A social media post about the cost of living in Bengaluru has sparked a conversation online after a man shared how his cousin’s seemingly high salary left him with surprisingly small savings by the end of the month.
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Taking to X, a user with the handle @AlfinCodes described the financial reality his cousin faced after moving to the city for a tech job.
“My cousin moved to Bengaluru for a ₹1.5L per month tech job. Six months later, he realised something no one tells freshers. A Computer Science graduate in his first software developer role, he moved to Bengaluru for better opportunities with a salary of ₹1.5L per month,” the user wrote.
He added that the family back home initially believed the move meant he had “made it”.
{{/usCountry}}He added that the family back home initially believed the move meant he had “made it”.
{{/usCountry}}“Back home, everyone thought he had made it. Big tech job. Big city. Big salary.”
Monthly expenses left little room for savings
However, the post explained that the reality of living in Bengaluru quickly changed that perception. According to the user, a significant portion of the salary was consumed by basic living costs.
“Rent for a small apartment near the office was ₹36K. Food and groceries cost ₹13K to ₹15K. Cabs and autos, with traffic being insane, added another ₹6K to ₹8K. Swiggy, coffee and weekends out came to ₹10K to ₹12K.”
He further pointed out that several hidden expenses also add up over time.
“Then came the things nobody talks about. Subscriptions. Medical expenses. Unexpected bills. Sending money back home.”
According to the post, by the end of the month, the young professional’s savings were limited.
“By the end of the month, savings were barely ₹15K to ₹20K.”
Reflecting on the experience, the user wrote that the situation changed how his cousin viewed salaries in big cities.
“That’s when he realised something most people outside big cities don’t see. A ₹1L plus salary sounds huge in your hometown, but in a city like Bengaluru, it often just means you’re getting started. Big salary. Small savings. Welcome to Bengaluru life.”
Take a look here at the post:
Social media reacts
The post has since drawn several reactions from social media users, many of whom shared their own perspectives on the cost of living in the city.
One user asked, “Is Bengaluru that expensive?” while another suggested that rent could be reduced with better location choices. “Well the rent part could be reduced if you find places little faraway from the office area along the metro from where he could reach his office, which would save quite a lot!”
Others simply agreed with the sentiment. “Its expensive here,” one person wrote, while another added, “Yes, that's true if you're working in your hometown, you're earning the most.”
A different user summed up the situation by calling it the “Sad reality of Bengaluru.”
(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.)