The conversation around the true cost of living in the United States—particularly in relation to renting—is heating up, and Chartered Accountant Nitin Kaushik is among those highlighting its implications for aspiring migrants, especially Indian IT professionals. His viewpoint underscores a crucial shift: what was once seen as a high-return move for IT employees may now be yielding diminishing returns.
Over the past decade, many IT professionals from India benefited from migrating to the U.S., leveraging high-paying jobs to achieve financial growth. However, according to Kaushik, that window of opportunity may be narrowing. With rising living expenses—especially housing—he is questioning whether the move is still worth the financial trade-off.
The H-1B visa program, popular among Indian techies, sets a baseline annual salary of $60,000, which serves as the minimum pay regardless of the applicant’s role, experience, or where the job is based. This threshold ensures a basic compensation standard across all positions under the H-1B category.
A significant contributor to this concern is the spike in rent prices. Financial analyst Sourav Dutta emphasizes that average rents in the U.S. hover around $2,000 per month. Based on the common guideline that renters should earn three times their rent, an income of $6,000 per month—or $72,000 annually—is considered necessary to afford such housing. After taxes, the disparity becomes even more stark, making average housing inaccessible for many—even those earning above-average salaries.
Recent data from Zillow backs this up. As of December 2024, the typical asking rent for single-family homes was $2,174, while multifamily units were priced around $1,812. In major U.S. cities, these figures are often significantly higher. For Indian migrants or new workers in tech hubs like San Francisco, New York, or Seattle, securing affordable housing becomes a challenge—especially when balancing other costs such as healthcare, insurance, and childcare. Trump tariff impact on US rent prices
Adding to this pressure is the economic landscape around real estate. According to Redfin economists, the slowdown in apartment construction is expected to drive rent prices up even further due to decreased supply. To make matters worse, rising tariffs on building materials imported from countries like Canada, China, and Mexico are expected to make construction even more expensive. This could slow down new housing development, exacerbating the supply-demand gap.
Economist from Redfin point out that these tariffs might also push more people to rent instead of buy, adding further demand to an already tight rental market.
Should you buy a property in India?
Back in India, Nitin Kaushik in a separate post on X reminds aspiring homeowners to calculate the long-term implications of such financial decisions. For those aspiring to buy a home in India, factors like stamp duty, maintenance, taxes, and loan interest turn these into 20-year commitments—not decisions to be made based on societal pressure or surface-level appeal.
Over the past decade, many IT professionals from India benefited from migrating to the U.S., leveraging high-paying jobs to achieve financial growth. However, according to Kaushik, that window of opportunity may be narrowing. With rising living expenses—especially housing—he is questioning whether the move is still worth the financial trade-off.
The H-1B visa program, popular among Indian techies, sets a baseline annual salary of $60,000, which serves as the minimum pay regardless of the applicant’s role, experience, or where the job is based. This threshold ensures a basic compensation standard across all positions under the H-1B category.
A significant contributor to this concern is the spike in rent prices. Financial analyst Sourav Dutta emphasizes that average rents in the U.S. hover around $2,000 per month. Based on the common guideline that renters should earn three times their rent, an income of $6,000 per month—or $72,000 annually—is considered necessary to afford such housing. After taxes, the disparity becomes even more stark, making average housing inaccessible for many—even those earning above-average salaries.
that's why it's more investment and less returns when someone wants to migrate to US. That thing is not for everyone.
— CA Nitin Kaushik (@Finance_Bareek) April 15, 2025
IT employees used it well for last decade, but its coming to an end soon https://t.co/hcoTk91LwM
Recent data from Zillow backs this up. As of December 2024, the typical asking rent for single-family homes was $2,174, while multifamily units were priced around $1,812. In major U.S. cities, these figures are often significantly higher. For Indian migrants or new workers in tech hubs like San Francisco, New York, or Seattle, securing affordable housing becomes a challenge—especially when balancing other costs such as healthcare, insurance, and childcare. Trump tariff impact on US rent prices
Adding to this pressure is the economic landscape around real estate. According to Redfin economists, the slowdown in apartment construction is expected to drive rent prices up even further due to decreased supply. To make matters worse, rising tariffs on building materials imported from countries like Canada, China, and Mexico are expected to make construction even more expensive. This could slow down new housing development, exacerbating the supply-demand gap.
Economist from Redfin point out that these tariffs might also push more people to rent instead of buy, adding further demand to an already tight rental market.
Every Indian dreams of a house. Few calculate the real cost.
— CA Nitin Kaushik (@Finance_Bareek) April 16, 2025
Stamp duty, registration, loan interest, maintenance, tax, repairs...
Buying a home is a 20-year decision.
Don’t rush just because ‘society’ expects it.
Do the math. Then decide.#stockmarketcrash #niftycrash…
Should you buy a property in India?
Back in India, Nitin Kaushik in a separate post on X reminds aspiring homeowners to calculate the long-term implications of such financial decisions. For those aspiring to buy a home in India, factors like stamp duty, maintenance, taxes, and loan interest turn these into 20-year commitments—not decisions to be made based on societal pressure or surface-level appeal.
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