Navigating life in two countries offers unique financial insights, as highlighted by a business owner who splits time between India and Sweden. Her viral post contrasted Sweden’s high-tax, publicly funded model with India’s heavy reliance on private services.
“Living between India and Sweden has completely changed how I think about taxes, spending and quality of life,” founder and influencer Jyoti wrote on Instagram.
She continued, “Sweden taxes more, but how much do we actually get back in public services? And in India, why does life still feel increasingly expensive despite lower overall taxation?” Her post questioned, “Maybe the real question isn’t how much we pay, but what we get in return.”
In a video, Jyoti said, “I pay higher taxes in Sweden than I ever did in India. Yet, every time I return to India, I leave with one question. Why does life feel so much more expensive and exhausting? Every year, I spend around two months in India with my family.”
She explained how living in both countries has changed the way she sees money. “Sweden has one of the highest tax burdens in the world. Tax revenue is roughly 41% of the country’s GDP. India is much lower, around 18 to 20% of GDP.”
She claimed this stark contrast in revenue collection highlighted a fundamental difference in how both nations structure their public economies. “But here’s what surprised me. In Sweden, those taxes help fund healthcare, schools, public transport, clean public spaces, parks, libraries, and many social services.”
She continued, “In India, even after paying GST on almost everything you buy, fuel taxes, tolls, property taxes, and for many people, income tax, millions of families still pay separately for private healthcare, private education, security, transport, and even basic utilities like water purification or power backup.”
This double burden leaves many citizens questioning the true return on their hard-earned money. Yet, despite these heavy out-of-pocket expenses, consumer spending across Indian cities continues to surge at a surprising rate.
“Then, I look around. It’s a Tuesday afternoon. The malls are packed. Restaurants have waiting lists. People are easily spending 1,000 to 3,000 on average on a single outing. Luxury cars are everywhere. Yet, the same people tell me that the cost of living has become overwhelming. That contrast fascinates me.”
She explained, “ But living in both countries has taught me one thing. The amount of tax you pay matters less than the value you feel you receive in return. That’s the real comparison,” as she concluded her post.
According to her Instagram bio, Jyoti runs a social media agency. She regularly shares content involving lessons from her life as an immigrant.
