Bengaluru man explains why you need Rs 4–5 lakh a month for a ‘simple’ life in the city; Internet has thoughts

A 22-year-old IT professional from Bengaluru has sparked a major online discussion after sharing the costs of maintaining a basic lifestyle in the city. Posting on Reddit, the user wrote, “Hi guys 22M, just started my IT job in Bangalore last year after college. I'm earning okayish right now but the future scares me.”

In his post, he explained that even while living modestly, a comfortable life in Bengaluru would need at least 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 broke down his monthly expenses:

• 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
• Rs 20,000 for groceries, daily supplies, and house help

He also added that future school fees for two children could cost around Rs 20,000 per month. Altogether, these basic costs added up to around Rs 1.5 lakh per month, not even counting spending on gadgets, trips, or emergencies.

The user said he plans to save Rs 1.5 lakh every month for investments and retirement. "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 wrote, showing how necessary planning for the future made the needed income even higher.

The post attracted a lot of attention. 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," showing surprise at the high expenses.

Another user criticised the situation, writing, "It's idiots like these paying 60k on rent that makes life difficult for the common people," suggesting that such spending habits could push up the overall cost of living.