‘Higher taxes in Sweden, but India feels more expensive’: Woman compares cost of living

Entrepreneur and influencer Jyoti has gained a new perspective on taxes, spending, and cost of living after splitting her time between India and Sweden. In an Instagram post, she questioned whether lower taxes in Sweden necessarily translate to cheaper spending overall. Jyoti posed the query, "Sweden taxes more, but how much do we actually get back in public services?

And in India, why does life still feel increasingly expensive despite lower taxation?" She further explained that she pays higher taxes in Sweden compared to India, but experiences a sense of rising expenses and exhaustion every time she returns to India.

According to Jyoti, Sweden has a tax burden that equates to approximately 41% of its GDP, while India's tax revenue makes up around 18 to 20% of its GDP. While Sweden's taxes fund services such as healthcare, education, public transport, and social services, Jyoti highlighted that India's taxation often means additional expenses for services like healthcare, education, security, utilities, and more.

Despite India's high tax burden, Jyoti pointed out that many families still need to pay separately for private healthcare, education, transport, and essential utilities.

Moreover, Jyoti noted the contradiction in urban India, where people often complain about high expenses but continue spending lavishly on outings, luxury cars, and dining out. She questioned the disconnect between complaints about the cost of living and the apparent willingness to spend large sums on personal pleasures. In her view, the real comparison is not about the amount of tax one pays but the value they receive in return.

Jyoti concluded that the true measure lies in the satisfaction derived from public services and the overall quality of life, rather than simply the tax burden.