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-   -   Which city should I move to - Kochi or Trivandrum? EDIT: Bangalore it is! (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifting-gears/222566-city-should-i-move-kochi-trivandrum-edit-bangalore-2.html)

I'd recommend Trivandrum.

1. It is a lot less crowded than Kochi. That means lesser traffic and mosquitos, and not much water shortage anywhere in the city. If you travel a lot, Trivandrum would be better since the airport is inside the city, and not far away like many other cities.

2. Also, if you are a fan of beaches, this is the city to be in.

3.One of the largest malls in the country is under construction in TVM, and is expected to open soon. Even without that, there are good shops to buy anything you would want.

3. Schools are generally good throughout Kerala, but the more reputed/better rated schools are in Trivandrum.

4. Generally, a lot of people in both cities would understand English (perhaps due to high literacy or due to aspirations for jobs in foreign countries), and many people would understand Hindi also (due to Bengali workers and Bollywood).

I'm from Trivandrum, so I may be biased, but I have tried to provide an objective opinion.

People do stay at Fort Kochi. But its an area associated with tourism. The thing is, if you are an IT worker, its not a short commute from Fort Kochi to Kakkanad (where the IT park is located). Especially during peak hours, there are multiple traffic hotspots that you would have to cross when traveling to and fro. Fort Kochi/ Mattanchery used to be Cochin before Ernakulam (the newer part of the city) developed. People from Ernakulam travel to Fort Kochi for a weekend outing, people from Fort Kochi travel to Ernakulam for the malls :)

I am from Thrissur, which is around 80km from Kochi/Ernakulam. And in my opinion Thrissur is the best place in Kerala (my wife strongly disagree as she is from Ernakulam) :)

Trivandrum is a quintessential Kerala city and pretty laidback (probably not as laidback as Thrissur). That said, if someone is moving to Kerala from another city/state, I would strongly recommend Ernakulam. It is more centrally located, tourist destinations are galore on either side, Cochin Intl Airport is much more well connected compared to Trivandrum. Traffic can be chaotic in Ernakulam, but again, that’s pretty much the scene in any big Indian city. And one major plus point is the buzzing café/restaurant scene.

Coming from Delhi, you can quickly feel bored in both these places. Even Kochi (the more happening of the two) can seem really laid back for an outsider. But then I guess when you decide to move to a smaller city, this is one compromise you must be prepared to make.

Other than that, language and stifling humidity year round may be an issue for people from up north. That said, Kochi is a beautiful place and Kerala is a good state from an overall development perspective. The near-abouts of Kochi will be one of my prefered place to settle down if I get to have a say the matter a few years down the line. Kozhikode being the other.

Be warned that both places are nowhere as cosmopolitan as NCR, Bangalore and other big cities. Although off late, Kochi has changed a bit, be prepared for some adjustment on that front as well.

Interesting dilemma. Have not lived in Kochi or Trivandrum, living in Bangalore and from the 3rd major city in Kerala-Calicut/Kozhikode. So just thinking what I would do in this situation.

1. Law and Order: Not a big issue with all the 3 choices mentioned. Need not be a deciding criteria

2. Trivandrum would win here. Bangalore and Kochi are both expensive but I guess still would be cheaper that Gurgaon

3. For this, it has to be Bangalore. Kochi is way behind and Trivandrum would not even be comparable in any way to Delhi

4. Kochi and Trivandrum should not have pollen problem. But remember, Kerala is extremely humid and the winter is also namesake. This means you would pretty much be sweaty all the time. Bangalore weather is still pretty fantastic for most of the year. If this is the only issue against Bangalore maybe worthwhile to see if it is something you can mitigate. (Which is why I have Bangalore mentioned in the other points also)

5. Kerala would fail in the language aspect. Kochi maybe ok, definitely will not be easy with just Hindi and English in any other part of Kerala.

6. Lot of options. Kochi being a little more central may have more options.

7. Trivandrum no doubt, In general pollution in Kerala is way lesser than other places.

Having said that, as a bottom-line, life in Kerala will be very different from rest of India in most aspects. So if you are someone who finds comfort in familiarity, Kerala may be too much of a change, but if you are in a state where you want to experience something very different, then it is a wonderful opportunity and Kochi would be my recommendation just because it is the most cosmopolitan place in Kerala

You have hit a nerve here. Both I and wife are really disheartened to cross Bangalore off the list. It would have been our top choice if not for the pollen problem. Past experience tells us that my wife's sinus aggravates here and we are not sure how to mitigate it.

Bangalore has other downsides as well but still would be the best package for us if we knew how to address the health concerns.

Hello Warrioraks!

I am from BR and have spent close to 16 years in South India (predominantly in TN and now in KA). I have been to TVM once for my one of my dear friend's wedding and never been to COK. Hence, my opinion will be lopsided in favour of TVM. Considering the fact that you will be moving from the chaos of Delhi NCR, I would strongly recommend the city of TVM. As others have rightly pointed out about the laidback lifestyle in TVM, it will be a boon for you and your family.

TVM has got beaches, Padmanabha Swamy temple and relaxed life to unwind you of all the work & health related stress. I work in essential services (read Banking) sector and the job entails transfers on every promotion. Given an opportunity, I would love to work in TVM.

