Move to NY with H-1B on $100K salary or stay in India with ₹24 LPA? Redditor's question shows cost of living abroad

The person who sought help, on Reddit, about whether to remain in India or go to New York, said that he was married and had six years of work experience.

Amid a crackdown on immigration under the Donald Trump government, a Reddit user asked whether they should move to New York or continue to remain in India. Detailing their situation, and pay, the Reddit user asked this question on the r/h1b subreddit forum.

The Reddit user shared that they'd gotten their H-1B stamped, and had an offer to relocate to New York. A view of New York City is seen here. (Pixabay)

The answers that poured in shows the cost of living abroad.

The Reddit user shared that they'd gotten their H-1B stamped, and had an offer to relocate to New York, where they'd draw a salary of $100,000. While the user did not specify if this is a yearly salary, or a monthly income, it would suggest the former, given that they drew a comparison to their income in India – ₹24 lakhs per annum. The poster also said they had six years of experience, and they had recently gotten married. “Should I move considering cost of living, savings, and lifestyle?,” they asked.

Answers show cost of living abroad

The very first answer to the post was disappointing, with the person stating that $100,000 was way lesser in New York, as compared to what ₹24 LPA would get in tier 1 cities. Another chipped in, saying, “You can live on that money only in very low cost of living states," adding that in NYC, it was ‘poverty salary’.

Yet another person spoke about the current crackdowns on immigration, and said “Indians have no long term future in the US,” adding that the original person who put out the post should look for options like the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

One person gave a logical solution, that while NYC might be tough to live in, the other boroughs offer better chances. “The question is where in New York? You probably can’t live in NYC, you can stay in New Jersey and do just fine or any of the other boroughs that aren’t NYC.” The five boroughs include Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, and Staten Island.

A reality check was given by another user, who said, “That is less but get your step in and work hard to get a FT, Ngl right now market is not great so be prepared to be there for at least a year or so.” A profile also listed out both pros and cons, with the exposure of the job being an upside, but the anti-immigrant sentiment currently in the US being a definite downside to the prospect of moving abroad.

Hindustan Times has not verified the claims of the Reddit users on this forum.

Actual cost of living in NYC

A 2024 report by SmartAsset estimated that a person must be making at least $138,570 to live comfortably. This amount is for one person, so given that the Reddit poster intends to move with their partner on a $100,000-a-year salary, the sum would indeed not suffice for life in the Big Apple.