Every few years the definition of “rich” in India changes.

Earlier people used to say:

“Bhai 1 crore ho jaye life set.”

Then it became 3 crore.

Then 10 crore.

Now I’m literally seeing flats in Ghaziabad being sold for 6 CRORE. In Ghaziabad. And people compare these prices with Gurugram now like it’s normal.

I genuinely want to understand — WHO are these buyers?

Most people today don’t even live in joint families anymore.

It’s usually:

husband-wife

maybe one child

sometimes no child at all

So who is comfortably paying:

6 crore for a flat

plus registration

plus interiors

plus maintenance

plus school fees

plus medical expenses

plus car loans

plus insane taxes

Especially in a country where the IT sector itself feels uncertain every 6 months.

Layoffs everywhere.

AI fear everywhere.

Job insecurity everywhere.

Even people earning 25–40 LPA today don’t feel secure enough to plan 20 years ahead.

And still builders are launching “luxury” projects after luxury projects with prices that honestly feel disconnected from reality.

Then I read somewhere that to retire peacefully in India now you need 30–40 crore if you want:

good healthcare

decent lifestyle

inflation protection

financial independence

And honestly? Looking at current real estate prices, maybe that number is not even exaggerated anymore.

What shocks me more is that this is happening despite:

terrible pollution

overcrowding

traffic

poor urban planning

water issues

uncertain air quality

Summer temperatures cross 45°C.

You literally cannot step outside during peak afternoon heat for weeks.

AQI is horrible for months.

People are breathing toxic air daily.

And despite all this, prices keep going UP like this is some global luxury paradise.

At this point I seriously wonder: Are normal salaried people completely priced out of metro life forever?

Or is there just THAT much:

black money

business money

old wealth

NRI money

startup exits

investor money

Because from a normal middle-class or even upper-middle-class perspective, these prices genuinely don’t make sense anymore.

Sometimes it feels like India is becoming a country where:

earning well is not enough

saving well is not enough

even “success” is not enough

You need generational wealth just to feel financially safe.

And the scary part is… this trend doesn’t even seem to be slowing down anymore.

37M, married, 1 kid (8 ). Lived in the US for 12 years. Have $700k in US index fund and 401k. Own 1 apartment in Bangalore and a 4 cr house in BBSR. 2 cr loan on house and 2 other commercial units with a total rental yield 1.5 lakh; apartment fully paid around 97 lakh. Parents in India, mid 60s. Want to move back and retire. No plans to work again unless I want to. How much can I safely withdraw monthly so the corpus never runs out — and what kind of lifestyle does that buy in BBSR for a family of 3with no rent? For context, I’m looking for good school for the kids, a maid, one EV, 4 holidays a year, and dining out once a week. Is it good enough?also planning to sell the flat and reduce the total loan amount.

​

37M, wife 33F, two kids (4 and 1). Lived in the US for 15 years. Have $1.3M (~₹11 crore) in US index funds and 401k. Own a home in Hyderabad, fully paid off. Parents in India, mid 60s.

Want to move back and retire. No plans to work again unless I want to.

How much can I safely withdraw monthly so the corpus never runs out — and what kind of lifestyle does that buy in Hyderabad for a family of 4 with no rent?

For context, I'm looking for good school for the kids, a maid, one EV, 4 holidays a year, and dining out once a week. My rough math puts this at ₹2.5L/month. Is that realistic and is ₹11 crore enough to sustain it?

Would love to hear from people actually living in Hyderabad or who've retired early in India.

This is what claude gave me

Category ₹/month School — 2 kids (fees + sibling discount) - ₹57,000

School transport (carpool) - ₹3,000

Books, uniforms, school events -₹5,000

Premium groceries - ₹22,000

Dining out 1x/week - ₹13,000

Maid - ₹15,000

Gated community maintenance - ₹10,000

AC servicing, house repairs etc - ₹2,500

Electricity - ₹5,000

Internet - ₹1,500

Mobile — 2 adults - ₹900

Water + LPG - ₹1,500

Health insurance (family floater + OPD) - ₹5,500

Dental OOP - ₹1,500

Term life insurance — 2 adults - ₹2,500

EV charging - ₹2,000

Car maintenance + insurance - ₹3,500

Gym — 2 adults - ₹4,500

Kids extracurriculars — 2 kids - ₹12,000

Streaming subscriptions - ₹1,500

India vacations 2x/year (amortized) - ₹6,500

Asia vacations 2x/year (amortized) - ₹24,000

Clothing — kids + adults - ₹10,000

Salon, grooming - ₹5,000

Misc household + gifts - ₹5,000

Festive gifting + Diwali - ₹5,000

Kids' birthday parties - ₹3,000

CA / tax filing - ₹500

Contingency buffer - ₹20,000

Total - ₹2,48,400

Hello,

38 year old woman. Been in the tech industry or almost 15 years. Burnt out. Planning to take a break for a couple of months to an year or two.

