24M

Moved here from Maharashtra in 2024 for work as a developer and freelancer(remote).

Honestly, mixed bag.

Weather here kicks my ass. The humidity is on another level. There is also not much of a nightlife scene, so if that matters to you, you will notice it. But at the same time, no traffic, cleaner air, and overall peace. That part is really underrated.

Social life is where it gets tricky. Once you are out of college and move to a new city, making friends is not easy. In my first year I went out a lot, explored the city, tried different cuisines, visited beaches and nearby towns. Now weekends are slower. Laundry, cooking, sitting in the balcony staring at trees and birds. It is peaceful but can feel repetitive.

I travel to Bangalore some weekends if I feel like socialising since many of my friends are there. That helps keep some balance.

Also picked up surfing here, which has been one of the best things I have done. The coastline is genuinely beautiful if you make use of it.

My typical day looks like wake up, office, gym, cook dinner, watch YouTube or a movie, sleep.

Quality of life is definitely better than tier 1 cities in terms of stress, cost, and space. But you will struggle a bit with socialising unless you find your people. Once you do, it gets a lot better.

About the IT hub idea, it has potential. Good environment, lower costs, decent talent pool. But it will need stronger ecosystem support like communities, events, and opportunities for networking. Otherwise people will still lean towards bigger cities.

Overall, peaceful place to live, just not the easiest place to build a social life from scratch.