to the forum! All three cities, Delhi, Noida and Gurgaon, are part of the National Capital Region of India. Choosing between these three cities is really hard and at the end of the day, it depends on the personal interests and preferences of the person. They do have their own pros and cons, which we will highlight at the later part of this guide. For the meantime, let's describe these cities briefly, an overview of what would greet you when you choose one of these cities. To describe Delhi in simple terms is that it is a very diverse city. Yes, it is progressive but amidst the skyscrapers and malls, you would also find heritage sites like Humayun's Tomb and the Red Fort. Despite being chaotic, it is also here where you can find a mixture of different cultures and traditions, ranging from regional and international differences. Everything here is at your reach, from job opportunities, career advancements and even entertainment options. It is no wonder why the city has the second largest population in the country, because when in you're Delhi, it just seems like you're a bit closer to your dreams. Delhi Noida is the opposite of both cities, it is well-planned and executed. As such, roads here are wider and at the same time, life is a bit more laid-back. Being a part of the NCR, the city has been progressing quite well for the past few years. Infrastructures here are comparable to other metro cities yet it still has that vibe of a rural area. Its connectivity to Delhi, via Metro, is another good feature of the city, since if your work is in Delhi, you can easily reach it. This past few years, crime rate has also been stable and hopefully, things get better as time passes by. Noida Lastly, we have Gurgaon, which is the exact opposite of Noida. It is an accidental city, thus, roads here are not as wide as the ones in Noida or Delhi. On the other hand, Gurgaon is as much as a progressive city as the other cities. You would find most IT sectors and even real estate sectors in the city. The presence of many commercial hubs in the city is also apparent. Thus, if career is your main priority, Gurgaon might work well for you as almost all industry sectors are present in the city. Gurgaon Of course, these are only the good points of the cities. Each city has their own downsides and we will discuss that further so that you can decide which place would be most suitable for your family and you. Let's begin. 1. Apartment Rentals Delhi - When it comes to renting out an apartment in Delhi, it's on the middle ground between the three cities. Expect to pay at least Rs. 16,000 per month for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre. If you're going to be renting an apartment with more bedrooms, price might go as high Rs. 40,000 per month. Rental rates are a bit cheaper if you can find an apartment outside of the city centre of Delhi. But then again, comparing these rates to Mumbai, it's still more affordable and you get to enjoy spacious apartments here as well. Noida - Renting out an apartment in Noida would be your cheapest option. A one-bedroom apartment in the city centre costs about Rs. 12,000 while a three-bedroom apartment costs about Rs. 27,000. If you choose an apartment outside the city centre, then there's a price difference of about Rs. 4,000 to Rs. 8,000, depending on the location. The good feature of the residential areas in Noida, especially around the Greater Noida area, is that they are widely spread and so you can enjoy your private space. You also have many options, there are bungalows, apartments or two-storey houses, depending on your interests. Gurgaon - Gurgaon has the highest cost of apartment rentals although the difference from Delhi is probably not that big. Expect to pay around Rs. 17,000 per month for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre. More bedrooms equals higher prices and it can hit the Rs. 40,000 and above markup. If you're going to be buying an apartment or a house, the rates are about 20% lower than in Delhi though. However, unlike the other cities, residential areas here are not as planned well and so there might be issues arising with sewage or water availability. 2. Safety Delhi - For the past few years, crime rates in Delhi had been increasing. But then again, we have to take into consideration that this is one of the most populated cities in the country and at the same time, it is highly shown on the media. Thus, most cases are shown on the news and there's that notion that the capital is unsafe for women. But if you look closely at the numbers, you'd find that Delhi has far less crime rates when compared to smaller cities with smaller population. Of course, you do have to take safety precautions when in the city as there really is no city in the world without any crimes. As such, do not venture out of your house in the dark, especially when you're alone and do take public transportation when you have to be out alone during night time. Noida - Noida has the least crime rate, as comparison to the