Whatever decision you make, let me assure you that God's own country will not disappoint you!

Both offer different flavours of the same Kerala experience, the other members have already listed out the different aspects quite well. Ill just add a couple of points from my side.

2. Cost of living will be much lower than Gurgaon. For reference, a good 2 bedroom apartment in a prominent neighbourhood in Cochin will be around Rs 12.5 - 30K in Cochin. If you stay towards the IT park, that is in Kakkanad, expect to pay a little less than what you would in the city. You will get much newer apartments in that area though. The rent in Trivandrum would be even less than what it is in Cochin.

3. For cosmopolitan culture, Cochin wins hands down.

4. No pollen issue in Cochin, Im pretty sure Trivandrum doesnt have it as well.

5. No issues with navigating in English. Or Google Maps lol:

6. Both Cochin and Trivandrum score well. Cochin is more central and hence maybe gets the advantage.

7. Get used to hardly any pollution in Cochin and even less than that in Trivandrum!

Overall, Cochin has more hustle and bustle compared to Trivandrum. You cant go wrong with either place to be honest, choose the one that appeals to you guys more.

Why don't you try living in the suburbs? Assuming you would be working in either Whitefiled or Electronics City, you can either live in Sarjapur or Anekal where pollution should be considerably lesser than the city. Cheap housing would be an added bonus.

Sounds like a perfect city for a relaxed and calm life. I am inclined to work or live in this city once. Kochi seems to be a softer landing for our requirements at this point I feel. Thanks for highlighting the beauty of Trivandrum.

Shoot how did I miss that lol:
On a serious note, thanks for sharing your perspective.

I am not sure if suburbs are less affected by pollen. Any specific inputs on this? Based on your and Rajeevraj's posts, we have started re-considering Bangalore as an option now. The question we are contemplating is - how bad will it be. Obviously there is no conclusive answer to this question which increases our dilemma further. Need to communicate the final decision next week so hopefully will decide soon.

As a born & bred Trivandrumite who spent his entire life including engineering studies there until I moved out to Bangalore for my first job at the age of 21, I am, of course, highly biased towards Trivandrum! :)

And tell me about the pollen problem in BGL - 8 years living there (long back, until the mid-90s when BGL was still a green, clean, garden city) gave me severe sinus issues & asthma! :( It is not something that can be just discounted.

As others have posted, Trivandrum still has a more laid-back feel while Kochi certainly feels more modern. But I believe the difference between the two is much less now than say, 25 years ago as TVM also has gained a large non-Malayalee floating / young / cosmopolitan population due to IAF Southern Command & Technopark.

Kochi has horrendous traffic, but Metro. Don't forget the notorious Kochi mosquitoes! TVM airport is in the city while Kochi one is much better connected, but far away.
Horses for courses....

You can manage with English in Kerala. Schooling, health etc. are similar. Kerala has three language policy, but in CBSE schools you may be able to study Sanskrit etc.

I would suggest a brief visit/holiday to Kochi & TVM to see which city you prefer.

The pollen problem in Bangalore is not a new phenomenon, I grew up here and in the late 80s-early 90s, I remember a couple of classmates of mine suffering with allergies made worse by the parthenium growing in all the empty plots.

Another school buddy who also was my roommate in college used to use some sort of air freshner (nebulizer?) in his room at home in Bangalore way back in 96-97 itself. But in college, which was located pretty close to the coast, he had no issues absolutely.

Bangalore has hardly any empty plots anymore :) but I can't imagine things are any better for people susceptible to allergies because of all the construction dust.

Seems there is a lot going for Trivandrum as well.
I wish there was an option for a brief visit but this has to be decided by end of Month. So no go there.
I have been to Kerala around 10 years back on a vacation, but all the time was spent outside these cities (Munnar, Allepey, Thekkady, Kovalam) and loved it. Plus I am sure Kerala like all other places would have changed a lot over the last decade. My best bet right now is to rely on advice from fellow members here and colleagues in these cities.

So what both of you articulated are my worst fears about Bangalore. And it’s a pretty big issue if things start going wrong on health front.

Perhaps talk to a doctor and see if you can get some figures. Traffic and cost of living aside, Bangalore is still a pretty good place to live in. I think it'll be easier to assimilate in a city like Bangalore which is more cosmopolitan than either Cochin or TVM. But yeah, no point living in a place where your health will be compromised. BLR air quality is certainly way worse than in the other two places. But don't cross it off without some more research I'd say. Good luck with your search!

Is law and order really all that sorted in Kerala? For most of us locals, frequent Hartals are a way of life. Especially in trivandrum. I didn't realize how paralyzing they were until i started living in chennai.
Similarly my Wife & sister who have both stayed for several years in chennai tell me they feel a lot more secure in chennai out on the roads at night, or travelling in public buses.
Both these points are somewhat moot if you can work from home, or in today's post COVID world.
Are you looking to settling in kerala as a long term life choice, or something more as something you have to do because your job is taking you here ? because the List of employers and Jobs are much more limited in both of these cities. I want to relocate badly to kerala, but am really not finding any openings in my skillset.

Have you experienced kerala humidity first hand? If you are not used to it, it might be a deal breaker for some.