Kochi or Bengaluru? NRI with British wife turns to Reddit before moving to India

An Indian man married to a British woman took to Reddit to seek feedback on which Indian city he should settle in when he, along with his wife and three-month-old daughter, relocate to India next year.
The user, J Pal, said the family will be moving to India in February 2025 and that they are considering making Kochi in Kerala their new home. The man, who is originally from Kolkata, said his parents suggested they consider Kochi. Pal had four main concerns before he made up his mind and shared these with Redditors.
His first question was whether Kochi has “language-based regionalism like Bangalore.” He also wanted to know if the commercial capital of Kerala is safe for women and if it is a conservative city. Pal said he and his wife would be commuting mostly by car.
Next, the new father wanted to know if Kochi has good iGCSE schools for their daughter’s education.
Lastly, he wanted to know if Kochi, being a Tier-2 city, lags behind cities such as Pune and Kolkata. Pal, however, admitted that he and his wife prefer the slower pace and quiet of a smaller city.

Pal’s questions received reassuring responses from other users who told him that Kochi is a highly liveable city with little language barriers or regionalism and a largely cosmopolitan culture. Redditors on the Kochi forum said those who do not know Malayalam can manage day-to-day affairs in English or Hindi. The city is relatively safe for women, many users said, adding that Kochi had many Whites living there.
Users also emphasised that Kochi has good hospitals and a well-connected public transport system, including the metro and the water metro.
(Also Read: IITian couple moves back to India after living in US, shares 10 differences between countries)
While several users said Kochi does not have language-based regionalism that is common in Bengaluru, it is not as pet friendly as the Karnataka capital.
Another user seemed to prefer the moderate weather of Bengaluru over the tropical weather of Kochi.
(Also Read: NRI family picks Bengaluru over Gurgaon as they move back from Australia: ‘We’re okay with the traffic’)