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She says the extra cost gives her more time and energy. (Instagram/Shakti Dharni Pandey)
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News18•06-10-2026, 16:15
Gurgaon Woman Spends Over Half Her Salary on Rent, Says She Has No Regrets
  • •Shakti Dharni Pandey spends more than 50% of her salary on a 1RK apartment located just a four-minute walk from her school in Gurgaon.
  • •She chose to prioritize proximity to work over saving money to protect her time, energy, and peace of mind.
  • •The short commute allows her to go home during breaks, enjoy hot lunches, and avoid the daily stress of traveling through traffic.
  • •Pandey believes that investing her money in comfort during her 20s makes adulting easier rather than putting it all into savings or SIPs.
  • •Her decision sparked a debate online, with some users supporting her focus on quality of life while others criticized spending over half her income on rent.

Key Questions Answered

Shakti Dharni Pandey chooses to live in a 1RK that is just a 4-minute walking distance from her school so she can save time, energy, and peace of mind. The short commute allows her to go home during class breaks, have a hot lunch, and complete pending work without spending hours travelling.

Users had mixed reactions to her financial choice. While critics argued that spending more than half of her salary on rent is a bad financial decision and too high, supporters praised her focus on the quality of life, noting that peace of mind and time are worth the extra expense.

Pandey stated that she had the option of moving far from the school to find a much cheaper place, or choosing a slightly further location in a cheaper locality. However, she decided that saving money was not worth the extra travel and daily stress.