A video offering a glimpse inside an Indian woman's compact studio apartment in London has caught attention on Instagram, particularly because of its steep monthly rent. The woman revealed that she pays around £1,850, more than ₹2 lakh, for a 215 sq ft studio in Wembley Park.
Inside the compact London studio
The clip was shared by content creator Arya Kothari, who approached the woman and asked how much she paid in rent.
“Around £1,850. That's more than 2 lakh rupees, actually,” she replied.
When Kothari asked about the size of the apartment, she said, “215 sq ft. It's small, and the rent is high, I know.”
She then invited him inside, explaining that the building operates as a hotel but also rents apartments to young professionals. Showing him around the studio, she said, “This is my kitchen. This is a small, compact kitchen, and I make all my dishes over here. This is a studio. It's just, like, everything is together. This is my kitchen, this is my living room, and here is my bedroom.”
The woman, who works in renewable energy trading, admitted that the rent was higher than what she ideally should be paying. “To be honest, I shouldn't be able to afford this. I pay a bit extra than what I should,” she said.
Why she chooses to live in London
{{/usCountry}}The woman, who works in renewable energy trading, admitted that the rent was higher than what she ideally should be paying. “To be honest, I shouldn't be able to afford this. I pay a bit extra than what I should,” she said.
Why she chooses to live in London
{{/usCountry}}Asked why she did not live in India and enjoy a more comfortable lifestyle, she pointed to the independence and exposure London offers.
“I could, but I like the independence of staying here. Wanted to come to London for, like, exposure and meet, like, people from different countries. But Indians are kind of, like, like a comfort zone for me,” she said.
She estimated that a person would need to earn around “40,000 pounds” to live comfortably in the city.
Her home also reflects her personality, with books, flowers, a painting of Paris and an “artifact wall”. Joking about buying herself flowers, she said, “No guy ever gets it for me, so I have to do it for myself.”
(Also read: $109 a month Chinese studio apartment sparks disbelief: ‘That’s my weekly kids’ diapers’)
Is the apartment worth the rent?
While she admitted that the studio alone may not justify the price, she said the wider facilities make a difference.
“I would say this studio specifically is not, but, like, with the building and the services that come with it, it is. Movie room, Pilates studio, a gym, cookhouse, a terrace. So, we have a lot of amenities, that's why I'm paying that much,” she explained.
The video was shared with the caption, “Rent in London.”
Watch the clip here:
Internet reacts
Reacting to the clip, one user wrote, “London rent is on another level.” Another said, “More than ₹2 lakh for a studio is crazy.” A third commented, “At least the amenities make the rent easier to justify.” Another added, “The apartment is tiny, but she has made it feel like home.”
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.)