For many Indian professionals, the choice between a high-paying job abroad and a well-paying role back home is about more than just the salary. Factors such as quality of life, independence, work culture and personal freedom often play an equally important role in deciding where they want to build their careers.
Now, an Instagram creator, Umang Chaudhary, posed this question to two Indian women working in the US: Would they rather earn $200,000 (around ₹1.9 crore) in the US or ₹40 lakh in India? Both chose the US salary, saying their decision was driven by factors such as independence, freedom and quality of life rather than money alone.
According to one of Chaudhary's earlier posts, Tanushree is from Delhi while Shivani hails from Varanasi. Both currently work at Salesforce in the US. Tanushree is a Senior Success Guide, while Shivani is a Senior Technical Support Engineer. The duo shared that they earn around $130,000 to $150,000 annually.
Why they picked the US over India
{{/usCountry}}Why they picked the US over India
{{/usCountry}}Responding to the question, Shivani said she had already earned a package similar to ₹40 lakh in India but would still choose a $200,000 salary in the US.
"I had that package in India, but I would prefer $200,000 in the US. My motive to be here is being independent and the level of no judgment, no-f***s-given attitude of people. So that keeps me here. Otherwise, I would definitely move," she said.
Tanushree echoed the sentiment, saying the lifestyle and quality of life in the US made the decision straightforward.
"$200,000 in the US, definitely. The freedom you get, the air you get to breathe, the tap water you get to drink... so yeah, definitely. Yeah, $200,000," she said.
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Monthly breakdown
In another interaction shared by Chaudhary, the two women said they earn between $130,000 and $150,000 a year and are able to save roughly 50% of their post-tax income.
The duo shared that their rent is around $1,600 per month, while utilities cost another $400. The remaining money goes toward shopping, travel and other miscellaneous expenses.
"You only live once, so why not? Apart from saving, you need to spend on yourself," Tanushree said, adding that they travel every couple of months to explore national parks and other destinations across the US.