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

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”.