‘Very high salary is a trap’: MBA professional pitches ₹1.5–2 lakh per month as the ideal urban benchmark

The MBA graduate argued that once an urban professional earns between ₹1.5 lakh and ₹2 lakh per month, the chase for higher earnings can become a trap that erodes family life and well-being.

How much money is truly enough to live well in a metro city—and at what point does the pursuit of an ever-larger paycheque begin costing more than it delivers?

In a corporate culture that constantly champions relentless hustling for higher CTCs, a viral Instagram video by MBA graduate Mohit Talreja has sparked a sharp debate about career ambition, health, and personal fulfilment.

He argued that once an urban professional earns between ₹1.5 lakh and ₹2 lakh per month, the chase for higher earnings can become a trap that erodes family life and well-being.

Urban income benchmark

According to Talreja, urban professionals need a clear financial finish line rather than an open-ended race. He noted that while individuals can decide for themselves the age at which they hit that target, earning ₹1.5 lakh to ₹2 lakh a month in an urban city provides sufficient financial ground to support a family well and maintain a comfortable lifestyle.

Pushing aggressively beyond that bracket, however, often demands a hidden toll.

“Beyond that, the more you chase a high salary, the higher you want to climb, the further you want to go, the more sacrifices you end up making, and the more other aspects of your life slip away,” Talreja warned.

Hit the threshold, then step off the gas

Rather than remaining on an aggressive upward trajectory for decades, Talreja advocated for a two-phase career approach: sprint early to reach your safety mark, then intentionally ease off the pedal.

He advised that a professional's primary goal should be to cross that threshold salary as rapidly as possible. Once that baseline is secured, the focus should shift toward letting one's career advance at its own steady pace, redirecting time and attention toward health, family, and learning new things.

Escaping the 'high salary' trap

Talreja cautioned that trading an endless amount of personal time simply to accumulate larger pay packages rarely brings long-term peace of mind.

“Continuously selling your time just to make money, chasing ever-higher salaries, and working endlessly to make someone else rich, that philosophy will not give you fulfilment in the long term,” he said.

Instead of measuring success solely by corporate designations or appraisal percentages, he pointed toward cultivating autonomy outside the nine-to-five routine.

“You will find fulfilment when you let your job run its course while simultaneously learning something on your own or generating your own revenue. That will give you far more satisfaction. A very high salary is a trap; you should decide your own threshold.”

Social media users agreed with Talreja's argument and called his perspective “refreshing”.

About the Author

Arshdeep Kaur is a Senior Content Producer at Mint, where she reports and edits across national and international politics, business and culture‑adjacent trending stories for digital audience. With five years in the newsroom, she strives to balance the speed and rigor of fast‑moving news cycles and longer, context‑rich explainers. <br><br> Before joining LiveMint, Arshdeep served as a Senior Sub‑Editor at Business Standard and earlier as a Sub‑Editor at Asian News International (ANI). Her experience spans live news flows, enterprise features, and multi‑platform packaging. <br><br> At Mint, she regularly writes explainers, quick takes, and visuals‑led stories that are optimized for search and social, while maintaining the publication’s standards for accuracy and clarity. She collaborates closely with editors and the audience team to frame angles that resonate with readers in India and abroad, and to translate complex developments into accessible, high‑impact journalism. <br><br> Arshdeep's academic training underpins her interest towards policy and markets. She earned an MA in Economics from Panjab University and holds a Post‑Graduate Diploma in Broadcast Journalism from the India Today Media Institute (ITMI). This blend of economics and broadcast storytelling informs her coverage of public policy, elections, macro themes, and the consumer‑internet zeitgeist. <br><br> Arshdeep is based in New Delhi, where she tracks breaking developments and longer‑horizon storylines that shape public discourse.

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