Q.Is it hard to find a flat or a house for rent in Kolkata?
A. Yes if this is your first time and you do not have any local help. You will find a lot of brokers who will help you in this process (Generally brokers charge commission upto 1 month). Alternatively you can save some money by putting some extra leg work by finding "Owner" posted properties in various popular real estate websites such as Housing.com (One of the best for Owner posted properties); Magicbricks.com; 99acres.com; makaan.com; Sulekha Properties; Quickr; Olx [Do Note: You will come across a lot of brokers here also, so search for Owner listed properties]
Q.How to find a home in Kolkata: classifieds, real estate portals, real estate agencies?
A. Already answered above.
Q.How much is the rental for a house, an apartment?
A. Totally depends on the type of locality you want to stay in. If you are on a very tight budget e.g. $100-$200 you can look up spaces in Tollygunge, Garia, Central, Howrah, Behala, Parnashree. I would highly recommend to stay in the heart of the city and the best expat friendly locality such as Ballygunge, Park Street, Camac Street, Maidan, Alipore, Elgin Road; the rentals here would be comparatively high but here also you will get a mixed bag of options ranging from budget to premium homes. Also there are a lot of Paying Guests (PGs) options too but I would not recommend it for expats if they are not up for a super indulging with Indian students. But PGs are a great option if you are alone and want to make good friends with local knowledge very quickly.
Q.What are the formalities or the required documents for renting an accommodation?
A.Not much for Indians, but for expats, Your Passport, VISA, letter of employment (If employed), if studying then university documents, local references (if any) (many a times you would not require anything except a Passport and Visa as the landlords do not know proper documentation)
Q.Which advice would you give?
A. If you have a friend here do not hesitate to ask for help. Friendly locals are your best buddies to get you started. However if you don't have friends make use of forums like this to connect and find more. Internet is the best place to start your research. Its better to educate yourself beforehand about the geography. If you have the means then I would highly recommend to stay in places where you find more expats. Communicating in English is not a problem in the city as such. You can get in touch with me if you want to know more, would be glad to help.