Bengaluru

Bengaluru is the classic high-upside, high-friction software-engineer move. The Reddit consensus is not that the city is easy or universally lovable; it is that the career upside is hard to ignore. Developers move for exposure, networks, switching opportunities, startups, and compensation growth that smaller Indian cities often cannot provide. For an “average” developer, commenters argue that the professional environment itself can accelerate learning—unless the only goal is short-term savings.

At the same time, residents are unusually blunt about the downsides. Traffic, broken roads, pollution, water issues, garbage, and chaotic planning come up again and again. Many people say they do not want to stay forever and frame Bengaluru as a place to earn money now and leave later. The IT corridors in particular can feel draining, and people strongly recommend living close to the office or near metro access.

The city’s strengths are real: excellent weather, a cosmopolitan crowd, strong food and nightlife, weekend options, and one of the best software job markets in India. The data also supports Bengaluru’s appeal as a relatively affordable global tech hub with strong purchasing power, though pollution and safety rankings are weak. Overall, it is a very good move if career growth is the priority—but a questionable one if peace, infrastructure, and daily comfort matter more than opportunity.