Bengaluru CEO's big question as fresher tells him about Rs 350 daily commute expense

A fresher told a Bengaluru CEO that his daily commute from home to office costs him Rs 350 daily, raising concerns about sustaining a basic livelihood in the city.A Bengaluru CEO was shocked to learn that a fresher was spending Rs 350 daily for commute. (representational image/Pexels)For a young professional in Bengaluru, the cost of getting to work eats into the salary before the workday even begins. His Rs 350 daily commute has prompted a CEO to question whether the city’s rising costs are quietly making it harder for young workers to afford the opportunities that brought them there.Sanket Sheth, the founder and CEO of Kreative Kode, shared a post about his conversation with a fresher. The young employee, who lived near Lalbagh while the office was in HSR layout, told him, “Sir, office aane mein Rs 350 roz lag jaate hain (Sir, it costs Rs 350 every day to come to the office).”The fresher’s options were limited. His parents were uncomfortable with him riding a scooter because of Bengaluru’s traffic and road conditions.Public transport meant spending nearly two hours each way, factoring in multiple changes and the last-mile commute. Combining public transport with an auto worked out to around Rs 350 a day. For someone earning their first salary, Sheth calculated, that could mean Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000 a month simply to get to work.That figure led him to a larger concern about what Bengaluru’s growth means for the young people arriving in the city. “A 22-year-old shouldn't have to calculate whether they can afford to go to work,” he wrote, arguing that a first salary should bring some independence rather than another expense to worry about. Sheth said the problem could eventually influence career choices. Young professionals may start favouring remote jobs, avoiding roles that require regular office attendance or looking beyond Bengaluru for work.His concern, he said, stemmed from what has made the city an economic hub in the first place. Every year, thousands of people in their early twenties arrive with ambition, ideas and a willingness to take risks. They go on to build careers, companies and families in the city.“Start pricing them out, and slowly you start pricing the future out of the city,” Sheth wrote.He stressed that companies alone cannot address the problem because affordable commuting is tied to public infrastructure. For someone earning Rs 20,000 or Rs 25,000 a month, transport costs are not a minor inconvenience but a significant part of their financial reality.See the post:Many LinkedIn users found the post relatable, with several sharing similar experiences of Bengaluru’s expensive daily commute.Others pointed to a wider trend of young job seekers reconsidering moves to major cities as rent, transport and everyday living costs continue to rise.“If Bangalore wants to remain India's city of opportunity, getting to that opportunity must remain affordable,” Sanket Sheth wrote.- EndsPublished By: Srimoyee ChowdhuryPublished On: Aug 18, 2026 13:57 IST