34 LPA is where SIP should be on autopilot — and lifestyle inflation kills it fastest. On fixed-heavy metro packages, in-hand often lands ₹1.9–2.1L/month. After rent at 30–35%, you still have headroom for ₹60–80k SIP if you automate on payday.
SIP math on 34 LPA in-hand
Do not SIP on CTC ÷ 12. Run fixed pay through a take-home calculator, subtract rent and essentials, then target 15–20% of in-hand for equity SIP. At ₹2L in-hand, that is ₹36–40k/month minimum — enough to build ₹1 crore over 12–15 years at 12% CAGR if you step up on raises.
- Fixed-heavy 34 LPA metro in-hand: often ₹1.9–2.1L/month after PF and tax.
- Conservative SIP: ₹60–70k/month if rent is controlled.
- Aggressive SIP: ₹75–80k/month if you cap rent at 30% and skip lifestyle upgrades.
The takeaway
Automate SIP on payday before rent and UPI spends. Step up 10% every raise — that beats trying to time the market.