A Bengaluru techie has sparked a discussion online after arguing that even a ₹50 lakh annual salary may not be enough to build significant wealth in the city. From steep rents and everyday expenses to soaring property prices, he claimed that high earners can still find themselves with limited money left to invest at the end of each month.
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Taking to Instagram, Anmol Agarwal shared a video breaking down what he described as the financial reality of earning a high salary in Bengaluru.
‘ ₹3 lakh a month can quickly disappear’
“50 LPA, 70 LPA, no matter how much money you earn, I will prove to you in one minute that you can never become rich in Bangalore,” Agarwal began.
He said that receiving an entire ₹50 LPA package as base salary itself is difficult, but assumed such a scenario for his calculation. According to him, after deducting nearly ₹15 lakh towards taxes and EPF, a person could be left with roughly ₹35 lakh annually, translating to close to ₹3 lakh a month.
He estimated that ₹60,000 to ₹70,000 could go towards rent for a 2BHK, followed by around ₹10,000 each for a maid and cook, groceries and gym memberships. Shopping and travel, he added, could push monthly expenditure to around ₹1.2 lakh to ₹1.3 lakh.
{{/usCountry}}He estimated that ₹60,000 to ₹70,000 could go towards rent for a 2BHK, followed by around ₹10,000 each for a maid and cook, groceries and gym memberships. Shopping and travel, he added, could push monthly expenditure to around ₹1.2 lakh to ₹1.3 lakh.
{{/usCountry}}“If you also decide to buy a car, assume another ₹50,000 a month, which I am actually keeping on the lower side,” he said.
Agarwal argued that expenses could climb further for people with children, leaving only around ₹1 lakh a month for investments and wealth creation.
Property prices make buying a home difficult
The techie also pointed to Bengaluru’s expensive housing market, claiming that a property costing around ₹3 crore today could eventually reach ₹6 crore to ₹7 crore.
“No matter how well you invest it, you may still struggle to buy a house until close to retirement,” he said, adding that his calculation assumes a person continues to remain employed without being affected by layoffs or AI-led disruption.
As an alternative, Agarwal suggested finding a remote job or building a business while living in a Tier-3 city with a relatively lower cost of living.
“In cities like Bangalore, even a cup of coffee can cost ₹250, ₹300 or ₹350. When the cost of living is this high, no matter how much you earn, becoming genuinely wealthy can be extremely difficult,” he said.
The video was shared with the caption, “You can’t become rich in Banglore”.
Watch the clip here:
Internet reacts
The clip drew several reactions, with some viewers agreeing with Agarwal’s assessment. One user wrote, “This is true,” while another commented, “Yes, I agree with you.”
A third person said, “This is correct.” Another user offered a different solution, writing, “Just apply abroad after experience.”
(Also read: Bengaluru man lists five expenses silently draining your salary: ‘The difference isn’t always income’)
HT.com has reached out to the user for his comments, and the copy will be updated once his 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.)