Or you know, she could have been a wage worker for an elite. There is literally no price variation in India for someone who earns $50k or $20k or $500k - the maids ultimately earn the same regardless of the net worth of their employer. The only differentiators are the perks (staying within the apartment/building, free food, etc).
To give an anecdote, a friend's cousin is a partner at a consulting firm in Delhi, yet I was surprised to find out that their live-in help was paid 12k INR a month. It's not about them being stingy, it's just the market rate (or in this case, above market).
To give an anecdote, a friend's cousin is a partner at a consulting firm in Delhi, yet I was surprised to find out that their live-in help was paid 12k INR a month. It's not about them being stingy, it's just the market rate (or in this case, above market).