A 26-year-old remote employee who earns nearly ₹48 lakh per annum (LPA) has attracted a lot of interest online after he said that he wants to leave India and settle in Australia despite having what many would consider a dream salary.
The story was revealed on personal finance coach Anshuman Sharma’s “Fix Your Finance” show. Daniel was the employee who came to me for financial advice, and Daniel presented a dilemma that the world’s young professionals working remotely in international companies were dealing with.
Daniel is working from India for a foreign employer and earns €3,700 per month, which is about ₹4 lakh every month depending on exchange rates. He said money is good enough but money is not going to get him all the way through.
Daniel went on to say, “I work remotely. I am now earning about €3,700 per month. Now the problem is, I have so much money, I just don’t know what to do with it."
Daniel wasn’t so much concerned with making money as he was about living the life he wants. He told us of his ultimate goal to settle in Australia and that it would be a better place to live, better work-life balance, cleaner cities, and personal growth.
His comments have reignited an old discussion among Indian professionals. Indian workers can earn global salaries without leaving home and move overseas because of the growing and expanding remote working ecosystem, but many also choose to move abroad for reasons other than money.
Hence, migration decisions are increasingly influenced by healthcare, education, public infrastructure, environmental quality, career mobility, and lifestyle preferences, experts say. Financial success is only one piece of the puzzle for many young professionals.
A well-structured financial plan is important before you leave home for a big international move, Sharma said. Most experts would tell you to build an emergency fund, spend surplus income wisely, get an idea of tax implications, and estimate the relocation costs before moving abroad.
The debate on social media has gone viral and users have mixed feelings about it. Some people argued that earning a European salary while living in India is one of the best financial advantages because of the low cost of living.
Daniel’s idea has also been endorsed as happiness and life goals can never be measured in terms of money, as Daniel said.
The conversation also fits with a larger trend in the post-pandemic world of remote work that has given professionals greater flexibility. Many workers now have the freedom to choose where they live and are willing to put lifestyle, family, and long-term goals ahead of salary.
And Daniel’s story is a good example of how even if a high-paying job is a comfort for money, it doesn’t mean life is going to be happy.
People’s values, their quality of life, and what they want to do in the future are all determined by people, not their income, not money.
