The High Cost of Influencer Travel: Sharanya Iyer’s Rs 50 Lakh Year
Success on social media often comes with a hefty price tag. For influencers, maintaining a polished online presence requires significant investment in equipment, styling, and travel – costs that can quickly reach staggering amounts. Travel content creator Sharanya Iyer (@trulynomadly), with over half a million Instagram followers, recently shared her 2024 expenses, revealing a total of over Rs 50 lakh dedicated to maintaining her online persona. This represents a dramatic shift from her previously frugal lifestyle, highlighting the financial demands of building and sustaining a successful social media presence.
Iyer’s 2024 travel itinerary included over six countries: Laos, Thailand, Madeira, South Africa, Greenland, and Iceland. Individual trip costs ranged from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 8 lakh, with flights alone accounting for Rs 5 lakh. Accommodation, activities, and other travel-related expenses comprised the majority of the remaining budget. Her South African trip with her parents, for instance, cost Rs 8 lakh, while Iceland trips (made three times) totaled Rs 2.5 lakh. A trip to Greenland cost Rs 3 lakh, and her visits to Laos and Thailand combined cost Rs 1 lakh. Surprisingly, a summer spent in Europe cost only Rs 60,000, thanks to a Rs 40,000 casino win. However, these figures exclude daily expenses, food, and shopping – areas Iyer intends to reduce spending in 2025.
Beyond travel, Iyer’s expenses included a Rs 22 lakh purchase of a new Hyundai car and Rs 5 lakh in uninsured medical costs. In a candid Instagram post that has garnered over 1.3 million views and 400 comments, she summarized her financial approach with the statement, “Earn > Save > Spend > Repeat,” explaining that 2024 marked a significant departure from her previous “obsessive” saving habits, a change influenced by family and friends. She emphasized the joy and sense of security this lifestyle shift provided, despite a challenging year.
The video sparked considerable discussion among viewers, many expressing surprise at the sheer cost and questioning her income sources. The post highlighted the often-unseen financial realities behind the glamorous world of influencer travel, prompting comments like, “Influencers often talk about how many countries they’ve been to, but the amount of money needed to travel should also be a topic of discussion.” Others empathized, sharing similar experiences of prioritizing travel despite potential savings implications. Iyer’s transparent account offers a rare glimpse into the financial sacrifices and investments required for success in the competitive world of social media influencing.