‘Rs 24 lakh per annum’: Vada pav seller’s income is equivalent to white-collar earnings – Internet reacts

A vlogger’s viral video showing how much a street vendor in Mumbai earns selling vada pav has stunned the internet and proved that you don’t need to have a corner office to rake in some serious cash.

Instagram content creator Sarthak Sachdeva spent a day working at a local vada pav cart, and the results are eye-opening – street food vendors’ earnings are higher than many would expect, challenging perceptions of street food vendors’ earning potential.

Sachdeva’s video, which has already amassed over 10 million views, documents his experience of spending a day selling the popular Indian snack.

In the video, Sachdeva starts by learning how the company works, making hot vada pavs and engaging with customers. “By noon, we had already sold about 200 vada pavs,” he says, reflecting on the high demand. The momentum continued throughout the day and a total of 622 vada pavs were sold in the evening. At the price of Rs 15 per vada pav, the daily earnings were Rs 9,300.

Calculating the entire month, the seller’s income comes to an impressive amount of 2.8 lakh rupees (approximately $3,300). After expenses, the salesperson earns about 2 lakh rupees ($2,400) a month, or 24 lakh rupees ($29,000) a year – an amount that rivals the earnings of many civil servants in India.

The Internet reacted with disbelief and humor. One viewer commented: “What am I doing with my life?” while another joked: “Time to start a food cart!” Several users were amazed at how profitable a seemingly humble street food business can be, with one remarking: “The power of a great location.”

Sachdeva’s video has sparked conversations about the earning potential of street vendors and how lucrative such small businesses can be if run effectively.