The cost of living in Bangalore has skyrocketed in 2025. I teach undergraduate course in Bangalore. Most students are first generation learners and not from affluent background. The cost of school fees for the kids is around $100 for a year, which is broken into two instalments. It is quite common see disappointment in their face when the school fees are mentioned. However, the counselors reassure them that with various scholarships available, the schooling will be almost free until they graduate.
While researching on Trump’s tantrums and threats to impose 25% tariff on India’s export to US tomorrow (August 1, 2025), I came to know the US wants unfettered access to Indian market for US farmers. They want to sell corn, soy dairy to Indian consumers. India is predominantly agricultural country. I say this because nearly 45 percent of India’s population depend on agriculture and it employes 2/3 of India’s working age group. That’s about 650 million people or nearly two times the population of the US or the population of entire Europe without Germany. Agriculture contributed 18.2 percent to India’s GDP in 2023-24. It is in these rural farming communities that the soul of India resides.
Nearly 65 percent of farmers hold less than 1 acre of land. If crops fail or rain God forgets to appear, how do they survive? If you go to railway station in Yeshwanthpur or Kengeri in Bangalore in the morning hours, you will see married women, young ladies rushing towards umpteen garment factories in Penya industrial area and Kengeri. How much do they earn led me to write this post.
An ad in quikrjobs:
They work from 9AM to 6PM from Monday to Saturday earning Rs.12,000 or $136 per month. Thats how much money you require to buy 27 McChicken Burger Combo from McDonalds. Working in Bangalore is far better than in Dacca, Bangladesh where similar profile will earn about Rs.8352 or $961.