A Gurgaon man has sparked a conversation about the hidden cost of choosing cheaper housing far from the workplace, arguing that lower rent may not always translate into real savings once commuting expenses and time are taken into account.
Taking to Instagram, Ayan Chakravarty shared his own experience of moving farther away from his office after initially living nearby when he shifted to Gurgaon in 2023.
“If you have ever thought that living farther away from the office and saving money on rent would save you a lot of money, think again, because I did exactly that,” Chakravarty said.
He explained that the rent near his workplace was high while the house was in poor condition, prompting him to move farther away. The decision gave him a bigger home while helping him save around ₹20,000 every month in rent.
Hidden cost of longer commute
{{/usCountry}}He explained that the rent near his workplace was high while the house was in poor condition, prompting him to move farther away. The decision gave him a bigger home while helping him save around ₹20,000 every month in rent.
Hidden cost of longer commute
{{/usCountry}}However, Chakravarty soon realised that the financial calculation did not account for the time spent travelling.
“Travelling 60 km a day was costing me three hours every day. Five days a week, 52 weeks a year, that comes to 780 hours annually. Almost an entire month of my life every year was being spent commuting,” he said.
According to him, the commute also meant waking up and leaving home earlier, while getting less time for himself and his family.
The financial savings also began shrinking once fuel costs were considered. Chakravarty said his daily fuel expenditure rose from around ₹200 to ₹600, adding nearly ₹9,000 to his monthly expenses.
“So, my savings were now only ₹11,000 a month, and that was before factoring in parking, maintenance and tolls,” he said.
‘Selling 32 days of my life’
Reflecting on the experience, he said, “I thought I was saving ₹20,000 a month on rent, but what I was actually doing was selling 32 days of my life every year to save that money.”
He added that living farther away could still make sense for some people, but urged them to consider the full cost rather than focusing only on rent.
“Money goes out of your bank account, but time goes out of your life, and you do not get that back,” he said.
The video was shared with a similar caption explaining how rent savings can be offset by fuel costs, long commutes and reduced personal and family time.
Watch the clip here:
Internet reacts
Social media users found the calculation relatable. One user wrote, “Time is more valuable than rent savings.” Another said, “Three hours daily is too much.” A third commented, “This calculation is eye-opening,” while another added, “This is so relatable.”
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.)