Bengaluru Man With ₹60 Lakh Income Says India Offers Only Frustration, Not Quality Life
Nidhi | Apr 29, 2025, 23:36 IST
( Image credit : Pexels )
A Bengaluru-based professional, earning ₹60 lakh annually, shares his disillusionment with India's urban living conditions. Despite financial stability, he faces daily challenges like traffic congestion, inadequate infrastructure, safety concerns, and bureaucratic inefficiencies. His experience sheds light on the broader issues affecting India's middle class and prompts a discussion on the nation's quality of life.
In a now-viral Reddit post, a 30-year-old man from Bengaluru shared his growing frustration with life in India — not because of poverty or lack of opportunity, but despite a high household income of ₹60 lakh a year. The man, who lives in Hennur and works in the tech industry, said that although both he and his wife are financially stable, they constantly feel like they’re fighting an uphill battle just to live decently.
“It takes me 40 minutes to drive 3 km. I pay massive road taxes but deal with broken roads. I pay over 30% in taxes, yet I have to arrange everything for myself — healthcare, water, education, safety. Even getting a marriage certificate needed a bribe. What am I staying for?”
He expressed feeling “mentally drained” and questioned whether it was worth continuing in India when basic life tasks come with so many systemic hurdles. His account has struck a chord with many, opening up a deeper discussion on what quality of life really means in urban India — and who actually gets to enjoy it.
The man’s story sheds light on larger urban social and governance failures, many of which affect not only the lower income groups but increasingly, the educated, working middle and upper-middle classes as well. 
Despite living in a major metropolitan city and paying high taxes, he describes a life filled with logistical fatigue.
“I pay 30-40% of my income in taxes and yet I don’t see any meaningful services in return.”
“I don’t feel safe sending my wife out after 7 PM. That says a lot about our law enforcement.”
“I had to pay a bribe of ₹2,000 just to get a marriage certificate.”
“Rent, school fees, maid’s salary – all going up every year. But our incomes don’t rise at the same rate.”
Beyond logistics and finances, the man touches on something more personal and universal:
“I’m tired. Mentally. It’s not about the money anymore. It’s the feeling that nothing will change.”
This Reddit user’s post is not an isolated rant — it’s a mirror held up to the state of urban India, especially for working professionals who contribute significantly to the country’s economy yet feel shortchanged by its systems.
His concerns encapsulate a paradox:
India is growing — its GDP, unicorns, and digital economy are soaring. But if its cities can’t offer clean roads, safe nights, efficient services, and mental peace to even its highest taxpayers, the growth is hollow.
It’s not about whether India should change — it’s that it must. Not just for the wealthy or the poor, but for those in the middle — who carry the burden but get none of the relief.
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“It takes me 40 minutes to drive 3 km. I pay massive road taxes but deal with broken roads. I pay over 30% in taxes, yet I have to arrange everything for myself — healthcare, water, education, safety. Even getting a marriage certificate needed a bribe. What am I staying for?”
He expressed feeling “mentally drained” and questioned whether it was worth continuing in India when basic life tasks come with so many systemic hurdles. His account has struck a chord with many, opening up a deeper discussion on what quality of life really means in urban India — and who actually gets to enjoy it.
Systemic Issues Highlighted Through One Man’s Experience
1. Poor Urban Infrastructure & Daily Inconvenience
Bengaluru Roads
( Image credit : Times Life Bureau )
- Commute Hell:
He cites taking 40 minutes to travel just 3 kilometers — a symptom of Bengaluru’s infamous traffic problem.
- Bengaluru ranks among the worst cities globally for traffic congestion, according to the TomTom Traffic Index (6th worst worldwide).
- Bengaluru ranks among the worst cities globally for traffic congestion, according to the TomTom Traffic Index (6th worst worldwide).
- Broken Roads & Useless Road Tax:
Despite paying an extra ₹2.25 lakh in road tax compared to cities like Delhi, roads in Hennur remain broken or under perpetual construction.
- Water Shortages in a Metro City:
The user mentions paying for drinking water privately.
- Bengaluru is on track to exhaust its groundwater reserves by 2031, according to a NITI Aayog report.
- Bengaluru is on track to exhaust its groundwater reserves by 2031, according to a NITI Aayog report.
- Dust, Noise, Pollution:
He mentions constant roadwork and construction with little regulation or accountability, degrading the environment and daily peace of mind.
2. High Taxation With Low Returns
Tax
( Image credit : Times Life Bureau )
- No Public Healthcare Access:
Despite contributing to the system, he still has to rely entirely on private healthcare.
- India spends only 1.9% of GDP on public healthcare, While this is an improvement, it still falls short of the National Health Policy's target of 2.5% of GDP, one of the lowest among G20 nations.
- India spends only 1.9% of GDP on public healthcare, While this is an improvement, it still falls short of the National Health Policy's target of 2.5% of GDP, one of the lowest among G20 nations.
- Education & Schooling Not Covered:
With no viable government school option, most middle-class parents are forced to shell out huge sums on private schools.
- Average private school fees in metros: ₹10,000–₹25,000/month per child.
- Average private school fees in metros: ₹10,000–₹25,000/month per child.
- Lack of Welfare Net:
Unlike in developed countries, there are no visible benefits for the taxes paid by salaried professionals.
3. Safety and Freedom of Movement
- Gendered Insecurity in Public Spaces:
He mentions that his wife feels unsafe going out alone in the evening — a common fear among urban women.
- Poor Policing and Law Enforcement:
His observation reflects a systemic issue: inadequate policing in both visibility and responsiveness.
- India has less than 150 police officers per 100,000 people, far below the UN recommendation of 222.
4. Corruption in Basic Services
Corruption
( Image credit : Pexels )
- Bribes for Routine Government Functions:
The post illustrates how even educated, law-abiding citizens are compelled to navigate corruption for the simplest of tasks.
- Institutional Apathy:
Delays, mismanagement, and the “file culture” in public departments result in emotional and time-related costs for citizens.
5. Spiraling Cost of Living
Dream of a House
- Urban Inflation:
Living in a Tier-1 city like Bengaluru is becoming unaffordable, even for high earners.
- Domestic Help:
Salaries of domestic workers have surged, often due to lack of labor laws or pricing regulation.
- No Cap on Rent or Fees:
- Rents have increased by 10–20% year-on-year in Bengaluru’s tech corridors.
- Private schools are largely unregulated in fee hikes.
- Rents have increased by 10–20% year-on-year in Bengaluru’s tech corridors.
6. Emotional & Mental Fatigue
Mental Health
( Image credit : Times Life Bureau )
“I’m tired. Mentally. It’s not about the money anymore. It’s the feeling that nothing will change.”
- Burnout Despite Success:
His case represents a class that should, by all logic, feel secure — but doesn’t.
- Apathy from Governance:
The emotional exhaustion stems from dealing with a system where effort doesn’t translate to ease — where every citizen feels like they’re “on their own.”
A Symptom of a Larger Urban Malaise
His concerns encapsulate a paradox:
India is growing — its GDP, unicorns, and digital economy are soaring. But if its cities can’t offer clean roads, safe nights, efficient services, and mental peace to even its highest taxpayers, the growth is hollow.
It’s not about whether India should change — it’s that it must. Not just for the wealthy or the poor, but for those in the middle — who carry the burden but get none of the relief.
Explore the latest trends and tips in Health & Fitness, Travel, Life Hacks, Fashion & Beauty, and Relationships at Times Life!