Groceries, driving, and the small stuff

Grocery shopping

You'll generally use a mix of three kinds of places:

• International grocery stores — carry imported and Western brands, at a price premium. Good for the specific items you can't substitute.
• Indian supermarket chains — wide selection, competitive prices, and increasingly good produce and specialty sections.
• Street markets — the cheapest and freshest option for produce, and worth learning even if you only use them occasionally.

Driving around

Traffic patterns and local driving norms take real adjustment. Most expat households end up with one of two setups:

• A dedicated driver — common for families, especially with school runs or a long commute. Ask other expats for referrals rather than starting cold.
• Ride-hailing apps — fine for occasional trips, less practical as a daily solution once kids or a fixed commute are involved.

If you're hiring a driver directly, a few questions are worth asking every candidate up front, plus running a background/reference check regardless of how you found them.

Haircuts & personal care

Salon quality and familiarity with different hair types varies widely by neighborhood and price point. This is one area where it's genuinely worth asking around before your first appointment, especially for color or textured hair.