It has been 8 years since I left home.
I started out in a hostel with roommates I didn’t know, who somehow became friends within hours. Later, I moved into a 2BHK with those same friends and lived the classic bachelor’s life.
When I got my first job-a remote one-I still chose to live away from home, this time with a different set of friends. Then I switched jobs, moved to Bangalore, and ended up staying with an old-new friend.
And now, it seems a new quest has appeared:
Living Solo.
Why do I even want to stay solo?
The people aspect
Let’s just say things happen. You gain clarity. Priorities change. Paths diverge.
Living alone gives you autonomy. Nothing moves on its own. Everything stays where you left it. There are no second opinions and no “Should we get this?” discussions.
Sometimes, managing expectations and convincing people takes more energy than it’s worth.
The house aspect
The house I’m currently living in is kind of dark. It isn’t particularly well-ventilated, and being on the first floor means it attracts a lot of dust from the nearby road.
There’s an electricity pole right outside the window, people occasionally dump waste nearby, and random smells drift in every now and then. Some days it’s smoke, other days I have no idea what it is.
Either way, I don’t like it.
The future aspect
Given my age and the responsibilities that will eventually come my way, I need to level up as a provider, a problem solver, and someone people can depend on.
You can’t always expect your partner to handle 50% of everything.
You should be prepared to handle 100% if needed.
What am I getting myself into?
With autonomy comes responsibility.
There is no shared ownership anymore. Every decision is mine, and so are the consequences.
A broken light? A leaking faucet? A machine not working? No electricity? No water?
No one’s going to fix that for me.
The responsibility is no longer shared.
The financial aspect
Until now, shared living has worked well for me, just as it does for most bachelors.
Sharing rent, amenities, and sometimes even personal space significantly reduces the financial burden.
This decision-and my stubbornness about finding a good place-is going to nearly double my living expenses.
Right now, my cost of living is roughly 20k per month. Moving out means that number probably won’t go below 35k.
That’s a 75% increase in the cost of simply existing somewhere.
Does this make sense financially?
If you’re an investor, probably not.
If you’re aggressively optimizing your savings rate, probably not.
This only makes sense if the environment you live in matters to you.
If good sunlight, fresh air, clean water (yes, the Avatar line popped into my head), and a space that feels right are things you value, then maybe it does.
What am I looking forward to?
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Keeping things neat and tidy.
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Cooking and meal-prepping properly.
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Deep work without noise or interruptions.
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Shouting in the living room.
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A place designed around me.
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Blasting music.
Nothing much to say for now.
I haven’t moved in yet, but it feels like it’s going to be both fun and challenging.
Let’s see what happens.
I’m not moving out because living with people is bad. I’m moving out because I’ve reached a point where I want to learn what life looks like when everything is my responsibility.