Startup founder Astha Chaturvedi, 38, moved to Bangalore with her family, including a child and a pet, away from San Francisco and now feels she did the right thing. In an interview with Business Insider, Chaturvedi said that when she went to India in 2024 to hire a chief technology officer for her startup, she suddenly made the decision to return to India. She and her husband have been living in the United States for 15 years—they own property, they are what is called “settled” in the United States.Chaturvedi said that when she traveled to India to start a business, she experienced Bangalore’s startup culture, which made her think about whether she should open an office there. “We have spent about 15 years building a life in the United States and still have no clear path to permanent residence. My husband and I are both waiting for green cards, and the backlog feels endless. His queue dates back to 2015, and mine starts in 2020,” she said.Chaturvedi originally held an H-1B visa, but she changed it to an H-4 visa because she wanted to start her own company.Before moving to India, she was worried about the work culture in India, but gradually she realized that as the boss, she would be in control. She described how they moved from San Francisco to Bengaluru between February and April this year and now own a $1 million apartment in Bengaluru.“Comparing the cost of living is tricky. If you want a premium lifestyle, India is not cheap. In fact, premium items like furniture and electronics can be more expensive than in the US. But healthcare and home help are much cheaper, so I find it balances out. Bangalore is an expensive city, but that’s because we budget for a premium lifestyle,” describes Chaturvedi.“Traffic in Bengaluru is a hassle, so we opted to hire a full-time driver to get around. What I don’t miss is the chores. The bottom line is: we make up for the chaos by investing in support systems,” she says.Chaturvedi said that as her daughter adjusted to her new school and their pet began to adjust to India, they decided moving back to India was the right choice. “Culturally, I don’t feel a gap at all. India feels more dynamic than the United States,” she said.
