A reoccuring question in social media groups is young professionals, mostly from IT or Finance industries mentioning that they have received a job offer in a Western European Country and are not fully sure if the move will be worth it, especially while comparing the salaries and the quality of life they lead to. This question keeps coming up because the numbers sound impressive on both sides, yet the responses you receive are confident but contradictory. This article won’t give you a Yes or No answer but give you all the information that you need to know to make an intelligent decision for yourself.
I’m making around 30 lakhs in India. I’ve been offered €80,000 in the Netherlands. Is this… good?
Everyone you ask will have very strong opinions.
- Your cousin: “Bro Europe life is chill.”
- Your friend: “₹30L in India is KING life.”
- WhatsApp uncle: “After tax you’ll get peanuts.”
- LinkedIn influencer: “Money isn’t everything.”
Yes, ₹30L in India sounds massive.
Yes, €80k sounds huge in euros.
But once tax hits:
- ₹30L in India → roughly ₹1.6–1.8L per month in hand (varies wildly)
- €80k in NL → around €4,000–4,400 per month in hand
(with the 30% ruling, maybe more — without it, definitely less)
| Factor | India | Europe |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | You probably live in a nice gated society, and you already have or are contemplating buying a house. | You rent a smaller apartment that you hunt over six months and the rent eats your salary. |
| Daily Affairs | You have Swiggy at midnight, cab for everything, and eating out is easy. | Groceries make you respect vegetables and you think twice before booking Uber. |
| Commuting | You drive, or you have a company transit, or you take a cab. However traffic takes away most of your energy at the end of the day. | Public transport is actually good, but in many cities, expensive. You can buy a car but have to consider the taxes, parking etc. |
| Housekeeping | You probably hire a cook, a househelp, and book an expert on UrbanLadder for every repair. You have a milkman or a delivery company that provides groceries at your doorstep. | You will spend substantial amount of time with household chores, cooking, cleaning, maintanance etc. You might end up painting your house when you find out that hiring somebody to do this might take 3000 euro. |
| Social Life | You already have a good social circle at and outside of your work. It is easy to make good friends by just inviting somebody over a chai. | Creating a new social circle takes time and a lot of effort. Though there are Indian communities, you will also make friends if you are active in sports or hobby clubs. |
| Work Life | If you are a highly accomplished professional, your weekdays mostly revolve around working often with late night meetings, urgent bug fixes etc. Your manager often determines how fast you move up. | You will have a more predictable working schedule with clear roles and responsibilities. In some countries, communicating or assigning work beyond work hours is frowned upon. |
| Career Trajectory | You often have high salary jumps and may even reach 2-3x of your current salary within the next decase. But there is also higher volatility and burnout. There might be times when you are navigating the subtle workplace dynamics by yourself. | Career progression is straightforward and increments are slow, but there is a stronger safety net. Your organization might have a strong employees association that governs collective labour agreements that ensure a safe environment for everybody. |
| Emotional Math | You feel competent, understood, and surrounded. You may be made to feel very priviledged in different social situations. You feel safe. | You feel independent, stretched, and oddly proud of small wins. You are treated, and expect to treat the people around you as equals. |
So… is €80k better than ₹30L?
Here’s the honest answer:
It depends on what you’re optimizing for.
- If you want comfort and familiarity → India wins
- If you want predictability and optionality → Europe makes sense
- If you’re early in your career → Europe compounds differently
- If you’re optimizing for lifestyle today → India feels richer
Neither choice is “wrong.”
They just reward different versions of you.
A quick gut-check before you decide
Ask yourself:
- Am I okay with short-term lifestyle change (that may be a slight downgrade)?
- Do I want stability or speed right now?
- Is this a 2-year experiment or a forever move?
- What problem am I actually trying to solve?
If the answer is “money” — think again.
It’s rarely just money.
Final thought
Sometimes this comparison isn’t about 30 lakhs or €80k at all.
It’s about whether you want to grow within what you know
or rebuild yourself somewhere unfamiliar.
Both cost something.
Both give something back.
Would you like us to advice on any particular situation? Write to us.
