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Gurgaon founder explains why a higher salary in metro city may not mean richer life: ‘You pay with time’
A Gurgaon founder said metro life came with hidden costs that went far beyond high rent.
Living in a metro city may come with better salaries and career opportunities, but the higher income often brings a string of hidden expenses that are easy to overlook. A Gurgaon-based founder has sparked a conversation online after arguing that the true cost of metro life goes far beyond monthly rent, with people also paying heavily for convenience, commuting and, most importantly, their time.
(Also read: Man unemployed for 2.5 months says metro city expenses are draining savings: ‘Mental fatigue is so real’)
‘The calculation doesn’t end there’
Taking to Instagram, Sunny Garg shared a video explaining how a seemingly comfortable salary can quickly feel inadequate once the wider costs of city life begin piling up.
"People who live in metros will definitely agree with me on this point: the biggest expense of living in a metro isn't just the rent; it's the entire lifestyle that becomes expensive because of that rent," he said.
Using the example of someone earning ₹1.5 lakh a month in Gurgaon, Mumbai or Bangalore, Garg said rent of ₹30,000 to ₹40,000 may initially appear manageable. However, expenses such as cabs, fuel, parking, domestic help, childcare, food delivery, weekend outings and flights to visit family can significantly alter the equation.
He added, "Because a metro doesn't just charge you rent for space; it also charges you rent for your lack of time."
According to Garg, people may end up paying higher rent to live closer to work, spending on convenience because they lack time to cook, or hiring help because balancing work with childcare becomes difficult.
Metro salary vs smaller-city life
Garg also compared metro salaries with earnings in Tier-2 cities, saying someone earning ₹80,000 to ₹90,000 there may sometimes have a larger home, shorter commute, parents nearby and proportionately higher savings than a metro employee earning ₹1.5 lakh.
However, he clarified that he was not suggesting metros were inherently bad. "Metros offer opportunities, networks, higher salaries, and faster career growth," he said, while urging people to compare the quality of life a salary can actually buy rather than focusing only on the package.
(Also read: ‘41 mins by road, 21 mins by metro’: Chennai traveller says metro saved his flight)
He concluded, "Because the most expensive bill in metro life sometimes doesn't get deducted from your bank account; it gets deducted from your calendar."
Sharing the clip, Garg wrote, "A higher salary doesn’t always mean a richer life," adding that people should compare "the life those salaries buy".
Watch the clip here:
Social media users react
The post drew reactions from users who related to Garg's observation. One person wrote, "This is actually so true." Another commented, "Metro life comes with hidden costs." A third said, "Yes, I agree with you," while another added, "Convenience matters more than we realise."
HT.com has reached out to the user for his comments, and the copy will be updated once his response is received.
(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.)
