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'Dubai vs India tax comparison is brutal': Indian man explains why many consider moving abroad
In his post, the the user criticised India’s taxation and infrastructure while praising Dubai’s governance and social safety nets.
A post comparing life in Dubai with that in India has triggered an online discussion after a user claimed the contrast in taxes and public services is “brutal” and reflects why many Indians consider moving abroad. In the post, shared on the anonymous workplace forum Blind, the user criticised India’s taxation and infrastructure while praising Dubai’s governance and social safety nets.
“Dubai has zero income tax, government pays partial salary if you lose your job, sick leave is actually covered, infrastructure works, public transport is clean and safe,” the user wrote.
Contrasting it with India, the post continued, “Meanwhile in India we pay European-level taxes and get potholes that eat cars, weekends spent working because ‘startup culture’, PF stuck for months after leaving jobs, public transport that’s unreliable at best, and literally zero safety net if you lose your job.”
The user said they were “not even asking for Dubai-level luxury” but “just basic respect for the taxes we pay,” adding that despite contributing “30% of income plus GST on everything,” citizens receive “almost nothing tangible in return.”
“Every time I see my payslip and compare it to what I actually get from the government in terms of services or safety nets I feel like I’m being scammed,” the post read, listing poor roads, uncertain healthcare, and lack of unemployment support among key concerns.
“What exactly are we paying these taxes for? anyone here still genuinely believe staying in india long term is worth it or are we all just stuck because moving is hard? because im running out of reasons to defend this system,” the user concluded.
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Social media reactions
The post drew a range of reactions, with several echoing the frustration.
“You forgot to add one more point. Even after paying 30% tax, we pay bribe everywhere just to get our rights exercised… Everyone loves India. But leaving India is the smartest move and I’m also preparing for the same,” one user commented.
Another wrote, “Best to leave India if one has the option to. This country is good only for politicians, bureaucrats and govt officials in the same order.”
“Public transport is clean because people dont litter there. But In India, people dont even have basic etiquettes of how to behave in Public, but their expectations is on next level from the government,” wrote a third user.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)