Almost 4 years in the US with 400k in US market including 401k and HSA. Have an apartment in Bengaluru and couple of ancestral properties in my hometown. Around 60 lakhs in multiple savings in India. Very moderate lifestyle.

Would like to spend time with parents and children. Husband is not earning high as he is in academia.

Do you think I can afford to take this break. I am worried about getting back to industry as well.

I am here to seek advice, on what you do when you have significant capital and are midway in your FIRE Journey.

Let me give background on my profile and portfolio.

- Mid-career in hardware, based in India. Currently making 1+cr a yr.

- recently benefited with AI led stock boom.

- real estate assets: 2 flats ~4cr . Lands : ~2.5cr

- RSU : 5+ cr

- Other assets : NPS, PF, Gold, MF,etc: 1cr

- Debt : 50L (housing loan)

On my next phase:need to reduce my dependency on RSU.I typically take out 10% of RSU every year to invest/diversify. Due to lack of better investment options, as compared to growth potential in stock - i haven't withdrawn more.

I feel a strong need to build an asset for regular inflation adjusted income. So thinking of incrementally build commercial real estate assets for regular income.

Also , thinking of singing up with PMS.

What i need from you.

- Assuming i can withdraw 50L-1cr every year or two.. where do I invest?

- any reference for good PMS services?

- any good investment options (willing to take moderate risk)

40 male single

Been living in US last 15 years

TOTAL net worth ~21 cr. No debt.

- liquid net worth ~15 crore

- 401k ~6crore

No properties in India (except ~1cr property but that i gifted to parents)

Looking to understand what is fat fire corpus needed for someone like me in tier2 cities (maybe ahmedabad), no plan for kids..

I am close with parents/family but not in touch with how cost of living is like in india now a days

Details on lifestyle:

Would like to buy a place ideally, i dont mostly overspend but do spend more on eating healthy/gym memberships etc.

Travel maybe couple times a year

maybe some support to parents but mostly they have financial independence they are retired.

No fancy cars

To clarify first, by retire I mean I want to work optionally and not to earn livelihood.

I have around 90L in stocks and MFs current value.
25L in PPF
30L in FD
Not counting gold because I won’t sell it but it should be around 60L worth.
I have Plots worth 2.2 crore in Jaipur
A flat worth 60L where I live.
25L in bank.
I earn around 3L per month. I have a 4 years old son.

Lifestyle - Nothing fancy. Don’t eat out or shop unless necessary. I like to save more. Buy occasional perfumes or anime figurines but that’s it. I have a debt of 8L car loan.
But after 40 I would like to take more contract work and work like 6-8 months and spend rest of time being with parents and take them to places.
Don’t fancy foreign trips either, but want to travel within India. Again, so far I have been a budget traveller. I don’t like to spend unnecessarily. But if there is a need for the family, I don’t think twice.

Reached 3Cr pre tax, 35M, unmarried.

US based comanies RSU: 1.4Cr ( too concentrated, risky, currently the share value decreased so can't withdraw)

US based shares: ( 10L)

Indian MF: 1.15Cr

Indian shares: 7L

Gold bond: 15L

Liquid/debt MF: 10L

AIF (insurance) : 10L

Cash: 10L

Total 3Cr + PF, NPS ( 30L)

Owns a car. Dont own house.

Current yearly expense: 12L per year ( rent + basic expense: 8L, Foreign travel + Expensive hobby: 4L)

35M, Indian living and have lived always in India.

Please suggest your stratagy to reach FIRE. I want to buy my own house in either south or Dehradun/Bangalore like place.

Hey Fatfired folks,

I’m a US based NRI with no plans to return anytime soon. I’m making this post to gather people’s thoughts here.
Is anyone really worried about currency devaluation combined with poor stock returns/future of Indian economy?

My NW in INR has increased by almost 5 cr just in the last 4-5 weeks as US stocks and the USD (relative to INR) continue to rise. Its increased by 25-30 crores in the last 2 years . This seems unprecedented.

I really don’t know what the future holds but oil prices are predicted to remain over $100 a barrel for the rest of the year. FIIs (rightly so) seem to have given up on the India growth story. Indian economy boomed due to the IT service sector boom from 2000-2025 but even that is in danger. There seems to be very little innovation or FDI. India missed the manufacturing pivot which was critical.

