For many Indians, moving to the US on an H-1B visa is closely associated with the promise of better career opportunities and a higher standard of living. But with housing, healthcare, education and everyday expenses rising in several American cities, a high salary does not necessarily translate into a financially stress-free life.An NRI entrepreneur has now offered his estimate of how much a family of four would need to earn annually to live comfortably in 10 major US cities in 2026.Aniruddha Anjana, a startup owner who returned to India after spending 10 years in the US, shared the calculation in an Instagram post. He said he used the 50/30/20 budgeting rule to estimate the income required for a family comprising two adults and two children.Under the rule, 50 per cent of income goes towards fixed expenses, 30 per cent towards discretionary spending such as travel and entertainment, and 20 per cent towards investments.“If you’re on H1B with a family, here’s what it actually costs to live comfortably in 2026 — not just survive, but live without financial stress,” Anjana said.How much salary does a family of four need in US cities?According to Anjana’s calculation, San Francisco is the most expensive of the 10 cities on his list, with a family of four requiring an annual income of $407,597 (around Rs 3.89 crore) to maintain what he considers a comfortable lifestyle.The estimated annual salaries for the 10 cities are:• San Francisco: $407,597• San Jose: $402,771• Boston: $368,742• New York: $337,875• Seattle: $334,131• Washington DC: $319,405• Chicago: $242,278• Austin: $229,050• Dallas: $214,490• Houston: $204,672The figures are Anjana’s calculations based on his budgeting approach and should not be treated as official income thresholds or a universal measure of the cost of living in these cities.Even Houston crosses the $200,000 markAnjana pointed out that the numbers remain high even in cities generally viewed as relatively affordable compared with major US tech hubs.Houston, for instance, comes in at $204,672 a year for a family of four under his calculation.He said this was an important consideration for Indians planning to move to the US, particularly those arriving on H-1B visas with families.“This is the part nobody tells you when you’re chasing the American dream: the salary that sounded huge back in India often barely covers a stressed, tight budget once you’re actually living here with a family,” he said.NRI entrepreneur shares his own experienceAnjana, who spent a decade in the US before returning to India, also used his post to explain why he decided to change his approach to earning and spending.He said he felt he was “way underpaid” for what he was giving up and eventually started a company in the US before moving back to India to run it.According to Anjana, earning in dollars while spending in rupees gave him greater financial flexibility and allowed him to travel to the US on his own terms.“Instead of only chasing a bigger salary inside the same system, you can build income that isn’t tied to US cost-of-living at all,” he said.His post has sparked discussion around the financial realities faced by immigrants in the US, where headline salaries can look substantially higher than comparable incomes in India but are also accompanied by significantly higher living expenses.For H-1B visa holders with families, the actual amount needed for a comfortable lifestyle can vary considerably depending on factors such as housing, childcare, healthcare, taxes, school expenses and lifestyle choices.