‘₹5 lakh salary, but no peace’: 26-year-old NRI in UK says he wants to go back to India, Internet divided
For many people, moving abroad is still seen as the ultimate dream – better money, better lifestyle, better opportunities. But for an Indian living in Britain, the reality looks much less rosy.A 26-year-old NRI recently spoke online about feeling emotionally exhausted and disconnected despite earning well and living a stable life abroad. His post has now impacted thousands of people online, especially millennials and Gen Z professionals quietly dealing with loneliness abroad. The man shared that he has been living in the UK for the last eight years after moving to the UK with his family at the age of 18. But according to her, this move was never really her choice.He admitted that while his life “looks good on paper”, internally things feel very different. He wrote that he earns around ₹5 lakh per month after tax, he has a good setup and he is doing well professionally. But despite financial stability, he says he constantly feels stuck and emotionally unfulfilled. And honestly, this is the part that a lot of people online can immediately relate to.

In his post, he talked about missing his life in India – the childhood friends, the familiar surroundings, the everyday interactions, and the sense of belonging that he no longer feels abroad. He said he still regularly talks to his old friends in India on vacation and those conversations often make him think seriously about returning home.Problem? Almost everyone around him tells him not to do this.According to him, his friends keep warning him that India has changed, opportunities are tough, stress levels are high, and moving away from steady foreign income could be a big mistake. But despite hearing all this, the thought of leaving Britain apparently crosses her mind almost every day. He admitted that sometimes he feels the temptation to quit his job, book a ticket and go back home forever. And that emotional conflict sparked a massive conversation online.Many people in the comments said they completely understood what he was feeling. Some NRIs confessed that they were going through exactly the same situation – financially secure, but emotionally cut off. One person wrote that they too live in the UK, earn well, and still think about going back to India because after a while life abroad starts to feel repetitive and isolating. However, others urged him not to make emotional decisions too quickly.Many users reported that the India they remember is probably linked to old memories – school days, college memories, childhood friendships and a phase of life that no longer exists as it used to. And to be honest, this weighed heavily on many readers as well.Because sometimes people don’t remember a country. They remember the version of themselves that was there.

Another section of users reminded them that happiness is not automatically guaranteed at any place. According to him, going back without proper planning, job security or emotional clarity can lead to a whole new set of disappointments later.Some also pointed out that life abroad can be especially difficult for immigrants due to the isolation, long winters, small social circles, and constant pressure to “make it worth it.”And in many ways, the conversation became much bigger than just one person’s desire to leave the UK. It turned into a discussion about burnout, homesickness, identity and the growing number of young Indians abroad who silently struggle with loneliness despite appearing successful online.Because social media often shows a glossy version of NRI life – exotic trips, salaries in pounds or dollars, swanky cafes, and fabulous LinkedIn updates. What it rarely shows is its emotional side.Missing weddings at home. Watching a friendship slowly end. Feeling culturally different in two different countries at the same time. There is money but no one is close enough to call at midnight. Maybe that’s why so many people liked this post. Not because the man wanted to leave the UK, but because he admitted something that many people are secretly afraid to say out loud: sometimes, success and happiness are not the same thing.