How are the Fat fired folks digesting all this info. Most of your assets are still in INR ? Are you going to use the LRS going forward ? Are you hedging against it ?

I live in the US and work at a FAANG company, and lately seeing people in India in their 20s and 30s earning ₹3L+ per month has genuinely made me question the economics of living abroad long term.
After taxes, rent, healthcare, and overall expenses in the US, the actual savings don’t feel as high as people back home often assume.
So I’m genuinely curious:
What do most people earning ₹3L+ per month in India actually do?
Is it mostly tech, startups, HFT/trading, business, remote US jobs, or something else?
How common is this really outside social media and finance/tech circles?

Not complaining at all, just trying to understand how the landscape in India has changed over the last few years.

Before you come at me, I drafted the post with AI.

38M, family of 4. Worked in the US for ~12 years at FAANG companies. Moved back to Bangalore 3 years ago and haven’t worked since.

Current NW is ~30 Cr, largely in equities. Expenses are ~5L/month including kids’ schooling, travel, lifestyle, etc.

My question is not about whether this corpus is “enough”.

The issue is that I currently have zero cash flow. All expenses are funded through stock sales. Markets and USD appreciation have helped over the last few years, but psychologically it still feels uncomfortable because there’s no incoming money.

That creates two problems for me:

1. Even though mathematically I can afford the lifestyle, mentally I hesitate to spend because there’s no cash flow replacing what goes out.

2. I also realized I don’t actually enjoy complete retirement. Waking up every day without something meaningful to build/work on is reducing my energy levels over time.

So I’m looking for ideas where I can stay occupied, work maybe 5-6 hours/day, manage people/operations, and potentially build a cash flowing business over time.

Not looking for another high stress corporate job.

Also not very keen on traditional rental real estate since I don’t want to liquidate a large equity position for relatively modest yields.

Have been exploring ideas like:
• Franchises
• Vertical farming/hydroponics
• Small operating businesses
• Semi-managed businesses with decent unit economics

Would love to hear from people who’ve solved for:
• meaningful engagement post FIRE
• predictable cash flow
• moderate involvement without lifestyle takeover

Especially interested in ideas that are realistic in Bangalore/India.

This is a genuine question out of curiosity, not judgment.

Over the last few years, I’ve worked with and observed people in very senior roles managers, directors, VPs in tech and non tech domain, many of whom I know are earning 50 LPA+ and sometimes significantly more.

But what surprises me is how “normal” their lifestyle often looks from the outside.

Most wear very basic clothes.
They don’t seem obsessed with luxury brands.
Many use just 1–2 credit cards and aren’t into reward optimization or lifestyle flexing.
No constant gadget upgrades, flashy watches, gold stacking, or visible signs of “rich living” that at least Reddit subs usually associates with high income.

And it genuinely made me curious:

Where does the money actually go once you start earning at that level?

Is most of it quietly going into:
- Investments and wealth creation?
- Home loans and long-term assets?
- Supporting parents and extended family?
- Children’s education and future planning?
- Financial security and peace of mind?
- Or does consumption simply stop being exciting after a point?

Because from the outside, I expected higher income to automatically translate into a visibly luxurious lifestyle. But in reality, many high earners seem more financially calm, minimal, and low-profile than people earning much less.

Would genuinely love to hear perspectives from people in this bracket, not just where the money goes, but how your relationship with money changes as income grows.

View Poll

I’m 33M and trying to understand whether true FatFIRE is achievable staying in India as a salaried employee, especially in tech.

Current situation: I work as a software engineer in a semiconductor company with total compensation around 3 Cr/year, out of which roughly 2 Cr is RSUs. I’m in a single income household, married with one 2-year-old kid. My current net worth is around 6 Cr, all liquid. I don’t own any real estate and have no loans. Net worth went from around 1 Cr to 6 Cr within 1 year mainly because company RSUs appreciated significantly and I booked gains during that period. Unfortunately STCG taxes also took away a sizable chunk of the gains.

The thing is, I’m not sure whether this is:

A lucky temporary phase due to stock appreciation

Or actually a realistic path toward FatFIRE

Most discussions I see are either:

People moving to US and building wealth there

Dual high-income couples

Business owners

For someone staying in India on salary alone:

What number do you consider true FatFIRE in India today?

10 Cr? 20 Cr? 50 Cr+?

Does having a kid completely change the equation because of education/international exposure expectations?

How much annual spending do people here target post-retirement?

