A LinkedIn post detailing the financial strain of living in one of Gurugram’s most expensive neighborhoods has gone viral, igniting a heated discussion online.
Vaibhav J, a resident of a posh locality in Gurugram, broke down the real cost of maintaining a luxury lifestyle, starting with a blunt confession: "I own a house in Gurgaon, India. Translation: I need Rs 7.5 lakh per month just to breathe."
Vaibhav then shared a detailed list of his monthly expenses:
Rs 2.08 lakh EMI for a Rs 3 crore house
Rs 12,000 for monthly maintenance (including a fountain)
Rs 60,000 car EMI (“because you can’t roll up in a Swift”)
Rs 65,000 school fees for his kids at an international school
Rs 30,000 for foreign trips to maintain a certain social image
Rs 30,000 for domestic staff (cook, maid, driver)
Rs 20,000 for club nights and dinners
Rs 12,000 for personal grooming and attire suitable for DLF Phase 5
Rs 10,000+ for miscellaneous purchases
Rs 15,000 for birthday gifts and wedding envelopes ("fake smiles tax")
Altogether, his monthly expenses reach Rs 5 lakh. Factoring in a 30% income tax, Vaibhav calculated that he needs a pre-tax income of Rs 7.5 lakh per month (about Rs 90 lakh per year) just to maintain this lifestyle — without even accounting for savings or insurance.
"This isn’t just top 1% income—it’s a top 0.1% burn rate," he concluded.
The post drew a flurry of mixed reactions. One user pointed out: "For those with a fixed income at this level, taxes are even higher due to surcharge. You’d actually need Rs 1.2 crore CTC to support this lifestyle."
Others criticized the post as melodramatic.
"This is quite sensationalized. If you start listing celebrity expenses, even Rs 7.5 lakh won’t suffice. This sounds like ‘aamdani athanni, kharcha rupaiya’," one user remarked.
Another commented: "If you're buying a flat worth Rs 3 crore, you're already financially stable—this isn’t really a hardship."
Some, however, sympathized.
"After spending 15 years in Gurugram, even without EMIs you still need Rs 3 lakh monthly to survive in this concrete jungle," one person shared.
Another user quipped: "Amazing how you've turned personal lifestyle choices into a societal problem."
