A couple working as software engineers at Microsoft in Noida have opened up about their monthly expenses, lifestyle choices and why they are loving the city despite the ever-increasing cost of living.
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Speaking to HT.com, Chhavi Maheshwari explains how she and her husband, Ripesh Yadav, manage their finances as a working couple and why Noida seems to be the perfect blend of professional opportunity, family comfort and urban convenience.
Originally from Purkazi, Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, Chhavi works as a software engineer at Microsoft. Her husband Ripesh Yadav, who hails from Jaspur, Kashipur, Uttarakhand, is also a software engineer in the company. Both of them completed B.Tech in Computer Science from National Institute of Technology Uttarakhand between 2014 and 2018.
“I am a software engineer currently working at Microsoft in Noida. My husband and I completed B.Tech in Computer Science from National Institute of Technology Uttarakhand (2014-2018). We started our careers at Samsung Noida in 2018, later moved to Goldman Sachs in 2020 and joined Microsoft in 2022. My journey has been a mix of learning, growth and adopting different roles in organizations Is,” Chhavi said.
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From Samsung to Microsoft
Chhavi and Ripesh started their professional journey in Noida in 2018 after completing their engineering degree. His first workplace was Samsung Noida, after which he moved to Goldman Sachs in 2020. In January 2022, both joined Microsoft as software engineers.
Chhavi said, “We both are working as software engineers in Microsoft. We both joined Microsoft around January 2022.”
The couple has been living in Noida for about eight years now.
“We are in Noida since 2018 and currently we live in Sector 75, Central Noida,” she said.
Why did he choose Noida?
For Chhavi and Repesh, the decision to continue living in Noida was not just about work. While their jobs played a role, Chhavi said the biggest reason was the city’s proximity to both their families.
“The main reason for choosing Noida is family proximity and emotional comfort. Muzaffarnagar is about 2.5 hours away and Jaspur is about 4 hours away. This makes it easy to stay connected with both families, which gives Noida a strong ‘homey’ feel for us. Work was also a factor, but family connectivity played the biggest role,” he said.
For many working couples in the National Capital Region, Noida offers a middle path between access to career opportunities and family support. In the case of Chhavi and Repesh, the city allows them to live independently while remaining close enough to visit their families without any major travel plans.
Their monthly rent and housing costs
The couple lives in a 2BHK semi-furnished apartment in Sector 75. Their monthly rent is around ₹35,000.
“We live in a 2BHK semi-furnished apartment, and the monthly rent is approx ₹35,000,” Chhavi shared.
Apart from rent, housing related expenses form a significant part of their monthly budget. These include maintenance charges, electricity, internet and other utility costs. Image said they spend roughly ₹Rs 20,000 per month on such expenses.
“Apart from rent, we spend roughly ₹20000 per month on maintenance, electricity, internet,” she said.
In his expense breakdown, he estimated utilities and maintenance at approximately ₹from 15,000 ₹20,000 per month. This shows that while rent is the largest fixed housing cost, additional recurring charges can also become a major monthly expense for couples living in apartment societies.
Food, Groceries and Eating Out
Chhavi said her average monthly grocery and household expenses come around ₹20,000.
“Our average grocery and household expenses are around ₹20,000 per month,” he said.
Eating out, ordering food, going to cafes and going out on weekends is another regular part of their monthly expenses. The couple spends here and there ₹Rs 20,000 per month on food delivery, eating out and travelling.
“We usually spend here and there ₹20000 per month on food delivery, eating out and weekend outings, Chhavi said.
During a rough breakup, he also shared the expenses of eating out. ₹15,000 more ₹20,000. For young couples living in urban areas, such costs often add up gradually, especially when weekend planning, café visits and food delivery become part of the routine.
Commuting and lifestyle expenses
For office commute, the couple largely relies on Microsoft’s Office Transport feature. Chhavi said that he occasionally uses his car, especially for outings or holidays.
