A woman’s question, “Is life in Western countries actually better than in India?” while comparing the quality of her life with that of her cousin who relocated to the UK at a young age, has sparked debate on Reddit. The 21-year-old woman claimed that her cousin enrolled in a good aerospace engineering programme, always travelled with friends, and received “an offer from ISRO.” She went on to claim that, in comparison, her life was filled with daily struggles.
“Personally I would say yes. My cousin and I are the same age. Both 21. She moved to the UK with her family when she was 14 and I stayed in India. We both have been really close since childhood as we are the same age and practically grew up together. We still talk to each other every week without fail. We both are studying engineering. She lives in Wales and I live in Gujarat. We both are good students but not topper by any means,” the woman wrote.
She painted a picture that shows the differences between her life and that of her cousin—in terms of quality of living, education, and social life.
The woman claimed that while her cousin has two internships that pay her well and promote work-life balance, she is stuck working a 10-hour internship that pays a ₹12,000 stipend.
How did social media react?
An individual posted, “The cost of quality of life is very high in India. India is not exactly cheap. If you can immigrate, it will be a higher quality of life for sure. You will add at least 5 years to your lifespan.”
Another commented, “You’re just comparing life because you grew up together. Though it looks green on the other side, you can achieve more than her. But you just choose to blame the external conditions. A student in Beijing or Tokyo might do even better. Use all the available resources to the best and try to navigate your life. No point in comparing which one is better. You can literally go to any country you want and do a Master’s if you believe the West has better opportunities. Don’t focus on the wrong things.”
A third expressed, “100%. It’s not an opinion. It’s a fact.” A fourth wrote, “Yes, it is better.”