New Delhi: An American woman who has been living in India for the past four years has triggered a lively discussion on social media after she posted a video comparing the relative affordability of education in India and the United States.

Kristen Fischer, who frequently shares her observations on India through her Instagram handle, said she is often met with disbelief when she claims that education in India is significantly less expensive than in the US.

“I'm actually surprised that people doubt it when I say India has low-cost education. Let's break it down,” she says in the video, before presenting a salary-tuition comparison.

Citing that the median annual salary in India is Rs 3.3 lakh and in the US around Rs 41 lakh, Fischer points out that tuition fees at Indian public colleges range between Rs 10,000 and Rs 50,000 annually — or roughly 3 to 15 per cent of an individual's yearly income. In contrast, she says, tuition fees at public institutions in the US range between Rs 10 and 26 lakh, accounting for 23 to 63 per cent of the average salary.

“Education is just crazy expensive in America. That's why most people there need loans,” she concludes, adding that India makes education “more affordable and therefore more accessible.”

Her video, which has amassed over 47,000 views, drew widespread support from Indian users.

“Thank you for showing the good side of India,” one commenter wrote, while another remarked, “You're right — people only listen when someone from outside says it.”