- A Bengaluru CEO highlighted a fresher's ₹350 daily commute cost to office in 2024
- The employee's travel involved two hours each way via public transport and autos
- This daily expense could total ₹7,000-₹8,000 monthly, impacting young workers' budgets
A Bengaluru CEO's LinkedIn post about a fresher spending around Rs 350 every working day just to reach the office has sparked a wider debate over the city's rising cost of living. Sanket Sheth, founder and CEO, recalled a conversation with a fresher after his company resumed in-office work in 2024. The employee was living near Lalbagh while the office was in HSR Layout. Travelling by public transport took nearly two hours each way and involved multiple changes and last-mile travel. Taking a combination of public transport and auto-rickshaws costs the employee about Rs 350 a day.
"His parents weren't comfortable with him riding a scooter because of Bangalore's roads and traffic. Public transport? Close to two hours one way with all the changes and last-mile travel. Auto plus public transport? Around Rs 350 every working day. For someone earning their first salary, just reaching the office could cost Rs 7,000–Rs 8,000 a month. Somewhere in this rapid growth, are we making Bangalore unaffordable for the very youngsters who built its energy?" he wrote in his post.
The incident made Sheth wonder if Bengaluru was becoming too expensive for the young professionals who flock to the city at the beginning of their careers.
See the post here:
He argued that a 22-year-old starting their first job should be able to enjoy their salary and experience some financial independence. Sheth warned that such costs could eventually influence career choices, with young workers preferring remote jobs, avoiding roles that require regular office attendance or considering other cities.
"A 22-year-old shouldn't have to calculate whether they can afford to go to work. Their first salary should mean freedom. Buying something without asking at home. Saving their first Rs 1,000. Not watching Rs 350 disappear every morning simply because they need to reach their desk. And eventually, what will they do? They'll look for remote jobs. They'll avoid opportunities requiring office presence. Or they'll simply choose another city," he added.
Bengaluru's appeal, he noted, has long been driven by the thousands of young people who arrive each year with ambition, fresh ideas and a willingness to take risks.
"This is public infrastructure. For a young person starting at ₹20,000 or ₹25,000, it is economic infrastructure. If Bangalore wants to remain India's city of opportunity, getting to that opportunity must remain affordable. Otherwise, one day we'll have the offices. We'll have the valuations. But the young people who gave this city its soul will have gone somewhere else. And that would be a terrible way for Bangalore to become rich," Sheth wrote.
The post sparked varied reactions, with one user saying, "Yes, if a fresher is coming from another city, he has to pay almost half of what he earns to manage house rent, food and other expenses. With a starting salary of 25-30k, he will be left with nothing to save or buy anything, so he thinks of going to any other city, maybe at a low wage; at least he has his freedom."
Another commented, "Can start early and leave early if we are looking for our own convenience and should not spend money that doesn't work. Even every city has same problem; we are ranting more on Bangalore."
