‘I’m scared to open my banking app’: Bengaluru ‘corporate girl’ breaks down ₹45,000 monthly expenses
A corporate employee living in Bengaluru posted how much she spends each month on rent, groceries, shopping, and other items.
A corporate professional has given social media a realistic look at the cost of living in India's Silicon Valley. In an eye-opening Instagram post, the Bengaluru resident detailed a monthly expenditure breakdown totalling ₹45,000, jokingly admitting she is now terrified to open her banking application.

“I calculated how much I spend every month as a corporate girl living in Bangalore… Now I’m scared to open my banking app,” Vaasavi Pasupulati wrote on Instagram.
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She continued, “This was supposed to help me budget. Instead, it gave me a reality check. But honestly, am I overspending!?”
In a series of visuals, Pasupulati gave a detailed breakdown of her ₹45,000 monthly expenses. “How much do I spend in a Month as a Corporate Girl in Bangalore?” she wrote, adding that her fixed living expenses come to ₹19,533. They include rent, maintenance, cook, cleaning woman, and miscellaneous expenses. Pasupulati explained that she shares a 3 BHK with other roommates.
“Groceries: ₹8,000. This includes: Fruits, Vegetables, Spices, Milk, Snacks, Coffee, Eggs, Pasta nights, Avocado toast ingredients,” Pasupulati continued, adding, “Skincare + Makeup + Misc Shopping: ₹6,000. Going out to explore a new cafe or Sunday food orders (considering at least twice a week): ₹3000. Because somehow... there's always something to buy.”
The corporate employee explained that for subscriptions and bills, including phone recharge, cloud storage, and Wifi, she spends ₹1,400. As for her commuting expenses, she spends over ₹7,300.
“Grand Total. Home: ₹19,533. Groceries: ₹8,000. Travel + Outings: ₹7,300. Personal: ₹9,000. Bills & Subscriptions: ₹1,400. Total Monthly Spend is approximately 45,000 per Month.”
(Hindustantimes.com has reached out to Vaasavi Pasupulati . This report will be updated when she responds.)
How did social media react?
An individual joked, “We are spending this much?” Another commented, “Enjoy to the fullest at this phase of your life.”
A third expressed, “Take home to a nearby office... And don't use cabs all the time... Use AC buses… Save Earth, save fuel, use a bike.” A fourth wrote, “Here I am earning less than your room rent and still saving ₹10,000.”
In an earlier post, Pasupulati captured her experience of relocating to Bengaluru. She wrote, “What did I miss. Nobody warns you that moving to Bangalore comes with a starter pack. You’ll learn that getting an auto is a team sport. You’ll develop strong opinions on filter coffee and dosa. You’ll spend weekends chasing brunch spots and weekdays stuck in traffic. You’ll realise your mood depends on your cook didi’s mood.”
She added, “And every time you think you’ve finally made it, a Porsche at the next signal humbles you. Bangalore will test your patience, empty your wallet, make you question your life choices and somehow still convince you to stay. And despite all the traffic, rent, auto cancellations and Sunday evening anxiety, you’ll end up defending Bangalore like a local.”
ABOUT THE AUTHORTrisha SenguptaTrisha Sengupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of digital newsroom experience. Specialising in high-engagement storytelling, she blends viral trends with traditional journalism to cover the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. Her reporting spans real estate and personal finance struggles in hubs like Bengaluru and Gurgaon, the NRI experience, and corporate shifts like tech layoffs. Trisha also frequently tracks global figures and writes human interest stories. Offline, Trisha is an avid reader, history enthusiast and solo traveler. She balances her journalism career with family life while actively integrating AI tools into her modern storytelling approach.Read More

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