'People survive on Rs 12,000.' He was asking for Rs 25,000.

A candidate in Bengaluru turned down a job offer at Rs 25,000 per month — roughly $300 — after concluding the pay did not match the cost of living in the city. The HR representative responded by informing him that "people manage on Rs 12,000" and that the company was "hiring employees, not maids." The exchange, posted to LinkedIn and subsequently shared across Reddit, ignited a debate about pay standards in India's tech hubs where entry-level salaries have been stagnant for years while rents have doubled. Commenters noted that Rs 12,000 wouldn't cover a single room in a shared flat in most Bengaluru neighbourhoods.