Worker Says Rs 40,000 In Hometown 'Felt Richer' Than Rs 1.4 Lakh In Bengaluru

A viral Reddit post has sparked a debate about the real worth of money after a corporate worker earning Rs 1,40,000 per month in Bengaluru confessed that Rs 40,000 in their hometown made them feel richer. In a viral social media post, the worker detailed that being a high-earning individual in a Tier-1 city sounds 'amazing' on paper, but the lofty expenses quickly drain the resources, which is usually not the case back home.

"Few years back I was working in Bangalore and earning around Rs 1.4L/month in hand. Honestly, on paper, it sounded amazing. But by month's end, it rarely felt like six figures. Using Bangalore and my hometown, Udaipur, here just as an example of Tier 1 vs Tier 3 lifestyle/expense differences," the user said in a Reddit post.

The worker provided a detailed breakdown of their Bengaluru expenses, highlighting that they paid Rs 30,000 rent for a 1BHK, approximately Rs 6,000 for groceries, Rs 3,000 each for maid, WiFi and Rs 7,000 on food delivery apps. The cabs cost them Rs 5,000, while weekend plans set them back by Rs 8,000.

"And then there are the invisible spends such as Amazon orders, quick commerce apps, random coffees, convenience spending, impulse buys. The funny part is, even after earning Rs 1.4L, a huge chunk quietly disappeared into just existing in a Tier 1 city," the worker stated.

They added that they were saving money, but life constantly felt "rushed and expensive" while they were mentally exhausted most of the time.

"But after a point I realised I was earning more while feeling more mentally exhausted. When I moved back to Udaipur, initially, I was earning much less, around Rs 40k-ish. And the weird part is, I genuinely started feeling richer here!"

Check The Viral Post Here:

Why ₹40k in my hometown felt richer than ₹1.4L in Bangalore
by u/Sabmohmayahaibro in IndiaMoney

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'Best Decision'

As the post went viral, social media users agreed with the individual's assessment, highlighting that going back to their hometown allowed them to connect with family and save money.

"I moved from a Tier 1 city to my village, and I am not going back to any of the cities in India. Saves me a lot of time, which I can spend with friends and family here and lots of money without doing any budgeting," said one user, while another added: "In 2023, after quitting my job, I moved back to my village. I found even Kolkata to be more expensive, and I knew my village was the only place where I could live without earning much. And it was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life."

A third commented: "This is the privilege of having your own home and having a family who takes care of you, the unpaid labour of cooking and cleaning. You should account for this and then do the math."

A fourth said: "Ever felt bored when visiting your hometown from a big city? That's because smaller towns have fewer things to do, visit, experience and spend on. So you naturally stay home or go out in nature more. In big cities, you are more exposed to consumerism, which drains your wallet dry like nothing else."