Mysuru or Mangaluru: Which Karnataka City Is Really Set to Become the Next Bengaluru?
Bengaluru is slowly becoming crowded, expensive and short on space. And Karnataka government is trying to move the growth from one city Bengaluru to other cities with Beyond Bengaluru initiatives. Mysuru and Mangaluru are emerging as two wonderful options. Both cities offer a peaceful lifestyle and very affordable living choices. Both are calmer and cheaper than Bengaluru. But can either one really take Bengaluru's place? Let's find out by comparing jobs, infrastructure development, connectivity, and real estate.
What Karnataka Has Announced
In the 2026-27 Budget, the government said Mysuru will be developed as the state’s second IT city, to ease the pressure on Bengaluru. The government says over 30,000 people already work in nearly 100 IT companies in Mysuru. For Mangaluru, the Budget announced a new IT park. Mysuru and Mangaluru-Udupi-Manipal are also among the regions shortlisted for new global capability centres, GCCs. Under the “Beyond Bengaluru” plan, the firms will also get incentives to set up in tier-2 cities.
Jobs and Tech Parks
In Mysuru, Infosys has its biggest training campus in Hebbal, and IBM, Cognizant, Wipro, LTIMindtree and L&T Technology Services also have offices. Parks such as Silver Spirit Tech Park and Nesara Tech Park house smaller firms. In July 2026, the Mysuru Big Tech Show drew top companies, and the state said it has identified 50 acres to build better infrastructure for the IT push.
Mangaluru on the other hand is slowly catching-up. The new IT park at Blueberry Hills Road in Derebail is a ₹135 crore project on about 3.3 acres, and it is meant to create around 11,000 jobs.
Roads, Rail and Airports
Mysuru’s advantage is its distance from Bengaluru. The expressway brings the travel time down to around 1.5 hours. The Mysuru airport is also set to grow. Its runway will be extended from 1,740 m to 2,750 m, and a plan for a 3-km highway bypass with a 500-metre tunnel under the runway is awaiting approval. A 105-km ring road around the city is also planned.
On the other side, Mangaluru has strong sea and air links. The Centre approved a ₹414 crore, 4.45-km flyover on NH-66 in May 2026 to ease traffic to the New Mangalore Port. In June, ₹105 crore of port projects were opened. The airport is the second busiest in Karnataka.
How Much Home Costs in these Cities
Both cities are far cheaper than Bengaluru. In Bengaluru, the average home price is approximately in the range ₹11,221 to ₹12,600 per sq ft. In Mysuru, apartments cost about ₹6,350 to ₹8,734 per sq ft. In Mangaluru, the the property prices range around ₹5,750 to ₹7,250 per sq ft.
Also read: Bengaluru Pink Line Gets Safety Clearance for 7.5 km Stretch Across 6 Stations: Areas to Benefit and Current Property Prices
Good Localities in Mysuru and Mangaluru
Here are the areas that are popular or worth watching in Mysuru are Vijayanagar which is the best-known planned neighbourhood, about ₹5,500 to ₹8,000 per sq ft. KRS Road is the top-end villa belt, about ₹8,200 to ₹10,600 per sq ft. Hebbal, next to the Infosys campus and industrial area, about ₹4,500 to ₹7,050 per sq ft, Bogadi approximately about ₹3,400 to ₹6,500 per sq ft, and Hunsur Road and the Ring Road belt the newer growth areas near the expressway, about ₹3,500 to ₹5,000 per sq ft on Hunsur Road.
For Mangaluru the localities are Kadri where the property prices are about ₹6,650 per sq ft. Bejai which is central, well-connected area, about ₹6,300 per sq ft. Derebail, this is where the IT park will come up, and the average property price is about ₹5,750 per sq ft. Urwa and Ashok Nagar popular mid-range areas, about ₹6,500 and ₹5,850 per sq ft.
If you want a rough Bengaluru comparison, Mysuru’s Hebbal plays the role of its IT belt, and Vijayanagar is its settled family area. In Mangaluru, Kadri and Bejai are the premium centre, and Derebail is the likely tech zone.
Can People Really Shift From Bengaluru?
Some can, and some already are, especially people who work from home or in hybrid jobs and want a lower cost of living. But it is not easy for everyone. The Grade A office space in Mysuru and Mangaluru has improved but is still limited. Senior professionals often hesitate to move because of fewer premium schools and lifestyle options, but this might improve in the future.
So, Which City Is Closer to Being the Next Bengaluru?
Right now, Mysuru is closer, as it has jobs, an established IT base, the expressway and a direct state push. Mangaluru has the port, the airport and a pleasant coastal life, and with upcoming IT park it is likely to attract many tech companies in future. Neither will become a copy of Bengaluru, and these cities should complement Bengaluru, not compete with it. If you are a buyer, Mysuru suits people who want to stay close to Bengaluru, and Mangaluru suits those who want a lifestyle city with a stable local market. In both cases, check the builder, the legal papers and the travel time to your workplace before you decide.