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A Google employee in Bengaluru abandoned plans to move closer to work after discovering 1 BHK rents of up to Rs 40,000, choosing a two-hour daily commute instead
A Google employee’s candid post about Bengaluru’s rental prices has struck a chord with thousands online (Image-Canva)
A Bengaluru-based Google techie has gone viral after sharing why she decided against moving closer to her office despite spending hours in traffic every day. The techie revealed that rental prices for a modest apartment near her workplace were so high that she ultimately chose to stick with her daily commute instead.
The discussion began when Divya Porwal, a tech professional working in Bengaluru, shared her experience on X while searching for a home closer to her office. Like many employees in India’s technology capital, she hoped that relocating nearer to work would help her avoid spending hours navigating the city’s notorious traffic congestion.
Porwal explained that she currently lives around 10 kilometres from her office and recently explored the possibility of moving into a one-bedroom apartment in a gated community. However, the rental prices she encountered quickly changed her mind.
According to her post, rents for 1 BHK apartments in gated societies near her workplace ranged between Rs 30,000 and Rs 40,000 per month. Faced with those costs, she decided against relocating and instead opted to continue with her daily commute.
Sharing her frustration, Porwal wrote, “I live just 10 km away from my office, so this weekend I thought of finding a flat nearby. I was hoping for a 1 BHK in a gated society since it’s safer and has all the amenities. Then I saw the rents. Rs 30k-40k for a 1 BHK.”
She further added, “I literally dropped the plan of shifting. I’ll continue spending 2 hours daily in traffic. After all, I’m already paying lakhs in taxes to government, I should spend some time on road.”
The post quickly gained traction on social media, with numerous users weighing in on the growing challenge of balancing rent costs and commuting time in Bengaluru.
Several commenters shared similar experiences. One user wrote, “Same here. Last month we checked a 2 BHK near the office. Rs 52k + maintenance for a smaller flat than our current one. We stayed put. I still don’t understand what justifies these rents apart from location.”
Another user highlighted how rental inflation appears to be affecting multiple metropolitan cities, commenting, “Are you in Bangalore or Mumbai? Both cities seem to be competing with each other to set the most ridiculous rents possible.”
Remote work also emerged as a popular alternative in the discussion. One commenter remarked, “WFH is best even if salary is 20k-30k less literally..😭”
I live just 10 km away from my office, so this weekend I thought of finding a flat nearby. I was hoping for a 1 BHK in a gated society since it’s safer and has all the amenities.Then I saw the rents.₹30k–40k for a 1 BHK. 🤯I literally dropped the plan of shifting. I’ll…— Divya Porwal (@divyaporwal_) June 7, 2026
Not everyone agreed with Porwal’s decision. One user argued, “If you can’t spend even 10-15% of your monthly income on your rent, you not only have a scarcity mindset but you also don’t respect your own time enough.” Responding to the criticism, Porwal replied, “40k is not 10% sorry, I respect my time that’s why I will do WFH for sure.”
Others pointed out that rent is only part of the financial burden. One user noted, “More than rent its deposits that drains you out. Outrageous amount u have to give as deposit, not seen anywhere. Nothing more than 20k is good for 1bhk.”
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