Almost everyone dreams of living in the mountains, but how many actually take the leap, quit their jobs and move there permanently? An Indian couple living in Canada did exactly that. Dipti Nair and Dhananjay More were working in well-paying jobs in Toronto, earning a combined annual income of around Rs 1.3 crore. Yet, they found themselves drawn to a different kind of life and decided to follow their hearts to the hills of Himachal Pradesh.
Dipti's Instagram account is filled with videos documenting their journey. In one such video, titled 'The Math Behind Quitting Our Jobs', she explained that while she had a good job, a comfortable salary and a life that looked ideal on paper, she began questioning what she truly wanted.
"I wasn't unhappy. I just started wondering why a 'dream job' had become the dream in the first place," she said.
Reflecting on the idea further, she added: "What most of us actually dream about is more time with people we love, seeing more of the world, getting completely lost in something we enjoy, or just having a random Tuesday afternoon with nowhere to be."
The Math Behind The Dream
"Obviously, all of that needs money. So before we quit, we did the math," Dipti shared.
In the video, she explained that the couple built a financial safety net before leaving their jobs.
According to Dipti, their monthly expenses in Bir, including rent, groceries, gym membership, house help, Wi-Fi, eating out, fuel and miscellaneous costs, come to around Rs 38,000.
This translates to an estimated expenditure of about Rs 12 lakh over two years. They also set aside an additional Rs 10 lakh for travel, adventure activities, content creation and other experiences.
In total, the couple budgeted approximately Rs 22 lakh for two years in the hills.
Opening A Homestay In Himachal
The couple has since ventured into hospitality and launched a homestay. "We had no hospitality experience and no proper business plan," Dipti admitted.
They wanted a property that they could call home themselves while also offering guests stunning mountain views. Eventually, they found a house with scenic vistas from every room and named it Aahista Stays.
Dipti revealed that they invested around Rs 10 lakh to set up the property.
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What Makes It All Worth It?
In one post, Dipti reflected on her new life in the mountains, writing: "Can't believe this is my life. I really can't."
At the same time, she was candid about the challenges. "But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared. Every month I am not adding to my savings, and some days that keeps me up. I miss the money," she wrote.
She also clarified that her decision was not meant to be a universal formula for a better life.
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"For me, the question was not really, 'Is my life bad?' It wasn't. It was more like, 'If nothing about this changes for the next five years, would I actually want that?'" she shared.
The couple continues to document and share their new life in the mountains.
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