- Kangana Rai manages monthly expenses in Gurugram on about Rs 27,000
- She rents a 1RK apartment for Rs 13,000 and spends Rs 1,000-1,300 on electricity
- Monthly travel costs around Rs 3,500 using bike taxis and Uber One subscription
Living in Gurugram is often associated with high rents, expensive lifestyles and rising daily costs. But a 25-year-old content creator and student is showing that it is still possible to get by on a much smaller budget. Kangana Rai recently went viral on Instagram after sharing a detailed breakdown of how she manages her monthly expenses on around Rs 27,000. Her video has sparked conversations online, with many viewers surprised by how carefully she stretches her budget in one of India's costliest cities.
Rai lives in a compact 1RK apartment that costs her Rs 13,000 a month in rent. Her electricity bill usually ranges between Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,300, depending on the season and air-conditioner usage. Travel is another major expense. She spends about Rs 3,500 a month commuting to coaching classes and work, mostly using bike taxis instead of cabs. To cut costs further, she also subscribes to Uber One, which costs around Rs 150 a month.
Internet and entertainment are budgeted as well. According to Rai, her internet bill is around Rs 700, while subscriptions to platforms such as Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube add another Rs 700.
Food is where she has built a routine that helps keep costs predictable. Instead of ordering meals frequently, she relies on a tiffin service that provides lunch and dinner for about Rs 3,300 a month. For breakfast, she spends around Rs 700 on muesli and milk. Coffee is a daily necessity, costing her roughly Rs 1,500 a month. Being lactose intolerant adds a small extra expense, with milk costing her around Rs 25 to Rs 26 a day.
Since most of her meals are covered through the tiffin service, grocery spending remains limited. She sets aside about Rs 2,000 for occasional eating out, street food and small purchases, while toiletries and personal care products cost another Rs 1,000 each month.
Whatever money remains after these expenses goes towards savings or loan repayments. "I do not earn enough to manage both comfortably every month," she admitted in the video.
"Some months I'm responsible. Some months Swiggy wins. Trying to save, spend, survive & still enjoy life. This is what my monthly budget actually looks like," the video was captioned.
Watch the video here:
The breakdown drew plenty of attention online, particularly because it offers a stark contrast to other recent budget discussions from Gurugram. While some professionals in the city have shared monthly expenses running into Rs 90,000 or even Rs 1.6 lakh, Rai's budget reflects a far more frugal approach built around affordable housing, minimal discretionary spending and careful planning.
In the comments section, many viewers were eager to know more. Several asked where she had found a Rs 13,000 1RK apartment in Gurugram, while others wanted details about her tiffin service. Many praised her disciplined approach, saying the video offered a realistic look at how young students and early-career professionals manage life in expensive urban centres.
One user wrote, "Bro my 1 RK in Gurgaon costs 15 k a month and electricity goes between 6k ~ 9k , what are you even talking about here?" Another commented, "I and genuinely interested to know about the location you are living in because 1RK with this price is very good . Let me know if you can."
"That's just too amazing. love the way you manage your expenses," added a third.
