An Indian software engineer working at Google has shared what it costs to live in New York City. In a viral Instagram reel, Maitri Mangal broke down her monthly expenses, revealing that living in the city can cost close to ₹4 lakh (around $5,000) every month.
The viral reel was shared by Kushal Lodha (@kushallodha548), a podcaster and content creator who often posts about careers, tech, and life abroad.
According to Maitri, rent alone comes to around $3,000. Daily expenses and outings cost somewhere between $1,000 to $2,000. On top of that, commuting costs add another $100-$200. Altogether, that brings her monthly budget to about $5,000.
When asked about the average salary for a software engineer working in New York City, Maitri said it typically ranges between $1,50,000 and $2,00,000 a year.
"I asked Maitri, a Software Engineer at Google, and she shared that it’s around ₹1.6 Crores in general across roles!" the caption of the post reads.
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Check out the video here:
The reel was posted on July 7, 2025, and since then, it has garnered more than 2,000 views and several comments.
Here's how people reacted to this video:
{{/usCountry}}The reel was posted on July 7, 2025, and since then, it has garnered more than 2,000 views and several comments.
Here's how people reacted to this video:
{{/usCountry}}The video drew mixed reactions online. While some viewers appreciated the transparency, others felt the post lacked information.
One of the users, @sharad.ig, commented, “Har jagah sirf package kitna milraha hai yehi sabh. Bhai aage badho.”
A second user, @muditjps, commented, "Bhai, I like your content, but this one lacks relevant insights. ‘Average package at Google’ even for a software engineer is a bit ambiguous unless the level (or at least years of work exp) is mentioned."
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Another user, @aashna.talks, commented, “Love this collab!”
The video attracted a range of responses, some Instagram users were curious about tech salaries and living costs abroad, while others questioned the lack of detail and called for more role-specific insights.