Rs 40,000 Job vs Rs 1.2 Lakh on Rapido: Side Hustle Ideas Check

A woman in Jharkhand booked a Rapido bike ride for Rs 198. Halfway through, she asked the rider how much he made in a day. "Up to Rs 4,000," he said.

She assumed he meant a month. He meant a day. The rider, a former engineer, told her he quit a Rs 40,000-a-month job and now earns between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 1.2 lakh a month. Her post went viral, and it has people rethinking side hustle ideas, careers and what "a good job" means.

Quick answer

• The rider says he left an engineering job paying Rs 40,000 a month because it could not cover his family's expenses.
• He says he now earns up to Rs 4,000 a day, or Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.2 lakh a month, while living in his own city.
• These are unverified figures from one passenger's post, and they are gross earnings, not take-home pay.
• Most gig workers in India work part-time: Redseer says 90%+ choose part-time engagement.

The Rs 198 ride that went viral

The woman shared the conversation on X on October 17, as reported by The Economic Times. Mint, Times of India and News18 picked it up over the following days.

When she asked why he gave up a career people study years for, his answer was simple. Meeting his family's needs came first.

"Now, I work in my own city, and I am happy with my earnings. I feel very good. I earn well, and I can also work while staying in my own city," he said, as quoted by Mint and TOI.

She ended her post with a line many readers related to. Everyone's circumstances are different, and so is the meaning of success.

What the numbers actually say

The headline comparison is striking. On paper, the rider says he now makes about three times his old salary.

Rs 40,000 a month as an engineer vs up to Rs 1.2 lakh a month reported as a Rapido rider

Source: Mint; The Economic Times; Times of India

But Times of India added an important caution. The figures come from a woman's account of one conversation and have not been independently verified.

TOI also notes they should not be taken as representative of what Rapido drivers generally earn. Earnings depend on hours worked, demand, location and operating costs.

Gross is not take-home

This is the part a viral post skips. A bike taxi rider pays for fuel, servicing, wear on the vehicle and phone data, and those costs come out of the daily figure.

As TOI puts it, gross earnings differ from take-home income after costs. Rs 4,000 on a strong day is not Rs 4,000 in the bank, and not every day is a strong day.

So the fair reading is this: the job paid him enough, in his city, to beat a salary that was not working for his family. That is a real outcome, but it is one person's math.

How most Indians use gig work

For most people, gig work is not a full-time switch. It is extra income on the side.

Redseer's Gig Internet Workforce Report 2026 says India has over 6 million monthly active gig workers. It expects that to reach 17–21 Mn by 2030.

The same report says 90%+ choose part-time engagement, and the average worker is active on a platform for only ~3 months a year. Redseer calls gig work India's best stop-gap, a flexible and supplemental way to earn.

It also found that ~54% of gig workers had no paid work of any kind before joining, and that full-time gig workers earn up to ~2.5X of people in comparable informal and formal roles.

Rapido in brief

Rapido is an Indian ride-hailing service that mainly works as a bike taxi aggregator, according to Wikipedia. It also offers auto rickshaw and cab hailing, parcel delivery and logistics.

Founded in 2015 and based in Bengaluru, it reported revenue of ₹648 crore in FY24. It has also faced legal trouble in places where bike taxis are not allowed, so check your city's rules before you sign up.

Is bike taxi driving one of the better side hustle ideas?

It can work as a flexible income line, especially if you already own a two-wheeler. Before you try it, run your own numbers:

1. Track net, not gross. Note fuel and maintenance for a few weeks, then subtract it from what the app shows.
2. Test it part-time first. Ride evenings or weekends before you touch your salary, as most gig workers do.
3. Check local rules. Bike taxis are restricted in some places, which can stop income overnight.
4. Price your time. Count hours on the road, not just rupees earned, and compare it with your job.
5. Plan for a slow season. Demand changes with location and time, so keep savings before you quit anything.

Gig income is taxable like any other income. This is information only; check with a CA for your situation.

FAQs

How much does the Rapido rider in the viral post earn? He told the passenger he earns up to Rs 4,000 a day, or between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 1.2 lakh a month. The figures are unverified.

Why did he leave his engineering job? His salary of Rs 40,000 a month was not enough to manage his family's household expenses, he said.

Do all Rapido drivers earn Rs 1 lakh a month? No. TOI says the figures should not be taken as representative. Earnings vary with hours, demand, location and costs.

Do most gig workers in India work full-time? No. Redseer says 90%+ engage part-time, and the average worker is active for only ~3 months a year.

Would you switch to gig work for double your salary? Tell us in the comments.

Results vary; nothing here is a promise of income.

Sources

• Mint: Rs 40,000 salary as engineer vs Rs 1 lakh earning as Rapido driver
• The Economic Times: Rs 40,000 as an engineer, Rs 1.2 lakh as a Rapido driver
• Times of India: He quit a Rs 40,000 engineering job to drive for Rapido
• Startupniti: Former engineer earns Rs 1 lakh monthly as Rapido driver in Jharkhand
• Redseer: India's Gig Internet Workforce Report 2026
• Wikipedia: Rapido (company)