An Indian woman recently shared her eye-opening experience about the high cost of living in the United States, especially when compared to her earnings in Indian rupees. Aakriti Pandey posted a video on her Instagram, offering insights from her trip while discussing travel expenses as an Indian traveler.
In her video, Aakriti humorously remarked that “everything feels so expensive for us Indians these days,” noting the exchange rate where one U.S. dollar equals about ₹93. She candidly expressed how this made her “question life.”
She described her struggle with basic expenses, mentioning that public transport can be hard to find in certain areas. For instance, she once paid $67 (over ₹6,000) for an Uber ride from the airport to her hotel, which she felt resembled more of a motel than a hotel.
Aakriti was especially taken aback by coffee prices, stating that a simple cup costing $3-4 from convenience stores was disappointing, especially when compared to more refined coffee options back home in India.
Food costs also left her shocked. While in the Bay Area, she craved dosas for breakfast and learned that three dosas would set her back around $57, or more than ₹5,300. Addressing those who often suggest that travelers should avoid converting dollars into rupees, Aakriti argued that it’s hard to ignore when you’re earning in rupees but spending in dollars.
She also reflected on how stressful travel can be, especially when it’s not covered by work or company expenses, claiming it could lead to “too much anxiety.”
In her post, she touched on broader financial worries, explaining that many middle-class Indian millennials feel the need to have multiple incomes or side jobs just to afford things that used to be considered normal, like vacations, housing, or starting a family.
She light-heartedly mentioned that converting every cab ride and meal into rupees had become second nature for her, while questioning if the “big American dream” is really worth the hype.
The video garnered a lot of attention online, with many viewers agreeing with her observations about currency value and the realities of traveling abroad. Some noted that her experience was a reality check for those who fantasize about international trips after seeing glamorous posts on social media, revealing that actual traveling expenses can be quite burdensome and far from perfect.
Others echoed Aakriti’s thoughts on food and coffee, sharing that despite high prices, many everyday meals in the U.S. left something to be desired compared to the quality and cost in India. A few users even pointed out that the “American dream” has been overly glorified, with one commenter labeling it as “overrated” and emphasizing that life abroad isn’t always as glamorous as it appears online.
