An Indian woman has sparked a conversation online after sharing her experience of travelling in the US while earning in Indian rupees. Taking to Instagram, Aakriti Pandey posted a video in which she spoke about how expensive the trip felt once she began converting every expense into INR.
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In the video, she said, “The world has become an expensive place for us Indians. This is the video that I recently made comparing Malaysian Ringgit and Thai Baht to INR, and now I have landed in the US and I find it funny. One dollar is ₹93 to ₹95 as of today, and this trip is making me question my life.”
She then spoke about transport costs, saying that public transport felt almost unavailable in some situations. “Firstly, public transport, it’s non-existent. If you land at midnight, your Uber will cost you almost close to your one-night stay. Like, I paid $67 yesterday night just to reach my hotel, or motel I would like to call it,” she said.
‘Three dosas cost ₹5,300’
Aakriti also compared food and coffee prices with what one can get in India. “Coffee, I think it’s the best time to take a caffeine break for me, or maybe a three to four-dollar coffee at 7-Eleven which is yuck. India me fancy coffee beans with almond milk dete hain itne me,” she said.
She further added, “Yesterday we felt like dosa khata breakfast me, and three dosas in the Bay Area today cost you $57, 5,300 rupees for three dosas!”
Addressing those who advise travellers not to convert every expense into rupees, she said, “People tell me all the time, ‘Stop converting to INR, forget about it,’ but excuse me, how can you if you earn in INR and spend in dollars?”
She added that travelling to the US may feel easier if it is funded by a company or sponsorship. “It’s just so much better to visit here in company expense or sponsorship; otherwise, it is going to give you too much anxiety, dude,” she said.
In the caption, she wrote, “Earning in INR, spending in dollars, and converting every meal and cab ride. Does this happen with you guys too? The big American dream? It’s almost time for me to start looking for jobs. Is it just me, or does everyone have general money anxiety these days? But who am I to complain? My friends with jobs in the US would probably have a good laugh at this.”
Watch the clip here:
Internet reacts to money anxiety
The clip has received several reactions, with many users agreeing with her concerns. One user wrote, “This is exactly why I cannot stop converting everything into rupees.” Another said, “The anxiety is real when you earn in INR and spend in dollars.” A third commented, “That dosa bill hurt me more than it should have.” Another user wrote, “US travel is fun only until the credit card bill arrives.”
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HT.com has reached out to the user for her comments, and the copy will be updated once 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.)
