A 22-year-old IT professional from Bengaluru has sparked an online debate after sharing a detailed account of the costs associated with maintaining a basic lifestyle in the city. Posting on Reddit, the user wrote, “Hi guys, 22M here. I started my IT job in Bangalore last year after college. My salary is decent, but I'm worried about the future."
In his post, the user explained that even with a modest lifestyle and no extravagant spending, maintaining a comfortable life in Bengaluru would require a minimum of Rs 4-5 lakh per month after taxes. "It just seems impossible to lead a good life without having at least 4–5LPM after taxes," he wrote.
He told his monthly expenses, including Rs 60,000 for rent near a tech park, Rs 11,000 for electricity and maintenance, Rs 5,000 for subscriptions, Wi-Fi, and mobile bills, Rs 30,000 for car EMI, petrol, and taxes, and Rs 20,000 for groceries, daily supplies, and house help. Factoring in future school fees for two children, estimated at Rs 20,000 per month, the total cost reached Rs 1.5 lakh, even before considering discretionary spending or emergencies.
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The user also emphasized the importance of investments, mentioning that he plans to allocate Rs 1.5 lakh each month towards savings and retirement planning. "This is just 3 lakhs if I don't include anything which could be considered as one-time purchases (Electronics, Gadgets, things for kids, trips etc)," he noted, underscored how basic living costs, coupled with the need for financial planning, drive the required income even higher.
The post garnered significant attention, with many users sharing their own perspectives on the cost of living in Bengaluru. One user commented, "Wow, I guess I was stupid when I claimed 50–60K per month gets you a good life in a city like Bangalore in this post," expressing surprise at the detailed breakdown. Another user criticised the rising costs, writing, "It's idiots like these paying 60k on rent that makes life difficult for the common people," suggesting that high personal spending is contributing to the overall inflation in the city.