Moving abroad often promises growth, exposure, and new opportunities, but it also brings a sharp reality check on everyday expenses.
Recently, a founder compared her household budget after relocating from Bengaluru to London in 2022.
Neha Sharma, founder of JSLovers, a volunteer-driven technology community focused on JavaScript and web development, shared what the cost-of-living looked like.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), she wrote: “In 2022, we moved to London, UK. This is what the cost-of-living shift looked like.”
Alongside the caption, she shared a simple breakdown of her expenses in both cities, offering a clear snapshot of how the numbers changed.
Also Read: Techie who saved ₹3-4L in Bengaluru now hits $100K yearly savings after master’s in US: ‘Lived like a student’
Sharp rise in housing costs:
According to the post, rent saw the biggest jump. In Bengaluru, she paid ₹35,000 a month. In London, the monthly rent rose to £1,900 (approximately 2.3 lakh). For many Indians considering a move abroad, housing is often the biggest concern, and her comparison highlighted just how wide that gap can be.
Council house tax was another major difference. In India, she paid nothing. In London, however, council tax added £200 (INR 24,500) a month to the household budget.
Sharma mentioned that the house tax in London can vary; in some contracts, it is included within the rent, while in others the tenant has to pay it separately, depending on the landlord and the rental agreement.
Maintenance costs told a different story. In Bengaluru, she spent ₹2,500 on maintenance. In London, this expense stood at zero.
Overall, the total monthly budget in India was ₹37,500, while in London it came to £2,100 (around ₹2.58 lakh).
The comparison showed that the move did not just raise individual expenses but significantly increased the overall monthly outflow.
HT.com has reached out to the user for more details. This report will be updated when she responds.
Also Read: Bengaluru ‘corporate girlie’ rents 3BHK with friends, breaks down her monthly budget: 'Zyada hai ya kam?'
Check out the post here:
Here's how people reacted to the post:
X users reacted quickly to the post, with many saying the comparison offered a realistic picture.
One of the users commented, “Let AI destroy jobs, then ask this question lol.”
A second user commented, “You should compare income.”
“I am more interested to know the savings in both the places,” another user commented, to which Sharma replied: “I had more savings in India than UK.”