‘Sir, ₹350 a day just to get to work’: Fresher tells Bengaluru CEO about rising cost of living

A young professional spending ₹350 every day to reach office in Bengaluru has drawn attention to the rising cost of commuting in the city. In a LinkedIn post, CEO Sanket Sheth recalled a conversation with a fresher when his company resumed in office work in 2024.Bengaluru’s rising commute costs put pressure on young workers. (Representative Image)Sheth recalled how the fresher told him about the daily expense while travelling to work. The caption read, “Sir, office aane mein ₹350 roz lag jaate hain.”He explained that the employee was staying near Lalbagh while their office was in HSR. His parents were not comfortable with him riding a scooter because of Bengaluru’s roads and traffic. Public transport took nearly two hours one way, including multiple changes and last mile travel.Taking an auto along with public transport cost around ₹350 every working day. For someone earning their first salary, simply travelling to work could cost ₹7,000 to ₹8,000 a month.“Somewhere in this rapid growth, are we making Bangalore unaffordable for the very youngsters who built its energy?” Sheth wrote.He argued that a 22-year-old should not have to think about whether they can afford to go to work. Instead, their first salary should bring a sense of freedom, whether it is buying something without asking at home or saving their first ₹1,000.Sheth also warned that young workers could eventually start looking for remote jobs, avoid opportunities that require office attendance or choose another city.“Bangalore is Bangalore because every year thousands of 21, 22 and 23 year olds arrive here with ridiculous amounts of ambition,” he wrote, adding that these young workers bring energy, ideas and a willingness to take risks.Take a look:Internet debates Bengaluru’s affordabilityThe post sparked mixed reactions on LinkedIn, with some users agreeing with Sheth while others questioned whether Bengaluru was being singled out.One user wrote, “One can start early and leave early if we are looking for our own convenience. We should not spend money on things that do not work. Every city has the same problem, but we are ranting more about Bangalore.”Another commented, “Yes, if a fresher is coming from another city, they have to spend almost half of what they earn on house rent, food and other expenses. With a starting salary of ₹25,000 to ₹30,000, they are left with almost nothing to save or buy anything. So they think of going to another city, even at a lower wage, where they can at least have their freedom.”Others offered shorter reactions, with one user writing, “There is a reason they run BMTC.”Another simply commented, “So true.”A more critical response said, “The ‘macroeconomy’ needs to correct, but I’ll be paying people less than what a house help makes in that very same city.”(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.)