Bengaluru techie earns over Rs 1 crore per year, yet doesn’t own an apartment and drives an old car; reveals why he would be happier earning Rs 1 lakh per month: ‘I am chasing…'

A Bengaluru-based techie recently outlined how he went from earning a meagre Rs 14,300 per month to earning over Rs 1 crore per year. Taking to the Indian Flex subreddit, he said he was a passout from a tier-3 college in 2012 and wasn’t a topper either. He started his journey in 2012, earning just over Rs 14,000 per month in his first job. He gave a breakdown of how his compensation evolved through the years:

₹14,300 per month

₹20,000 per month


₹32,000 per month

₹60,000 per month

₹13 lakh annually

Relocated to Bengaluru

₹25 lakh annually

₹40 lakh annually

₹60 lakh annually

₹80 lakh annually

₹1.05 crore annually at present

However, he admitted that he was happiest not when his salary was Rs 1 crore, but when it was Rs 20,000 per month. That came along with a major lifestyle change – he quit using public transport and bought a bike.

He also revealed that he received only one promotion throughout his 13-year career. His biggest professional takeaway from that experience is that employees should not necessarily remain with a company simply in the hope of receiving promotions. In his view, staying solely for career advancement within the same organisation may not always be worthwhile.

He has also noticed a major difference in how salary increments affect life once annual earnings reach approximately ₹25–30 lakh. Beyond that level, additional income tends to have a much greater impact on investments and wealth creation than on day-to-day lifestyle.

He also said that while he was financially secure, he was far from emotionally happy, as it involved working for another person and pushing his limits even after office hours.

According to him, higher compensation also brings greater expectations, pressure, workplace politics, and responsibilities that are rarely discussed when people focus only on salary figures. The mental burden can be substantial, although he feels that financial security makes that pressure somewhat easier to handle.

Over time, his priorities have changed. He is no longer primarily motivated by the pursuit of an even larger pay cheque. Instead, he wants greater independence and control over his time.

He believes he would ultimately be happier earning ₹1 lakh a month from something he created himself than receiving a substantially larger salary while continuing to work for another organisation. “I've realised I'm no longer chasing a bigger salary. I'm chasing freedom…” he wrote.

He said that despite his huge salary, he lives a relatively ordinary life – he drives a 10-year-old car and doesn’t own an apartment in Bengaluru. Instead, he purchased a plot within a villa community.

His investments are spread across several asset classes, including real estate, equities, mutual funds and cryptocurrency, although he now focuses largely on systematic investment plans. He has also invested in commercial real estate.

His experience with cryptocurrency trading, however, came with a substantial financial setback. He estimates that he lost approximately ₹20–25 lakh through crypto trading.