A social media post by a former Microsoft developer describing his decision to leave the United States and move back to India for a remote job has gone viral, drawing attention to changing work patterns, purchasing power and quality of life for global tech professionals. The post, shared on X by Ujjwal Chadha, outlines how the move altered his finances, daily routine and career focus after years of working in the US. Chadha said the decision “changed my life for better”.
The post has circulated widely as remote work continues to reshape where high-earning professionals choose to live, even while working for overseas employers.
From Seattle To Delhi
Chadha said he moved to India after leaving his job as a developer at Microsoft in the US to take up a remote role. He compared the difference in purchasing power between the two countries using his own experience.
“In Seattle, $250k is ‘comfortable',” he wrote. “In Delhi, it is ‘Dynasty Wealth'.”
He said his living costs fell sharply after the move. “My rent dropped 80%. My savings rate hit 90%. I stopped looking at menu prices,” Chadha wrote.
Time And Daily Life
Beyond finances, Chadha said the move improved his use of time. Describing it as a “time dividend”, he contrasted his life in the US with his routine in India.
“No more lonely winters. No more frozen dinners. No more 2-hour commutes on the 101,” he wrote.
He said his daily life now revolved around family and personal time. “Now, I have chai with my parents every evening. I have a cook. I have a driver. I have time,” Chadha wrote, adding that he pays domestic staff well.
Career Without Visa Pressure
Chadha said the decision did not come at the cost of professional growth. “I didn't ‘step down'. I stepped up,” he wrote.
He said remote work allowed him to focus fully on building products and developing his own ideas. “Remote work strips away the ‘visa anxiety'. I focus purely on building good products. And on my own ideas,” he wrote.
A Personal Choice
Chadha ended his post by rejecting the idea that the move was about slowing down. “I didn't leave the US to retire,” he wrote. “I left to actually live.”
According to his LinkedIn profile, Chadha currently works as a Senior Software Engineer at Fluxon, a San Francisco-based start-up. His profile states that he worked at Microsoft as a Software Engineer for about three years, from June 2020 to August 2023.
His post has so far received over 199K views. Many users commented as well, with some also expressing curiosity about how he managed to secure similar compensation while working from India.
A user asked whether he had managed to land a $250,000 remote job, calling it “a record” if true.
Did you manage to get 250k remote job ? That must be a record ????????
— Adimanav (@adimanav45) February 9, 2026
Another said, “How did you manage to get the same compensation in India? Won't they match the market? Genuinely curious.”
How did you manage to get the same compensation in India? Won't they match the market? Genuinely curious
— jay_13 (@JayDeep_1729) February 9, 2026
One user described geographical arbitrage as a major advantage for remote professionals, writing, “Geo arbitrage is the ultimate cheat code for remote workers. Earn in USD, spend in a low cost country, and suddenly $250K feels like $1M. More people will figure this out and it will reshape entire economies.”
geo arbitrage is the ultimate cheat code for remote workers. earn in USD, spend in a low cost country, and suddenly $250K feels like $1M. more people will figure this out and it will reshape entire economies
— Lucas (@TheLucasToday) February 9, 2026
Another wrote, “True, a life of a prince and dinner with king and queen. The most luxurious thing, that too with US salary. The only missing things are. However not much important. Good AQI, clean Water, unadulterated food, roads without traffic and potholes, mannerly citizens.”
True, a life of a prince and dinner with king and queen
— Hitesh Modi (@imhiteshmodi) February 9, 2026
The most luxurious thing
That too with US salary
The only missing things are
however not much important
Good AQI, clean Water, unadulterated food, roads without traffic and potholes, mannerly citizens
A person also flagged potential risks, stating, “PPP works great until you need to build a US credit history again, or your remote employer adjusts salary to local rates. What's the plan if the market shifts to ‘local pay for local work'?”
PPP works great until you need to build a US credit history again, or your remote employer adjusts salary to local rates.
— toni (@tonitrades_) February 9, 2026
What's the plan if the market shifts to " local pay for local work"?
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