A Bengaluru-based Google techie has renewed the conversation around tech salaries in India after saying that even top software engineers can’t casually buy things worth multiple crores. Divya Porwal said that some people labour under the delusion that Google techies earn enough to buy fancy cars on a whim. In a post shared on X, she issues a clarification on tech salaries in India.
“I don’t even earn a crore in a year”
Porwal, a software engineer who recently joined Google, said that someone once said to her, “Bro you work at Google, you can easily buy a Lamborghini.”
In her post, she offered a reality check on being able to buy a Lamborghini in India. Porwal said that a Lamborghini costs between ₹4 to 5 crore in India. She, on the other hand, does not even earn a crore in a year.
“Lamborghini in India starts from around ₹4–5 crore. And I don’t even earn a crore in a year,” the Bengaluru techie said in her X post.
Porwal said that a big chunk of her salary goes on taxes, rent, utilities, family responsibilities etc. In reality, even a high-paying job does not give one access to crazy luxuries, she said.
“After taxes, rent, family responsibilities, daily life… a big chunk of salary is already gone. A high-paying job gives you comfort. Not crazy luxury,” she wrote.
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Tech salaries in India
The Google techie added that the kind of money which buys luxuries usually comes from startup wins or businesses, not salaries. In India, even top software engineers cannot buy things worth multiple crores, unless they have generational wealth and zero responsibilities, she opined.
“In India, even top software engineers can’t casually buy things worth multiple crores (they can if they have generational wealth and 0 responsibilities),” wrote Porwal on X. “That level of money usually comes from startup wins, business, or equity. Not just a monthly salary,” she concluded.
Her post has been going steadily viral on X, where many agreed with her opinion.
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“Very well said. Salaried folks are anyways working for government for 4 months a year,” wrote one X user.
“If you were in Europe or the US, salaries would be higher and a Lambo would be much cheaper. It would probably cost about one year of salary,” another X user wrote. “Tax is one issue here. PPP-adjusted salaries are another.”
“It’s a glass ceiling, almost impossible for just SWEs to crack,” a user noted.
