A Bengaluru-based tech worker highlights that even a ₹50 lakh salary may not suffice for wealth creation due to high expenses like housing, car ownership, and daily costs, prompting a debate on the true value of high earnings in India’s tech hub.
A Bengaluru tech worker has sparked debate online after arguing that even a salary of ₹50 lakh a year may not be enough to build real wealth in India’s technology capital. In a video posted on Instagram, Anmol Agarwal said the city’s steep housing costs, day-to-day spending and car ownership can quickly absorb a large share of a high earner’s pay.
Agarwal’s central point was that headline compensation can look far healthier than the amount that actually reaches a bank account. He said that once taxes and provident fund deductions are taken into account, a person on a ₹50 lakh package could be left with about ₹35 lakh a year, or roughly ₹3 lakh a month. From there, he argued, rent for a 2BHK flat could consume ₹60,000 to ₹70,000 a month, while domestic help, groceries, gym fees, shopping and travel could push regular spending to about ₹1.2 lakh to ₹1.3 lakh.
He went on to say that adding a car could lift monthly outgoings by another ₹50,000, and that the burden would be even heavier for people with children. In his view, that would leave only about ₹1 lakh a month for savings and investing, which he suggested may not be enough to achieve meaningful wealth creation in a city where property prices are already high. Agarwal also warned that his calculations assume uninterrupted employment, despite the risk of layoffs and disruption from artificial intelligence.
His comments echoed a wider conversation about Bengaluru’s cost of living. NDTV has previously reported on a viral post about a professional earning ₹1.5 lakh a month who was left with only about ₹20,000 in savings after expenses, while another widely shared breakdown showed monthly spending of ₹1.65 lakh in the city, driven largely by rent and other everyday costs. Against that backdrop, Agarwal suggested that some workers may be better off taking remote jobs or building businesses from smaller tier-3 cities, where expenses are lower.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to inform and educate, not to recommend or endorse any financial product, investment or strategy. Please consider your own financial circumstances and seek professional advice where appropriate before making financial decisions.
