Rs 44,000 rent, Rs 60,000 SIPs...: Mumbai couple earning Rs 2.2 lakh asks Reddit how to 'survive' - Moneycontrol.com
Despite earning Rs 2.2 lakh a month, a Mumbai couple say they are left with nothing by month-end. Their Reddit post about rising city costs
Despite earning Rs 2.2 lakh a month, a Mumbai couple say they are left with nothing by month-end. Their Reddit post about rising city costs and poor savings has divided opinion online. Mumbai couple earning Rs 2.2 lakh struggles to save. (AI-generated representative image) Is a monthly income of Rs 2.2 lakh enough to live comfortably in Mumbai and still save for the future? For many people, the answer would seem like an obvious yes. But a Mumbai couple's recent post on Reddit has sparked a wider conversation about the realities of city life, rising expenses and the challenge of balancing spending with saving. Despite earning a combined Rs 2.2 lakh every month, the couple said they often find themselves running short of money by month-end, leaving many online users divided over one question, Is Mumbai really that expensive, or is this a spending problem? The discussion began after the couple shared their situation on the subreddit r/personalfinanceindia in a post titled, “Mumbai is too expensive to live.” Looking for advice, they explained that while they have a stable income and regularly invest money, they are struggling to build additional savings. The user wrote, “My partner and I collectively make Rs 2.2 lakh per month. We stay in a 1BHK, far from our respective parental homes, and are barely saving any money.
Help would be appreciated in helping us budget.” To give a clearer picture of their finances, the couple also shared a detailed breakdown of their monthly expenses. According to the post, Rs 44,000 goes towards rent for their 1BHK apartment in Mumbai. Daily commuting costs around Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 each month, while electricity bills add another Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000. They spend Rs 8,000 on a maid and around Rs 20,000 on groceries, cooking gas and other household expenses. A major portion of their income is already being set aside for investments. The couple contributes a total of Rs 60,000 every month towards SIPs, with Rs 50,000 invested by one partner and Rs 10,000 by the other. They also spend about Rs 5,000 on medications. Social outings and office-related gatherings account for another Rs 12,000 to Rs 13,000 each month. According to the user, many of these expenses come from workplace events where contributing money is often expected. On paper, the numbers suggest that the couple should still have a sizeable amount left over. However, they admitted that the remaining money often disappears through day-to-day spending and occasional purchases. The user explained, “Ideally, after this, we should have approx. Rs 60k towards more savings. However, we constantly find ourselves without any money as the month closes. Some days it's clothes for me, other days it's for her, then a watch, maybe a perfume.” But monthly expenses are only part of the story.
Talking about other expenses, the user wrote, “But more than this, visiting our hometown costs us Rs 45k in one trip! (We try for train tickets, but my work is such that my leave schedule is finalised at the very last minute, barely one day in advance.) That's towards the basic expenses of travelling. On top of it, there's stuff for our parents and expenses there.” The post also revealed a deeper concern. The couple said they worry about how they will manage larger responsibilities in the future, especially if they decide to have children. The reddit user further asked, “How are people surviving, dude? How do we save money? It's sustainable now, but what about when we have kids? If the SIP goes down, then we are seriously screwed in the future.” The user said they were struggling to save money despite their combined income and questioned how others were managing in Mumbai. They also expressed concern about future expenses, particularly raising children, and worried that reducing their SIP investments could hurt their long-term financial plans. The post quickly gained attention, and many Reddit users did not hold back in sharing their opinions. One user wrote, “If you can't catalogue the remaining Rs 60k, it's very hard to say what to reduce. If you are spending on expensive watches and perfumes every alternate month, no one can save you.” Another suggested, “Honestly, it sounds more like a spending problem.
A fair part of your SIPs is already your savings, dude. Cut your SIPs if you are unable to manage your basic necessities.” Several commenters were even more direct, questioning some of the couple's lifestyle choices and discretionary expenses. One wrote, “Classic spending problem. The term for you is "urban poor." What's this obligatory Rs 15k spending on office parties? Rubbish. Cut it. Don't order expensive drinks or food. Stay on a budget. Rs 28k for household expenses is also quite a bit. You can easily cut it down by Rs 10k.” One more added, “You people have no control over your spending. What do you mean, a perfume and a watch? Obviously, you can save Rs 60k, or at least Rs 40k, lol. You've got to learn some lessons. Mumbai is not the problem. Obviously, the rent is a bit high, but your spending habits are also bad.” Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content shared on social media. Moneycontrol has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
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