other two cities. The Greater Noida area is also one of the safest regions in the area. As you venture further into sectors beyond 70, you'd find that these areas are sparsely populated. It has nothing much to do with the crime rate but more from the underdevelopment of these areas. However, since they are sparsely populated, there are more cases of robbery in houses here as well. So choose sectors that are fully developed in order to be on the safe side. Gurgaon - Gurgaon is almost in the same ground as Delhi so it's important to take safety precautions especially when venturing out at night. It's better to just do day time sightseeing or errands though and if going out at night, have your husband or male relative with you. With regards to robbery in homes, as long as you choose a gated community, you'd be safer. Another tip is to don't use your phone while walking on the streets as it can easily get snatched that way. Just be aware of your surroundings and you would be able to avoid such mishaps and crimes. 3. Proximity to Shopping Hubs and Prices Delhi - When it comes to grocery shopping or even retail shopping, you won't find a shortage of places in Delhi. There are the street markets like Chandni Chowk, Dilli Haat and Sarojini Nagar where you can find quite affordable goods. On the other hand, if you're into branded items, Delhi has a number of malls as well to keep you busy. There's the DLF Promenade Mall, Select Citywalk and Pacific Mall. All these malls have groceries, retail shops and of course, restaurants. When it comes to prices of products, there's minimal difference between Gurgaon and Delhi. Noida - Noida has lesser choices when it comes to shopping and most are in the form of posh malls. However, the largest mall in India is located here, the DLF Mall of India. There are also other choices like the Great India Place and the Logix City Centre Mall. You can find some smaller grocery places around for your basic necessities though. In terms of prices of products, Noida has the cheapest rates out of all these cities. Price difference varies but you can find a difference of Rs. 4 to Rs. 5 for some items in Noida, . Gurgaon - There are also plenty of malls around Gurgaon, with the likes of Ambience Mall, MGF Metropolitan Mall and Gurgaon Central Mall. There are many more shopping malls around the city although smaller than the above mentioned ones. Street markets are fewer here unlike in Delhi but you can find a few like Sadar Bazaar and Export Bazaar, both located in Sector 14 of the city. Prices for items here vary but are comparable to Delhi although some items here are priced higher than the mentioned city. 4. Pollution Delhi - For the past few years, the quality of air in Delhi has been suffering. The good news is that it has been steadily improving, even going down in rank for the most polluted city in the world to the 11th now. With the support of the government and the industries, it can only get better and maybe in the upcoming years, the quality of air would improve even more. Of course, there is much needed cooperation with the citizens too, by trying to carpool or use public transportation as much as possible. Noida - Being the greenest city out of these three, Noida also has the least pollution. Once you set foot on the city, you'd understand why as it has trees in most areas. In fact, it has about 50% of forest coverings and so this contributes to the cleaner air of the city. It has also helped that not too many industries have set up their businesses in the city, except for the IT sector. So when it comes to air quality and cleanliness, Noida wins hands down. Gurgaon - A hastily planned city, Gurgaon has its fair share of problems. Its main issue is that the residential areas here are not that well-developed leading to sewage problems. In recent years, the quality of air here has also been suffering although there is some greenery around but it cannot compensate for the pollution. But comparing it to Delhi, quality of air here is not that worse although it's leading to that area especially if the government won't provide laws for better environment protection. 5. Traffic Delhi - Delhi traffic is notorious all around the world. With the increasing population, there's also an increase in vehicles in the city. Thus, you need to allot a few hours, if you live out of the city centre, to reach your destination. Or you can utilise the Delhi Metro, since this is the most convenient and fastest way to reach certain areas in the city. If you have your private vehicle, then you can use that but you have to know the ins and outs of the city to avoid the traffic. Noida - With its wider and smoother roads, Noida has lesser traffic as compared to the two cities. As is with any big city, traffic is inevitable but you won't suffer from it as much in Noida. There's also the Noida - Greater Noida Expressway which runs through the city and is such a pleasant highway to drive in. Then, there are also other highways like the DND Highway, connecting