A Jaipur-based techie has shared why he turned down a ₹55 lakh-plus job offer in Japan and chose to continue living and working remotely from Jaipur instead. Taking to LinkedIn, Yashaswi Soni, a senior software engineer, said that he prioritised family, stability, work-life balance and remote work over a significantly higher salary.

The techie revealed why he rejected international job offers worth up to ₹55 LPA. (LinkedIn/Yashaswi Soni)

"I turned down 55+ LPA international offer in Japan to stay in Jaipur," Soni wrote in the post.

The techie revealed that he started looking for a new role after his previous employer asked him to relocate to Pune, a move he declined. "This time I wasn't rushing. I knew what I wanted: Remote. Stable. Good company culture. No fear of sudden layoffs. Good work-life balance," he wrote.

Soni said that over the following months, he received multiple job offers. These included a fully remote role with a London startup offering ₹37 LPA, a Dubai-based position worth ₹47 LPA. a Japan-based role paying around ₹55 LPA and a remote position with EPAM Anywhere offering ₹29 LPA.

Soni said that on paper the Japan offer was an obvious choice, but he kept asking himself one question: "What am I actually optimising for?"

The techie shared that his wife had recently settled into her job in Jaipur and the couple had finally built the life they wanted, with their own home, family nearby and a peaceful lifestyle. "We had finally built a life here - our own place, family close by, no traffic, no chaos. We were happy," he wrote.

Japan, on the other hand, he said, meant uprooting everything. "A new country. A new language. A new life at a time when we had just found stability," he wrote. He also added that although Dubai offered a tax-free salary, it wasn't the kind of life they envisioned for themselves.

Soni said that he was close to accepting EPAM's remote offer when his current employer reached out. "I stalled EPAM. Went through current company's interview rounds. After my final round, I did something unusual," he wrote, adding that he messaged one of his interviewers on LinkedIn and asked whether the company planned to move forward with his application because he had another offer awaiting a response.

Soni said that once he received the confirmation, he declined the Japan, Dubai and EPAM offers before joining his current firm in a fully remote role from Jaipur.

Looking back, he said that he remains convinced that he made the right decision. "2 years later - I can tell you with certainty I made the right call. Money is important. But it's one variable," he wrote.

"The city you live in, the people around you, the pace of your life - those are variables too. Optimize for the whole equation. Not just the biggest number," Soni concluded.

(Also Read: Techie says Bengaluru transformed his career in just 4 years: 'Deserves to be called Silicon Valley of India')

Reacting to the post, one user wrote, "Really liked your perspective Yashaswi Soni. I have also worked in a remote setup and it's something I am actively looking for again. Over time, I have realized that flexibility, peace of mind, and being close to family often matter just as much as the salary. Thanks for sharing your journey."

"Good decision. I also made decisions in past favouring remote opportunities vs big brands with WFO, and turned out to be a great career boosting decision as well so far," commented another.

"Loved the balanced perspective-combining financial prudence, strategic thinking, and emotional intelligence. Just like a great dish, it's all about the right mix of ingredients," wrote a third user.

"This makes a lot of sense because you took your time to figure out the best opportunity for yourself and your family. Decisions made without being in rush do work out," said another.