Buy silver from Ahmedabad, sell in Vizag and earn 17k per trip: Woman shares ultimate plan to earn money

Silver metal has a special place in Indian households, not just a priced possession but is also sentimentally important, as it is adorned as jewelry and a traditional gift during festivals.

With the festive season around the corner, many are looking to buy silver, unaware of the surprising differences in its price across India’s cities. Recently, a viral social media post spotlighted just how sharply silver prices can vary even within the same country.What if these local price gaps could be leveraged for profit? But is it really as easy as buying cheap silver in one city and selling it for a premium in another? A viral post claims affirmative, but experts have something else to say, let's find out

Viral post shows a huge Silver price gap between cities

Food content creator Nalini Unagar, known as @NalinisKitchen on X (formerly Twitter), recently caught attention with her post comparing silver prices between two Indian cities on October 14, 2025.

According to her, silver sold for Rs 1,89,000 per kilogram in Ahmedabad but was much higher at Rs 2,06,000 in Visakhapatnam, which marked a striking difference of Rs 17,000.She proposed a simple business idea: buy silver in Ahmedabad, travel by train to Visakhapatnam, where silver is more expensive, and sell it there. With a round-trip train ticket costing about Rs 2,000, and after considering taxes, she estimated a net profit of Rs 14,490 per trip, achievable within just three days.

Repeating this trip three to four times a month, she said, could earn around Rs 43,000 to Rs 58,000.Many found the idea ingenious and called it “the most Indian arbitrage idea ever.” The post sparked a buzz among traders and casual investors fascinated by the possibility of quick, easy profit from regional price disparities.

However, experts suggest otherwise

However, silver traders, tax experts, and experienced investors quickly brought to light the challenges that complicate this easy-looking plan.

A user commented, "While buying price is Rs 2 lakh, the selling price is Rs 1.8 lakh. So, even if you buy in Ahmedabad at Rs 1.89 lakh, you won't be able to sell at a price Rs 1.89 lakh". This suggests the resale price might not match the purchase price, cutting into expected profits.

Another user pointed out, "Silver prices don't vary that much between cities (no way 17K). Prices are nationally regulated after all. GST on silver is 3%, which alone wipes out most of the claimed profit.

You have to be a registered GST dealer, carry a valid tax invoice, e-way bill, ensure the silver is accounted for in your books. So you are incurring further tax". Prices also fluctuate daily, so by the time someone reaches a different city, the silver price may have changed, potentially turning an expected gain into a loss.

Understanding local price differences

Silver prices vary regionally due to differences in demand and supply, logistics costs, dealer margins, purity levels, and state taxes. Ahmedabad, being a key bullion trading hub, usually enjoys lower transportation costs and higher liquidity, pushing prices lower compared to Visakhapatnam, a port city with different market dynamics.