Retire in India or Not? Feeling Confused and Anxious
I’ve been going down a rabbit hole lately, reading posts across Reddit, Facebook, YouTube, and everywhere else, trying to understand what it really takes to move back to India and retire comfortably. There’s so much conflicting information out there , some say it’s very doable, others say it’s risky and honestly, it’s left me more confused than confident.
Here’s our situation: we’re a family of four with two kids (ages 10 and 8). We currently have about $750K in stocks, $200K in 401(k), and around $100K in equity in our home here in the U.S., which we may plan to sell. We also already own a house in Hyderabad, so at least housing is somewhat taken care of.
With visa uncertainty looming, this doesn’t feel like a purely optional decision anymore - it feels like something we need to seriously prepare for in the near future.
My husband strongly believes we can invest wisely, generate enough returns, and retire comfortably in India without needing to work. I’m not currently planning to work either, at least for now. But I’ll be honest , feel anxious about whether this is truly enough for the long run, especially with two kids who will soon have major education expenses.
And sometimes, I can’t help but feel like this sudden push to “retire early and move back” might also be a bit of a mid-life phase or burnout talking. Maybe I’m overthinking it. but I’d rather be cautious than regret it later.
I’m trying to understand the real numbers:
What does a comfortable monthly expense look like for a family of 4 in Hyderabad?
How much should we realistically budget for kids’ education (schools, future college, etc.)?
What about healthcare, lifestyle, travel, and unexpected costs?
How much corpus is actually “safe” to retire on in India today?
Would really appreciate hearing from people who’ve actually made this move, are currently living this life, or have done the math seriously. What worked, what didn’t, and what would you do differently?
Trying to make a life decision here, and any honest insights would really help 🙏