Noida to Delhi and the Yamuna Expressway, connecting Noida to Agra. Almost all roads in Noida have six lanes too making driving here relatively a breeze than the other cities. Gurgaon - Being increasingly populated and due to the accidental planning of the city, Gurgaon's roadways are not as comparable to the other two cities. Because yes, Delhi does receive much traffic but its roads are average to good and Noida doesn't receive much traffic and its roads are good to great. But on the flip side, Gurgaon has ill-maintained roads and especially during monsoon season, floods can occur quite frequently in the city. Traffic is yet another issue here since the population is ever increasing in the city. You can however use the Rapid Metro, Gurgaon's version of the Delhi Metro to get from one point of the city to the other. 6. Entertainment/Attractions Delhi - The best feature of Delhi is its heritage sites like the Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb, India Gate and Red Fort. You won't be able to visit all its heritage sites in a day and as such, you can make plenty of day trips for them. For kids, these are good sites to visit as they can learn more about the rich history of the city. There are also religious sites around the city like the Bahai Lotus Temple, ISKCON Temple and Birla Mandir. Greener attractions like the Lodi Gardens, Nehru Park, Garden of Five Senses and Mughal Garden can be nice getaways from the city pollution. The city also has a number of museums that kids can enjoy like the National Gandhi Museum and National Rail Museum. You can even visit the National Zoological Park of Delhi and see a few wild animals in the city itself. The numerous malls in the city also offer entertainment places like cinemas and playgrounds that children can enjoy. Noida - When it comes to attractions, Noida has far less than the other two cities. But one of the main attractions here is the Worlds of Wonder theme park, where there are dry rides and water rides. For wildlife spotting, you can visit the Okhla Bird Sanctuary or the Nandan Kanan National Park, both located outside the city centre of Noida. There's also the Rashtriya Dalit Prerna Sthal and Green Garden, where you can enjoy a leisurely walk with your children in. As mentioned above, there are also some malls around Noida that offer cinemas, playground and video games centres. Gurgaon - There are a few historical/religious sites around Gurgaon, like the Qutub Khan's Tomb and Sheetla Mata Mandir. For some greenery, you can visit the Leisure Valley Park, Tau Devi Lal Biodiversity Park and Aravalli Biodiversity Park. For wildlife spotting, Gurgaon has some attractions for that too like the Sultanpur National Park and Basai Wetlands. For some fun, there's the Fun N Food Village, where there are water rides and dry rides that kids can enjoy. There are also some museums around the city like the Stellar Children's Museum and Urusvati Museum of Folklore. The night life in Gurgaon is also quite alive, as compared to the other cities. Thus, you can find plenty of night clubs or bars, but they're just for adults of course. 7. Public Transportation Delhi - The main mode of transportation in Delhi is the Delhi Metro. It is one of the most efficient metro systems in the world, serving over two million passengers daily. Thus, it is the best mode of transportation in the city, considering the huge traffic in most roads. There's also the Delhi Transport Corporation buses, which are also efficient in transporting passengers from one place to another. These buses not only serve the city but also serves passengers going out of the city. Of course, auto rickshaws, cycle rickshaws and cabs are also plenty in the city. These are good for short distances or when you're running late and need a quick way to get from one point to another. Noida - Noida is connected to Delhi by the Delhi Metro. For city transport though, you'd have to rely on auto rickshaws, cabs or buses. As compared to Delhi, frequency of public transportation here is lower but then again traffic is also lower. If you have your own car, then you can get by better in the city. Gurgaon - Gurgaon might have the worse public transportation options. Buses and trains are sparse and mainly not too reliable. Although bus fare is cheap, they don't round the city all too well and so you must rely on cabs or auto rickshaws most of the time. The first phase of the Rapid Metro has been introduced but it has a long way to go before it cans serve the whole city. If you have your own car, you have to face the huge traffic issues in the city, apart from the road conditions. There you go, a detailed comparison of the three cities. In your case, Noida seems like the most appropriate option for you, followed by either Gurgaon or Delhi. Noida is the safest, near to Delhi where you can easily reach attractions and has the most affordable rates for apartments or houses. It also has a few attractions that can be enjoyed by the whole family. I hope this helps you.
