Indian woman earning Rs 7.5 lakh monthly in US feels 'middle class', shares expenses

An Indian woman in the US detailed her expenses on a monthly income of Rs 7.5 lakh. Her limited savings prompted viewers to compare living costs and lifestyles in India and America.Indian woman earning Rs 7.5 lakh monthly in US feels 'middle class' (Photos: Nitin Malhotra/Instagram) New Delhi,Nov 12, 2026 17:37 ISTAn Indian woman living in the US has explained why she continues to consider herself “middle class” despite earning around Rs 7.5 lakh a month, breaking down her monthly expenses to show how little she has left after accounting for her household costs.Nitin Malhotra, an Indian man based in the US, shared a video on Instagram featuring his sister explaining her financial situation. Introducing the video, Nitin described her annual earnings as around Rs 1 crore. However, her stated monthly income of $8,000 (approximately Rs 7.52 lakh) adds up to $96,000 (around Rs 90 lakh) annually at an exchange rate of Rs 94 per dollar.She explained that much of her monthly income goes towards taxes, mortgage payments, healthcare and other household expenses.Breaking down her expenses, Nitin's sister said that $1,500 (around Rs 1.41 lakh) went towards taxes, leaving her with $6,500 (approximately Rs 6.11 lakh). Of this, $2,500 (around Rs 2.35 lakh) was spent on her mortgage, $1,000 (around Rs 94,000) on food, $500 (around Rs 47,000) on medical expenses, $500 (around Rs 47,000) on her car and another $500 (around Rs 47,000) on bills. She also spent $300 (around Rs 28,200) on her children and $200 (around Rs 18,800) on miscellaneous expenses. After accounting for these costs, she was left with just $1,000 (around Rs 94,000) in savings each month. She pointed out that this calculation did not even include her personal expenses.Comparing her financial situation with her life in India, she said that she previously earned Rs 15 lakh annually but managed to save more money than she does now in the US. Nitin also asked viewers what they would choose: earning $8,000 (around Rs 7.52 lakh) a month in America or living in India.The video prompted several social media users to weigh in, with many saying they would prefer India. One user related to the financial pressures described, commenting that even with two incomes, they were unable to save anything because of the numerous expenses.Another user offered a different perspective, saying that America provided a cleaner and more comfortable life, while one's own country offered a meaningful, happy and peaceful life, even if it lacked the same level of cleanliness and comfort.The comparison also brings into focus the cost-of-living gap between the two countries. While the US offers higher earning potential, expenses such as housing, healthcare, childcare and transportation can be considerably higher than in India, leaving people with less disposable income than their salaries might suggest.- Ends