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House help buys iPhone 14 but lives in slum, Reddit post debates what ‘rich’ means
A Reddit user staying in a Tier 1 city shared how seeing the house help use an iPhone left them momentarily sad.
A Reddit user has sparked a discussion on the definition of wealth in India after observing their domestic help using an iPhone 14. In the post, the individual wondered about the difference between "surface-level showoff" and actual financial stability in Tier-1 cities.
“Is everyone rich in India, or is it just surface-level showoff?” a Reddit user wrote. The individual added, “I live in a tier-1 city. My maid charges ₹2,500/month for jhadu-pocha and uses an iPhone 14 (said full payment). For a moment I felt poor. But then I realised — she still lives in a kutcha/slum area, uses rickshaws, probably has no real savings, no health cover, no safety net.”
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The individual continued asking if it is “actual financial progress” or “just consumption without security”. The person expressed, “Maybe ‘rich’ isn’t about the phone you use, but about assets, savings, insurance, and stability. Curious how others see this — is this common now?”
How did social media react?
An individual wrote, “There is progress, but assets, savings, insurance and stability need more substantial progress than consumption. A phone is a very critical utility, so it probably made sense to upgrade it first. It will take time to see the bigger changes, but they will come with time if we continue to progress. Wish the best for your maid.” Another added, “They are living on EMIs & credit cards. My cousin earns 20k and asked me to buy an iPhone on a 36-month plan. He pays me every month. Now you can think about how everything is happening on Instagram. My colleague took out a 10 lakh loan and went to Mauritius. He took a 1 lakh per day room there on the beach side. I was like ‘Why’.”
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A third posted, “Could have been second hand. I just got a really good deal on a second-hand phone, but had to pay in full to get it.”
(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.)
