An Indian woman living in the United Kingdom has shared a reality check for those who see the rising value of the pound against the rupee as a reason to move abroad. Taking to Instagram, Mansi Aggarwal posted a video in which she explained that currency conversion may look attractive from India, but everyday life in the UK is very different once expenses are paid in pounds.
In the video, she said, “I have recently seen in many reels people saying that the value of 1 pound has increased to ₹130, so come to the UK. But the reality is a bit different. The value of ₹130 is in India; in the UK, that 1 pound is spent like 1 Pound. You have rent, food, travel, and bills, all these go in pounds.”
‘Saving is next to impossible’
Aggarwal further said that people also need to factor in tuition fees, loans and other financial responsibilities before making such a decision. She added, “On top of that, if you have a fee and a loan to repay, saving for that is next to impossible. The expenses are so high that people work all day to manage them.”
{{/usCountry}}Aggarwal further said that people also need to factor in tuition fees, loans and other financial responsibilities before making such a decision. She added, “On top of that, if you have a fee and a loan to repay, saving for that is next to impossible. The expenses are so high that people work all day to manage them.”
{{/usCountry}}She also pointed out that the initial phase can be challenging for many Indians trying to settle in a new country. “Honestly, initially, it's very difficult, but later you get used to it. It’s a long-term process. So don’t make decisions based on these short-term things like exchange rates. If you want to think long-term, look at career growth and exposure, and then you can decide. All the best to you guys!” she said.
Caption echoes the same message
The clip was shared with a caption that read, “£1 is now ₹130, so you should come to the UK. The reality is a bit different. That ₹130 value only makes sense in India. In the UK, £1 is just £1, and you spend everything in pounds.”
The caption further added that rent, food, travel, bills, tuition fees and loans make saving extremely difficult in the beginning. It also urged people to think about long-term goals, career growth and exposure instead of making decisions based only on exchange rates.
Watch the clip here:
Internet reacts
Shared a day ago, the clip has drawn several reactions from viewers. One user wrote, “This is so true, people only convert salaries but forget to convert expenses.” Another said, “Finally someone said it honestly.” A third commented, “Living abroad looks glamorous only from outside.” Another wrote, “Career growth matters, but people should be mentally prepared.”
(Also read: 'Contrast is so absurd': Indian woman on identity crisis after moving back from London)
HT.com has reached out to the user for her comments, and the copy will be updated once her 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.)