NRI couple says moving to Australia gave them better quality of life, but at the cost of…

An NRI couple talks about the difference in life in Australia vs India

Updated on: Sep 12, 2024, 17:12:26 IST

By Sanya Jain

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In 2022, one couple left Gurgaon and moved to Australia in search of better quality of life. A little over two years later, they are already planning to return to India. In a conversation with LiveMint, the NRI couple said they found better quality of life in Australia, but at the cost of their savings and lifestyle.

An NRI couple talks about life in Melbourne vs India.

Plagued with loneliness, high cost of living, and exorbitant healthcare in Melbourne, they are now exploring Indian cities where they can return - with Bengaluru being on the shortlist.

Cost of living

“We miss family and the general lack of community the most. Australia is a lonely country. That’s the primary reason we want to move back,” the husband, a techie, told LiveMint.

The tech professional explained that their cost of living has also gone up since moving to Melbourne.

(Also read: Bengaluru couple moves to Luxembourg for better quality of life, lower taxes)

“Also, the cost of living as a percentage of net income is higher compared to India’s. We end up spending about 80% of our household income here. Back in India, expenses were less than 30%, including rent," he said.

“Downgraded our lifestyle”

Since moving to Australia, the couple has had to cut back on holidays, eating out, and entertainment in general. Even essentials like vegetables, cooking oil etc cost 100-300% more in Melbourne, said the techie.

He explained that the increase is in part due to the fact that his wife, an HR professional, had to settle for a lower-paying job.

“She settled for a lower-paying job here as there weren’t many options for her. There are plenty of opportunities only in tech jobs, while in most other industries, employers give preference to those with local education and experience," he said. “We have downgraded our lifestyles and our savings have been hit, only to lead an unfulfilling life."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sanya Jain
Sanya Jain is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times Digital. She has nearly a decade of experience in covering offbeat stories that speak to the everyday experience - from viral videos to human interest copies that spark conversation. Her interests stretch across business, pop culture, social media trends, entertainment and global affairs. Before joining Hindustan Times, Sanya spent two years with Moneycontrol and five years with NDTV. She holds an undergraduate degree in English literature from St Stephen’s College, Delhi, and a master’s in journalism from the Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai. Sanya has a sharp eye for spotting emerging trends and looking for newsworthy angles to elevate viral posts into meaningful narratives. She was the first one, for example, to cover Narayana Murthy’s remark on 70-hour work weeks that sparked a national conversation. She is equally at ease writing about business leaders as about the common man, about issues of national importance and memes that amuse social media. Sanya enjoys speaking with content creators, newsmakers and entrepreneurs to transform everyday moments into engaging, slice-of-life stories that resonate with readers. When she is not working, Sanya can be found curled up with a good book. Born and raised in Lucknow, she has spent the last several years in Delhi. She is deeply interested in animal welfare and now spends a lot of her time running after her destructive orange cat.Read More

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