I also feel compensation in India hits a ceiling unless RSUs massively outperform. Base salary growth alone doesn’t seem enough to compound into very high net worth quickly.

Would love to hear from people who achieved or are pursuing FatFIRE while remaining employed in India.

Background : Male 54. Live in T1 city. Moved away from a high paying IT corporate job last year. Kid already working and not dependent on me. Own house. No loans. Diversified portfolio to take care of any ups and downs in future.

Past 1 year : Working with a friend in an early stage startup. Even though I am not working to earn money, noticing that my role demands lot of efforts and is causing me ownership stress - practically defeating the purpose of quitting corporate. Thinking of quitting altogether.

Need advice :  How best to quit without letting others in social circle/relatives know ? As @throwaway_mg1983 replied to my last post ‘define your “job” post retirement. Everyone is poky and if you have free time, you sort of start losing respect/ taken for granted.’ It’s a real challenge - I can see my RWA pulling me in to take up society position, my relatives expecting me to be available for all occasions :(.

Per general suggestions - open a company and update LinkedIn as investor/advisor/self employed - any other thoughts as this looks as good as ‘retired’ for suspecting eyes.

Appreciate your inputs.

Im faced with two options given my 154 crores worth of real estate inheritance

1. Monetize 154 Crores worth of real estate using SBLC via DBS bank and make a profit while retaining ancestral assets in india.

Or

2. Sell assets and invest in the US and start new life

My goals are

1. wealth compounding
2. steady cash flow
3. liquidity
4. US immigration
5. Surety and peace of mind

Your suggestions would be invaluable.

My spouse and I (both late 30s) are at a crossroad. We’ve been in Bay Area tech for 15 years and have been incredibly lucky, especially coming from lower-middle-class backgrounds in India. This life is something we never imagined growing up.

However, the way the industry is shifting with AI has us questioning if the "juice is worth the squeeze" anymore. The burnout is real, and I find myself dreaming about passion projects rather than grinding another decade in Big Tech just to hit a higher number.

The Numbers:

• NW: ~$4M (₹37 Cr) all-in.
• Split: 70% liquid (brokerage, 401k, etc.) / 30% real estate equity.
• Estimated India Spend: ₹5L/month (covers rent, International Schools, and vacations).
• The Alternative: If we stay in the US, our "Fat" target is $8M, which likely means another 10 years of the grind.

The Dilemma: Our twins turn 5 soon. We feel like the R2I window is closing; if they get rooted in the US school system, moving them in middle or high school feels unfair. We want them to have that connection to family and culture, but we’re also wary of "one more year" syndrome. We feel $4M provides a very comfortable, upper-middle-class life in a Tier-1 city (Bangalore), allowing us to work on what we actually enjoy.

A few questions for the group:

1. For those who R2I’d with a similar corpus, does it feel truly "safe" given inflation (education, healthcare for aging parents, etc.)?
2. Is the "quality of life" trade-off (pollution/infrastructure) as bad as people say, or does being close to family (we have parents in the same city) make up for it?
3. Did you actually stop working, or did you just end up in the same high-pressure grind for lower pay in India?

Additional Context: We are not US citizens yet, but we expect our Green Cards in the next 1–2 years. Does it make sense to wait for the GC as a "safety net" before leaving, or is that just another form of the golden handcuffs?

Would love to hear from anyone who moved with young kids or decided to stay and grind for the $8M mark.

Hi all.

I joined this sub a few months ago and I’m incredibly inspired by everyone here. As I’m starting my journey I’d love any advice I could get here.

About me: I’m 26(M) about to be 27 in a few months. I have a wife and we’re a DINK household and plan to stay that way throughout. I work in life sciences consulting in the US and my wife is a researcher. I have about $40K saved, $10K in IRA (I rolled over my 401(K) from my previous job ; and $20K invested in ETFs, bonds and stocks, and about $10K liquid for emergencies. We are both Indians, I’m on H1B and she is on OPT. I have an education loan of $34K which I hope to clear by September 2027. We plan on moving to India right after the loan is cleared. Post that I’m fairly confident I’ll be earning about 30LPA post taxes in India. I also hope to start something of my own in India, eventually hoping to transition full time to this for income (not sure yet what I’d do, but would continue with my job until I know for certain. My job would also let me work on my own thing during that day as I would be working in the evenings)

What number should I am for? Planning to retire in Mumbai, Hyd, Pune. Would also be open to lower expense cities like Goa (I’ve also lived there for most of my childhood)

Would appreciate any advice, esp from folks who came back to India early in their careers and managed to achieve FIRE. Happy to provide more details as needed in the thread!