A software engineer in Bengaluru, known only as Ray, shared his frustration about the recent appraisal cycle. While he received a 7.5% pay raise, his landlord increased the rent by 10%, highlighting the widening gap between income and expenses. Ray worries that if this trend persists, his rent might eventually exceed his salary.
Salary hike I received was 7.5% meanwhile BLR landlord increased the rent by 10%.
— Ray (@sde_ray) March 28, 2025
If this goes on, someday my rent will become more than salary.
“Salary hike I received was 7.5% meanwhile BLR landlord increased the rent by 10%. If this goes on, someday my rent will become more than salary.”
He wrote on X in a post that caught the attention of many users.
“This is the reality for most IT employees in Bangalore and Hyderabad. Half of our salary goes into rent, and the rest is eaten up by taxes,” added an X user, Neo (@kumar_mks23). A second user, Abhishek Nair (@abhisheknaironx), remarked, “Getting an onsite job in Bangalore is becoming less and less profitable…”
— Gokul 📚 (@gokulnk) March 28, 2025
While some users claimed they or their acquaintances received salary hikes lower than seven percent, others argued that companies should offer at least a 10 percent raise to keep up with inflation.
“Anything below a 10 percent salary hike is criminal,” said Ishwar Singh (@IshwarBagga). “Authorities manipulate inflation data, allowing companies to justify minimal hikes. Meanwhile, rent, groceries, and other essentials increase by 10 percent YoY. It’s time to face the harsh realities of living in metro cities!”
A few curious X users even asked Grok if Ray’s rent could ever exceed his salary. The AI assistant confirmed that it was possible under certain assumptions.
“Grok estimates that, based on standard conditions, it would take 23 years for your rent to overtake your salary,” replied Krishna Mohan (@KiMoJiRa) to Ray.
One user, Vivek Khatri, described the situation as an “urban scam,” highlighting, “Salary hikes feel good until your electricity bill increases by 12 percent, rent by 10 percent, and milk by 15 percent. At this pace, your landlord will eventually be wealthier off your salary than you.” He further called it “lifestyle taxation without legislation.”