Rs 48 lakh salary, Rs 38,000 rent: Pune designer chose Rs 20 lakh job and morning chai with parents in Indore instead. What happened?

For years, young professionals have been told that bigger cities automatically mean a better life. Higher salaries, flashy offices, premium apartments, and fast-paced careers are often seen as the ultimate markers of success. But a 21-year-old techie shared the story of a product designer who, despite earning an impressive Rs 48 lakh salary in Pune, decided to walk away from the high-paying lifestyle and move back to Indore for a much smaller package. His reason had little to do with money and everything to do with the life he was actually living.

Taking to X, Aditya shared that the Pune designer's life looked successful from the outside but felt exhausting in reality. Working as a product designer with a Rs 48 lakh salary, he dealt with long daily traffic, expensive rent, constant work pressure, and worsening mental health.

According to him, the daily commute alone consumed nearly two-and-a-half hours every day. His rent for a 2BHK apartment stood at Rs 38,000, while work calls regularly stretched into weekends. Over time, the pressure began affecting his health to the point where anxiety and sleeping pills became part of his routine. In 2024, he made a decision that many people around him probably considered irrational. He left Pune and moved back home to Indore.

Shift to Indore

The salary dropped sharply. His new job paid Rs 20 lakh annually, less than half of what he previously earned. But according to him, almost everything else in life improved. Rent fell drastically to Rs 10,000. He started spending mornings having chai with his parents. He found time to cycle again, something he had stopped doing earlier. Most importantly, weekends actually began feeling like weekends instead of an extension of office hours.


Aditya also broke down the financial comparison between the two cities.

The Loss

In Pune, despite earning Rs 48 lakh annually, his expenses reached nearly Rs 31 lakh, leaving him with savings of around Rs 17 lakh per year. In Indore, his annual expenses reduced dramatically to Rs 11 lakh. Even with the lower salary, he still managed to save approximately Rs 9 lakh yearly. The difference in savings came down to about Rs 8 lakh annually.

The Gain

But according to him, what he gained in return felt far more valuable than the money he gave up. Better health, peace of mind, time with family, and a slower lifestyle became the trade-off he was willing to make. His post struck a chord online because it reflected a growing shift among young professionals who are beginning to question whether burnout, constant stress, and expensive urban living are worth chasing indefinitely.

Aditya’s final takeaway was simple: sometimes slowing down financially can actually help life move forward in a healthier, happier way.