While Mumbai is often dubbed the “city of dreams,” not everyone buys into the allure. A Reddit user who recently relocated from Delhi to Mumbai has taken to the platform to share his dissatisfaction, barely a month into his stay. From exorbitant rent to intrusive housing society norms, the user is already planning a transfer to Gurugram.
Citing steep rental costs and what he describes as “judgmental society uncles,” the user expressed his frustration over the city’s lifestyle. “It is perpetually crowded, perpetually under construction,” he wrote. “The rents are sky high and even after paying, the society uncles impose rules on bachelors like no female should stay overnight, no male friends should stay for an extended period.”
The user, who moved to Mumbai for a job opportunity, added that while he didn’t have a strong city preference initially, the experience has left him feeling trapped. “I thought that Mumbai and Delhi would not be that different but I have noticed that people here are much more conservative,” he wrote.
One part of his rant that struck a chord with many users was about the constant scrutiny from neighbours. “I don’t party in my room, I don’t bring girls every day to the room. But I do want the freedom to choose when and who can come to my place and how long they can stay, and not get criticised by retired uncles in their half pants,” he said.
The Redditor also described the house-hunting ordeal in Mumbai, comparing it unfavourably with Delhi. “In Delhi, if you want a flat, you pay the amount and you get the flat. Here, I had to go through meeting the owner, owner’s friend in the building, then the society members and if they approve, then I will get a flat—all while paying 1.5 to 2x of rent from Delhi at least.”
The post sparked a flurry of responses. One commenter advised him to move out of Mumbai immediately, stating: “Get out of Mumbai ASAP and your quality of life will definitely improve. You will also be able to save money. Mumbai isn’t a good place for young professionals.”
Others offered a more balanced view. “Moved here recently too. My experience has been a stark contrast to yours,” another user replied. “Most of the part of why you dislike the city seems to be housing, which is fair. I personally live in an amazing/posh society so my experience wrt to the people, standard of living has been great so far.”
Some shared similar grievances. “Mumbai is the worst city imo,” wrote another user. “Got a job there in 2016, couldn’t last more than 2 months, relocated to Hyderabad. I had a budget of 20k/month, the broker showed me a stinky 1RK chawl for 22k/month.”
Toward the end of his post, the original user asked if others had ever requested a transfer shortly after joining a new job, curious to know what reasons they gave. Judging by the responses, he’s far from alone in questioning Mumbai’s livability—especially for young, single professionals