Gurugram woman spends over 50% salary on rent, shares why she wouldn't change it

A Gurugram woman said she spends more than half her salary on rent to live a four-minute walk from work. Her video prompted debate over whether convenience and peace are worth sacrificing savings and SIPs.Gurugram woman spends over 50% salary on rent (Photos: @shaktidharni/Instagram)Gurugram,Oct 6, 2026 15:29 ISTA woman living in Gurugram said more than half her salary goes towards rent, but she would rather spend the money on a home close to work than trade her time, energy and peace of mind for cheaper accommodation.Shakti Dharni Pandey, an Instagram user, shared a video explaining why she chose to live just a four-minute walk from the school where she works, despite having the option of renting a much cheaper place farther away.In the video, she compiled glimpses of her daily routine, including cooking, cleaning and working from home. She explained that the short distance allows her to walk home during her lunch break, eat a hot meal and finish pending chores before returning to work.“More than 50% of my salary goes towards paying my rent, and I'm not going to change it,” she said, adding that while spending so much on rent might seem like a poor financial decision, she consciously chose convenience over savings. Pandey said living close to work means she does not have to rush through her mornings or worry about getting stuck in traffic. She also saves on commuting costs and gets back time that would otherwise be spent travelling.“I choose my peace over saving money,” she said, adding that instead of investing the money, she was using it to live comfortably and prioritise herself. She said the decision helped her safeguard her “mental health, energy and time” and was the best thing she could do for herself. Sharing the video, she asked her followers, “Will you do something like this?”Watch the video here:The post sparked a debate over whether spending more on rent to eliminate a long commute is worth the financial trade-off. Some users supported her choice, saying everyone has a different life path and that saving time and money on commuting can be valuable.Others, however, questioned whether giving up investments such as SIPs for higher rent was a wise long-term decision, pointing out that rent is a temporary expense while investments can contribute towards one's financial future.- Ends