Delhi, India

Delhi is the capital of India, and it is divided into two districts: Old Delhi and New Delhi. Old Delhi, the more historic city, is located in the north; New Delhi is in the south, and has been the capital of India since 1947. The Shah Jahan, who had control of India starting in 1639, developed the then-capital of India around the Red Fort along the Yamuna River. This area later became known as Old Delhi. Britain colonized India in 1858, and continued to take over Delhi in the early part of the 20th century. In 1912, the city of New Delhi was fully ruled by British colonists; the British had control until India's independence in 1947.

From the 1950s onward, Delhi saw a flock of migrants from all over India and neighboring nations and continents come to the city. While Old Delhi captures the history since the early 17th century, New Delhi is more modern; this is where more modern developments and architecture are located.

While there used to be Old Delhi and New Delhi, the area is now commonly referred to as Delhi. The population ranges from people of Indian backgrounds to descendants of colonists. Common languages spoken are Hindi, an Indian language; and English, drawn from the British colonists. The Indian Rupee is the nation's currency, and 1 Rupee equals $0.013 USD.

Location

Job Opportunities

With Delhi's large population, its service industry is crucial economically. The service industry consists of tourism, with Delhi being a tourist hot spot; the information technology industry is crucial for all things web, marketing, and travel related; and the telecommunications industry includes broadcasting locally and internationally. The construction and manufacturing industries are also booming in Delhi. With India's large population, Delhi has developed manufacturing industries for clothing, home products, and other locally- and nationally-produced items. Retail is one other major player in Delhi's economy. In the New Delhi area, with emerging shops, restaurants, local entertainment, and other markets, retail is one of Delhi's largest job sectors. From working in technology to manufacturing to retail, jobs in Delhi are available for all interests.

Cost of Living

In Delhi, considering whether to live downtown or in the suburbs is based on commuting preference. For a one-bedroom unit downtown, prices average 17,900 Rupee ($240 USD); three-bedroom units average 42,500 Rupee ($565 USD) per month. By living outside of Delhi, one-bedroom prices average 10,400 Rupee ($140 USD), while three-bedroom prices are around 24,600 Rupee ($328 USD) per month.

For basic utility expenses, including water, electricity, and heating, monthly prices are around 4,100 Rupee ($55 USD). When using the internet and cell service, monthly rates average 730 Rupee ($9.75 USD) for one month. If owning a car is important, average prices for the smallest of brand-new cars fall around 1,000,000 Rupee ($13,300 USD); gasoline prices come in near 370 Rupee ($4.94 USD) per gallon.

Transportation

Delhi has a solid transport system throughout, starting with the METRO System. While it is currently limited in destinations by only circling downtown, it eliminates the hassle of driving and getting stuck in city traffic. There is also the Delhi bus network, which travels around the main city and suburbs. While this network is Delhi's most cost-efficient form of transportation, there are unsafe risks of being on the bus.

For more car-like transportation, Delhi offers taxis; these are the most costly yet comfortable mode of transportation. There's no telling what the price will be, as negotiation with the driver occurs before departing. One must negotiate sooner rather than later, or the driver will only charge higher rates. Finally, there are auto rickshaws, or "tuk-tuks," which speed by other road traffic. Here, figuring out a price with the driver is also important to do immediately. Overall, choosing between safe, fast, and luxurious travel is important, but there is no even balance. Delhi has abundant options for transportation without owning a car.

Recreation

From local markets to sports clubs including paintball and bowling, Delhi offers great recreation. Local markets include the Janpath, with a variety of locally-grown street food, in addition to other food markets. For different city vibes, there are a variety of greenspaces including the Garden of Five Senses, a relaxing place to spend an afternoon on the weekend. Connaught Place also offers great hiking and exploring local architecture.

Sports clubs, both indoor and outdoor, are well-known around Delhi. These include bowling, paintball, biking clubs, and other team events. Outdoor activities consist of paragliding and bungee jumping. With its location in the mountains and near the cities of Kasol and Manali, Delhi offers great hiking adventures nearby. From local culture vibes to getting outdoors, Delhi is full of activities all around the city.

Climate

The warmest months in Delhi are between April and June, with highs ranging from the mid 90s into the low hundreds (35 to 40 degrees Celsius). The coolest months are December through February, with highs in the low to mid 70s (20 to 24 degrees Celsius), and lows reaching 40 to 50 degrees (5 to 10 degrees Celsius). July and August are the most precipitous months, averaging 10 inches of rain monthly. Precipitation amounts significantly decrease between October and June, with 1 to 2 inches of precipitation per month.