A viral video by Bengaluru-based entrepreneur Vishwas Mudagal has triggered conversations online after he shared his views on the monthly income needed to be considered “rich” in India’s tier-2 cities.
Mudagal, who is the CEO and founder of GoodWorks Group, argued that while ₹1 lakh per month already offers a comfortable lifestyle in many smaller cities, people seeking “lifestyle freedom” may require higher incomes depending on the city and expectations.
Income estimates for different cities
In the video, Mudagal listed estimated monthly income ranges for what he described as an upper-class lifestyle across several Indian cities.
For Indore and Lucknow, he suggested incomes between ₹1 lakh and ₹2 lakh per month could support premium living with quality housing, schools, leisure, and club memberships.
Speaking about Coimbatore and Nagpur, he estimated that ₹1.25 lakh to ₹1.75 lakh per month would provide comfortable living, dining, travel, and healthcare benefits.
For Jaipur, Bhubaneswar, and Mysuru, Mudagal highlighted the balance between lifestyle, lower living costs, and peaceful surroundings compared to crowded metropolitan cities.
Debate over quality of life in smaller cities
The entrepreneur concluded the video by saying wealth in tier-2 cities is “about peace, access and freedom” rather than money alone.
His remarks quickly sparked debate on social media, with many users agreeing that smaller cities now offer better work-life balance, affordability, and quality of life than India’s larger metros.
Others, however, pointed out that lifestyle expectations vary widely based on family size, career goals, education, and personal spending habits.