‘People only see the tax free salary’: Indian woman reveals hidden cost of living alone in Dubai

A 23 year old Indian woman living alone in Dubai has opened up about the sacrifices that often remain hidden behind the city’s image of attractive salaries, career growth and an aspirational lifestyle.An Indian woman revealed the loneliness and sacrifices behind her seemingly glamorous life in Dubai. (Instagram/anushka.dxb_)(Also read: ‘No constant honking, no garbage’: Indian founder on life in Dubai)Taking to Instagram, Anushka Sharma shared a video in which she spoke about the loneliness, homesickness and emotional pressure that can come with building a life away from family.“Log Dubai mein sirf tax free salary dekhte hain, par yahan ki real cost koi nahi jaanta. Ghar se door rehna, bimar hone par akele manage karna, aur har festival par sirf video call karna, it’s not easy. But you know what? Trading your comfort zone today for your family’s secure future is always worth it. Hi friends, I’m Anushka Sharma, 23 years old, living alone in Dubai,” she said.The unseen side of Dubai dreamsSharma explained that social media often captures only the polished side of life abroad, including weekend outings, stylish surroundings and professional success. However, she said those images rarely reflect the emotional cost of living far from home.“The invisible cost of our Dubai dreams. Social media par sabko humara aesthetic lifestyle, weekend views, aur career growth dikhti hai. Par is bade shehar mein rehne ke liye jo price hum pay karte hain, wo sirf ghar se door rehne wale hi samajh sakte hain,” she wrote in the caption.Translated into English, she said people on social media only see the aesthetic lifestyle, weekend views and career progress, but only those living away from home understand the real price of surviving in a big city.(Also read: ‘Couldn’t build real wealth’: Indian woman on why she quit $300K Google US job)She added, “Missing family milestones, managing everything all alone after an exhausting corporate day, and dealing with that sudden wave of homesickness, it’s mentally heavy sometimes.”‘Remember why you started’Despite highlighting the difficult moments, Sharma ended her message on an encouraging note. She said the sacrifices made today could help create financial independence and a secure future for loved ones.(Also read: Indian woman amazed Dubai’s cleanliness, calls it ‘Disney World’: ‘Dust and pollution don’t ex’)“But remember why you started. Trading your comfort zone today to build financial independence and a beautiful future for your family back home is the biggest power move. Your sacrifice is building your empire,” the caption read.Watch the clip here:Internet reactsThe video drew several reactions from users who found her message relatable. One person wrote, “This is relatable,” while another commented, “I agree with you.” A third user said, “Yes, this is true,” and another added, “This is correct.”HT.com has reached out to the user for her comments, and the copy will be ce her response is received.(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)