'Crowded trains, ₹1.5 crore 1BHK...': Viral post sparks Mumbai vs Hyderabad clash on costs and chaos

A Reddit user sparked debate after describing how Mumbai’s daily grind makes it “practically unliveable” for an average earner.

“Born and raised in Nagpur, I’ve always loved Mumbai… but once I started working, the daily grind hit hard: crowded locals, high rents, bad roads, traffic, rains, noise and pollution. I accepted it then, thinking ‘this is just Mumbai life,’” the post read.

After relocating to Bengaluru, Pune and now Hyderabad, the difference felt “stark”: “Better weather, lighter traffic, lower rents, cleaner air and more peace. I bought a spacious 3BHK here for ₹1.5 Cr — in Mumbai that wouldn’t get me more than a small 1BHK. I rent a nice 3BHK near my office for ₹43k — unthinkable in Mumbai.”

While the poster still praised Mumbai’s opportunities, culture and energy, they admitted their quality of life is better elsewhere, and asked: “For those living in Mumbai, what makes you stay despite the trade-offs?”

The post struck a chord with many netizens sharing their views.

One user wrote, “Mumbai is bursting now… high air and sound pollution. How can a small city accommodate so many people?”

Another, a Canadian who moved to Mumbai, called the city “draining”: “Insane rents, constant traffic, noise, pollution… it feels like survival, not living. Mumbai sells itself as a global city, but you land and see crumbling infrastructure and slums.”

A third offered a blunt metric: “Mumbai isn’t for those earning less than ₹2L/month… to live alone decently and save, you need ₹80K/month. With family, ₹1.5L+. And no, this doesn’t include partying or fancy dinners — just basic, sober living.”