'Mountain living dream different from reality': Gen-Z employee who moved to Manali from Delhi moves back to national capital citing multiple reasons

For Delhi-based Gen Z content creator Ajay Sharma, moving to the mountains was an attempt to discover whether living in Manali could match the appeal of a short holiday. After relocating to Sial village on May 23, 2026, Sharma stayed for 71 days before returning to Delhi on August 2, saying the experience had become far more meaningful than he initially expected.

Sharma, who posts on Instagram as @a4ajayyyyy, recently shared a video announcing the end of his experiment with mountain living. He said he arrived in Manali without knowing anyone, but gradually became familiar with the surroundings and began to consider the mountains home.

The experience, he said, left him with memories he would not forget, making his departure emotionally difficult. Returning to Delhi also proved challenging, as he had not expected a stay of only a few months to have such a strong impact on him.

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Why Ajay Sharma moved to Manali

Sharma moved to Sial village near Manali on May 23 to explore whether the lifestyle that looks attractive during a holiday remains equally appealing when experienced as a permanent routine.

During his stay, which lasted until August 2, he documented his experience through nearly 55 videos. His content covered his daily routine, remote work, local experiences, lifestyle difficulties and the practical realities of living in the hills.

He later described the move as one of the most memorable experiences of his life. According to Sharma, the end of that chapter was necessary before he could begin another phase after returning to Delhi.

How much does it cost to stay in Manali?

Affordability was among the major takeaways from Sharma's time in the hills. He lived alone in a one-bedroom flat for Rs 14,000 a month, with Wi-Fi and electricity included.

He largely prepared his own food and spent about Rs 3,500 each month on groceries. On occasions when he did not want to cook, he ate out, spending roughly another Rs 500 a week.

Sharma also used a local gym, where he managed to negotiate the regular Rs 1,800 monthly fee down to Rs 1,500. Since he generally preferred walking, he incurred very little on transportation.

Based on these expenses, he estimated his monthly cost of living in Manali at approximately Rs 21,000.

Mountain dream was different from everyday reality

Before moving, Sharma had imagined working remotely while surrounded by mountain scenery, watching sunrises, travelling along scenic roads, sampling local food and meeting people around bonfires.

Although several of those experiences became part of his stay, he found that living in the mountains was considerably different from visiting as a tourist.

In a July 3 video reflecting on his time there, Sharma discussed several difficulties. Network disruptions occurred frequently, rain could arrive without warning and managing everything alone meant cooking and handling household responsibilities himself. Poor road conditions, particularly during the monsoon, added to the difficulties, while the rainy season made routine activities more challenging.

He also found that reaching many popular attractions involved long and steep uphill walks that could be physically demanding. Spending much of his time alone sometimes contributed to feelings of isolation and loneliness.

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Social media users debate mountain life

Sharma's experience generated varied reactions online. One user jokingly wrote, "Refer me in your company right now, I wanna experience these struggle", while another pointed to the positive side of his experience, saying he could still enjoy the "beautiful views".

Other users acknowledged the difficulties of life in the hills. One said mountain living is "not easy as pretty as it looks in pictures and videos", while another argued that many of the same problems exist in cities but would still choose the mountains if given the opportunity.

Another commenter contrasted the experience with city problems such as poor roads, flooding, air pollution and population pressure. Others described nature as a positive counterbalance to the difficulties of working from the mountains.

A user who said they had been in Himachal Pradesh for 30 days agreed with Sharma's account and said "every word said is true". Another commenter said the advantages of mountain living remained preferable to Delhi's heat.

Sharma has since returned to Delhi and appears to have begun another journey, this time exploring life near the beach.