“For office, we use the office transport facility. Sometimes we also travel by our own car. If we are going out for holidays it is more, otherwise it is less,” he said.
His monthly transportation expenditure is approximately ₹from 8,000 ₹12,000, depending on journey and usage. Since they do not rely heavily on daily cab or private vehicle transportation to the office, these costs remain relatively controlled.
However, lifestyle expenses add another ₹from 10,000 ₹15,000 per month. These include shopping, memberships, personal care, entertainment and social outings.
“Our lifestyle expenses (shopping, memberships, personal care, etc.) are approx. ₹10,000- ₹15,000 per month,” Chhavi said.
In the detailed breakup, he included lifestyle expenses ₹from 15,000 ₹Rs.20,000 per month, depending on the month and nature of expenditure.
Total monthly expenses are ₹1.6 lakh
When asked about their total monthly expenses as a couple living in Noida, Chhavi said that the figure comes to roughly ₹1.6 lakh, which includes rent, utilities, groceries, eating out, transportation, lifestyle expenses, EMIs and other expenses.
“Our total monthly expenses are approximately ₹₹1.6 lakh, including everything,” he said.
He also shared a rough breakdown of the couple’s monthly expenses. their fare is around ₹35,000. Between utilities and maintenance costs ₹15,000 more ₹20,000. cost of groceries ₹from 15,000 ₹20,000. the expense of eating out is another ₹from 15,000 ₹20,000. transportation expenses are around ₹from 8,000 ₹12,000. Lifestyle expenses come around ₹from 15,000 ₹20,000. The remaining amount goes towards EMI and other expenses.
The couple doesn’t use expense tracking apps. Instead, they follow a simple joint account system to manage their monthly finances.
“We don’t use any expense-tracking apps. Instead, we follow a simple system: We both contribute ₹Every month Rs 80,000 is deposited in a joint account and all expenses (rent, EMI, daily costs) are managed from the same account,” Chhavi said.
This system helps them keep shared expenses organized without having to manually track each transaction.
Is Noida still affordable?
Chhavi believes that Noida is still relatively affordable compared to cities like Bengaluru or Hyderabad. However, he also said that the city has become quite expensive since 2018.
“Noida is still relatively affordable compared to cities like Bangalore or Hyderabad, but the cost of living has increased significantly since 2018,” he said.
According to him, people often underestimate some expenses before visiting Noida. These include maintenance fees, lifestyle and eating out costs, memberships and small daily expenses that may not seem big individually but add up over time.
“People often underestimate: maintenance fees, lifestyle and food costs, hidden costs like memberships and small daily expenses,” he said.
Despite rising costs, Chhavi said living in Noida seems balanced for her. The comfort of being close to family and the quality of life make the expenses worthwhile.
He said, “Overall, it seems balanced. Although expenses have increased over time, the comfort of living close to family and the quality of life make it worth it.”
Advice for young professionals moving to Noida
For young professionals and couples planning to move to Noida for work, Chhavi said the location should be selected carefully keeping in mind both office commute and family needs.
“Choose location based on work travel + family needs,” he advised.
He also suggested that couples should plan their expenses in advance, especially rent and lifestyle expenses, as these can add up quickly in a city like Noida.
“Plan your expenses, especially rent and lifestyle expenses,” he said.
(Also read: Indian techie says quitting $250K Microsoft US job improved his quality of life: ‘Now I have a cook and driver’)
Describing Noida as a good place for quality lifestyle and family balance, Chhavi also pointed out that tech opportunities are slightly less compared to Bengaluru and Hyderabad. He said professionals should make their decision based on their career goals and personal preferences.
“Noida is a great place for quality lifestyle and family balance. Tech opportunities are slightly less compared to Bengaluru/Hyderabad, so prioritize based on career goals. Overall, if your priorities align with comfort, connectivity and family proximity, then Noida is a good place to settle down.”
