The best places to live in Pune
When newcomers weigh up the areas and suburbs in Pune, most start with the office address. Developers have put up homes and offices at breakneck speed, and the road network is still a long way behind. Commuters can easily spend an hour on a trip that looks short on a map, so many expats live as close to work as they can.
Pune’s biggest IT hubs are at opposite ends of the city. Hinjewadi’s Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park is on the western fringe, and Kharadi and Magarpatta are home to the tech parks out east. In between are the crowded peths (historic quarters) of the old city, the colleges and government offices of Shivaji Nagar, the leafy cantonment, and the upmarket neighbourhoods near the airport.
Once the commute is sorted, you can weigh up schools, rent, healthcare, and nightlife. Before you sign a lease, try the drive to work at rush hour on a weekday. Ask the neighbours, too, whether the road outside gets waterlogged between June and September, when the monsoon is at its height.
Central areas in Pune
Expats tend to favour the central areas in Pune when they want the city’s restaurants and transport links on their doorstep. Homes here are older than in the outer suburbs, and rents are generally higher.
Koregaon Park
Expats with a generous housing allowance have favoured Koregaon Park for decades. The upscale neighbourhood is just east of the city centre, and its quieter lanes have grand old bungalows and luxury apartment blocks under big shade trees.
It’s also one of Pune’s main nightlife hubs. Most of its pubs are on Lanes 6 and 7, and North Main Road is lined with restaurants and cafes. Rents are among the highest in the city, and residents on the busier lanes should expect some noise at weekends.
Shivaji Nagar
Residents of Shivaji Nagar have some of the city’s best public transport on their doorstep. The neighbourhood is in the heart of Pune on the west bank of the Mutha River, and it’s a sought-after address for anyone who’d rather not rely on a car.
The area has its own station on the Pune Metro’s Purple Line, and passengers can switch to the Aqua Line at the District Court interchange next door. Line 3 to Hinjewadi also has its eastern terminus here. Shivaji Nagar railway station is on the suburban line to Lonavala, and there’s an intercity bus station in the area.
Fergusson College and COEP Technological University are two of Pune’s oldest colleges, and both are in Shivaji Nagar. Students keep the cafes along FC Road and JM Road busy late into the evening. Schools and hospitals are close at hand, but traffic and noise are the trade-offs in one of the busiest parts of the city.
Bhosale Nagar
Bhosale Nagar is a good bet for families who want a quiet, green street close to the centre. The upmarket neighbourhood is between Shivaji Nagar and Range Hills, and Savitribai Phule Pune University’s campus is just up Ganeshkhind Road.
Older bungalows on wide, leafy roads are part of Bhosale Nagar’s appeal, and there are plenty of newer high-end apartment towers too. Shivaji Nagar’s schools and hospitals are a few minutes away, and the metro’s Line 3 has a stop in the neighbourhood.
Family-friendly areas in Pune
Two of the most family-friendly areas in Pune are Aundh and Kalyani Nagar, and parents who want good schools and a bit more space usually start their search there. Many expat families rent in gated complexes, and both neighbourhoods have plenty of them.
Aundh
Aundh has long been a favourite with expat families. The affluent suburb is in Pune’s northwest, and the offices in Baner and Balewadi are a short drive away. Hinjewadi’s Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park is a longer haul to the west.
Newcomers who want a house rather than a flat often look in Sindh Society or National Society, which have some of Aundh’s largest bungalows. The area has several well-regarded schools that teach Indian curricula, and the international schools in Balewadi and Hinjewadi are within reach. The longest-established of these is Mahindra International School in Hinjewadi.
Westend Mall is in Aundh, and there are supermarkets, such as DMart, nearby for the weekly shop. Most residents get around by car, scooter, auto-rickshaw, or ride-hailing app. Aundh is also on the Pune Metro Line 3 route, and commuters will be able to take the train to Hinjewadi once the full line opens. Rush hour traffic is heavy, so Aundh is at its best for residents who work nearby.
Kalyani Nagar
Families who like the look of Koregaon Park but want to be closer to the airport often cross the river to Kalyani Nagar. Its wide avenues are lined with trees, and the airport is about 2.5 miles (4km) away.
The Bishop’s Co-Ed School has a campus here, and the neighbourhood has its own station on the Pune Metro’s Aqua Line. Residents can take the train straight to Pune Junction and the District Court interchange in Shivaji Nagar. There are restaurants and rooftop bars here too, although the residential streets are quieter than Koregaon Park’s pub lanes.
Areas near IT parks in Pune
Tech workers who’d rather spend their mornings at a desk than in a traffic jam tend to choose the areas near IT parks in Pune. Most of the housing is in newer apartment towers, and many of these are gated complexes with gyms and pools.
Baner
IT professionals with offices in Hinjewadi often pick Baner, since the IT park is a short drive west when the roads are clear. Balewadi High Street is next door, and its restaurants and microbreweries are among the most popular on the west side of the city. Early risers hike the trails on Baner Hill for views across Pune.
The Orchid School in Baner and Vibgyor High in Balewadi are both well regarded, and Jupiter Hospital on Baner Road is one of the area’s main private hospitals. Line 3 has stops along Baner Road, but the road itself is often gridlocked at rush hour.
Viman Nagar
Viman Nagar is right on the southern edge of Pune International Airport, and it’s the obvious choice for frequent flyers. The Indian Air Force and the civilian airlines share the airport’s single runway, so international routes from Pune are limited. Residents who fly long-haul usually connect through Delhi or Mumbai, or they drive to one of Mumbai’s airports.
Kharadi’s IT parks are next door, and Phoenix Marketcity on Nagar Road is one of the biggest malls in Pune. Symbiosis International School is also in Viman Nagar and offers the IB and Cambridge curricula. Residents in the blocks nearest the runway should expect some aircraft noise.
Kharadi
Thousands of tech and finance professionals work in Kharadi, which is home to EON IT Park and Pune’s World Trade Center. Plenty of them live within walking distance of the office. In Pune, that’s a rare perk.
Developers have built apartment towers for most budgets, from compact flats to penthouses. Manipal Hospital has a large branch here, and EuroSchool is one of several schools in the area. Kharadi isn’t on the metro network yet, and Nagar Road is heavily congested at rush hour.