Indian-origin couple who moved to Bengaluru after 15 years in US calls it 'costly city'; say India 'isn't cheap'

After spending 15 years forming and stabilising your life in a country, contributing to its economy with taxes, you still have to wait for a green card for years. What would you do? Astha Chaturvedi and her husband decided to return to their homeland, India.Chaturvedi is from Jaipur, while her husband, Karthik, is from Vishakhapatnam. They both met in the US, fell in love, and tied the knot, setting up base in Austin. The 38-year-old had spent a decade working in Big Tech including McKinsey and Ripple when she decided to build her own startup. In 2024, she travelled to India to hire a CTO. There, her cousin suggested that she open an office in the country, where the startup ecosystem was beginning to flourish.At the same time, Chaturvedi and her husband had spent 15 years building their lives in the US. They were both waiting for their green cards and the backlog felt endless with him waiting since 2015 and her since 2020.Within the US, starting her own company was difficult due to her being there on an H-1B visa, which required her to be sponsored by an employer. She even switched to an H-4 dependent visa, earning the flexibility to launch her business back home.

Moving to India

Having grown up largely in the US, the couple was initially apprehensive about the work culture and corporate life in Bengaluru. Thus, Chaturvedi travelled to Bengaluru to visit schools and apartment hunt. She sold their house in San Francisco for about $2.3 million and moved.They bought a four-bedroom apartment in Bengaluru for about $1 million. "India isn't cheap if you want a premium lifestyle. In fact, quality goods like furniture and electronics can be more expensive than in the US," said Chaturvedi.

However, she added that healthcare and household help are much cheaper in the country. While in India people rely on nannies, the couple has chosen to be more hands-on with their daughter.

Professionally, she is building a global luxury home brand, Mouri Living. Moreover, they find Bengaluru to be a "costly city." She said the traffic in the city is a pain and thus they've hired a full-time driver to chauffeur them around. "Moving from San Francisco to Bengaluru began to feel like the right decision" she added since their daughter has been able to settle down in school and they have managed to escape the uncertainties of US Immigration."Culturally, I don't feel a gap at all. India feels more vibrant than the US," added Chaturvedi.