A social media user compared the financials of living in Tier 1 and Tier 3 cities in India, reflecting on his experiences in Mumbai, where high expenses overshadowed his earnings.
Blinkit. When he was too stressed to stay home, he spent the weekend generously.
Jain was still saving, but life never felt comfortable. He described it as “constantly rushed and expensive”. The city extracted a psychological toll alongside a financial one.
Yet, Mumbai was not without its gifts. Jain acknowledged the immense professional value it offered. Career growth, networking opportunities, exposure and independence were genuine advantages. The city sharpened him in ways his hometown simply could not have at that stage.
Eventually, he returned home on a salary of around ₹40,000. What followed surprised even him. Life felt lighter and, paradoxically, richer. He lived in a bigger space with no rent pressure.
His family was nearby. Home-cooked meals replaced food delivery orders. Mornings were slower and calmer.
Without unnecessary spending, his savings grew more naturally. The mental peace he found was harder to quantify but impossible to ignore. He described his hometown as making “life feel human again”.
This report is based on user-generated content from social media. LiveMint has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
Mumbai vs Hometown
Jain was careful not to declare one lifestyle superior to the other. His conclusion was more nuanced. Mumbai made him grow professionally.
His hometown made him live better personally. The two cities served different purposes at different stages of life.
His central insight cut to the heart of a debate many Indians quietly grapple with. There is, he wrote, “a huge difference between earning well and living well”.
About the Author
Sounak Mukhopadhyay
Sounak Mukhopadhyay covers trending news, sports and entertainment for LiveMint. His reporting focuses on fast-moving stories, box office performance, digital culture and major cricket developments. He combines real-time updates with clear context for everyday readers.
Sounak brings newsroom experience across breaking news, explainers and long-form features. He has a strong emphasis on accuracy, verification and responsible storytelling. His work tracks audience behaviour, celebrity influence and the business of sport and cinema. He helps readers understand why a story matters beyond the headline.
Sounak has contributed to widely read digital publications. He continues to build a body of journalism shaped by consistency, speed and editorial clarity. He is particularly interested in the intersection of media, popular culture and public conversation in contemporary India.
At LiveMint, he writes daily coverage as well as analytical pieces that interpret numbers, trends and cultural moments in accessible language. His approach prioritises factual depth, balanced framing and reader trust. The reporting aligns with modern newsroom standards of transparency and credibility.
Outside daily reporting, he explores storytelling across formats including podcasts, filmmaking and narrative non-fiction. Through his journalism, Sounak aims to document the rhythms of modern entertainment and sports while maintaining rigorous editorial integrity.
Sounak continues to develop audience-focused journalism that connects speed with substance in a rapidly-changing information environment. His work seeks clarity, trust and lasting public value in every story he reports.
