Chennai can be kinder on rent than Bangalore — until you pick a flat in OMR traffic and spend your life on the bus. Price the corridor: OMR, Velachery, Tambaram, Anna Nagar — not “Chennai is cheap.”
- Shared 2BHK near IT parks: often ₹6–10k per head including basics.
- Solo 1BHK in a prime pocket: can erase fresher savings on 6–8 LPA.
- Humidity hits electricity bills — budget A/C guilt into monthly costs.
The takeaway
Cap rent near 30–35% of in-hand. Write deposit recovery rules before you transfer — PG scams happen here too.