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Pulmonologist quits ₹50 LPA job in UK, takes huge pay cut to work in India: ‘Saving more than double'

The doctor gave a detailed description of how her life changed after leaving the UK and relocating to India.

Published on: Nov 25, 2025, 13:01:56 IST
Deutsche Welle | By
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A doctor who left her job at the National Health Service (NHS) for a lower pay cut in India explained the maths behind her decision. She opted to return home, choosing a combination of lower salary and higher savings over her previous high salary and low savings in the UK.

The doctor explained that she takes a much lower salary in India. (Representational image). (Unsplash)
The doctor explained that she takes a much lower salary in India. (Representational image). (Unsplash)

“I left £50,000 PA NHS salary to earn 36 lakhs PA in India,” the doctor wrote. She explained that her colleagues in the UK asked her, “But what about the money?” Explaining her reasoning behind relocation, she shared that she was spending a huge amount of her salary, leaving her with almost nothing in savings. However, the scenario is just the opposite in India. She explained that in comparison to her 11.6 lakhs yearly savings in the UK, she saves close to 26 lakhs in India.

Also Read: Man relocates to India after 25 years in US, reveals 'deal breaker' stopping rich NRI friends from returning

“What I gained: Spacious 3BHK vs cramped 1BHK. Home-cooked meals vs sad desk lunches. Household help vs exhaustion. Family nearby. Actually building wealth,” she wrote.

In the next few lines, she also added what she lost in the relocation process. “What I lost: NHS pension. Career progression clarity. Better work-hour regulations. System efficiency & lower AQI. The real calculation isn’t salary. It's the quality of life.”

She explained that her explanation doesn’t mean that she thinks India is better than the UK. In addition, the doctor expressed that she realises she is privileged to have her partner’s income, a supportive family, transferable skills, and no student loans, which made her relocation possible.

How did social media react?

An individual posted, “Welcome home, doctor.” Another expressed, “The fact that you are making nearly 3L a month as a consultant at a private hospital is itself a big deal... because not everybody in our profession makes that kind of money.”

A third commented, “If you’re moving to the UK just for money, then the approach is wrong to begin with. It’s about roads without khadde, low to no crime, free medical and education, no pollution, including noise, and last but not least- the UK teaches you how to live like a human.”

Also Read: Mumbai founder relocates to Bangkok for better quality of life: 'I’m choosing a place that doesn’t punish me'

A fourth wrote, “I am a gynaecologist, and we relocated last year. I feel it’s the best decision, considering lifestyle, but professional satisfaction is not high. Saying with experience.”

(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.)

  • Trisha Sengupta
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Trisha Sengupta

    Trisha Sengupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of digital newsroom experience. Specialising in high-engagement storytelling, she blends viral trends with traditional journalism to cover the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. Her reporting spans real estate and personal finance struggles in hubs like Bengaluru and Gurgaon, the NRI experience, and corporate shifts like tech layoffs. Trisha also frequently tracks global figures and writes human interest stories. Offline, Trisha is an avid reader, history enthusiast and solo traveler. She balances her journalism career with family life while actively integrating AI tools into her modern storytelling approach.Read More

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