India · Overseas MBBS · 15-year financial picture

When do you actually
break even?

The exact month your cumulative doctor salary overtakes your total education debt. Animated, honest, adjustable. The number nobody in the consultancy business volunteers.

Total education cost (₹L)
Loan rate (% p.a.)
Loan repayment term
Starting monthly salary
Annual salary growth
Years of study before earning
Total debt at graduation (principal + interest accrued during study)
Monthly loan EMI once repayment starts
Month you break even vs someone who didn't study medicine
Net financial position after 15 years of practice
Cumulative loan balance vs cumulative earnings — month by month
Remaining loan balance
Cumulative net earnings (after EMI)
Break-even point
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What this model does not include The hidden costs that extend break-even: FMGE coaching fees (₹1–3L), multiple FMGE attempts if you fail, 12-month unpaid or low-stipend internship, years in postgrad (NEET-PG) if you choose to specialise, initial practice setup costs, income tax on earnings, and the opportunity cost of years when you had no income while classmates in other careers did. Add these and the real break-even is typically 2–3 years later than this model shows. The model is deliberately conservative on the costs side to avoid alarmism — but the full picture is harder than any number on this page.
Methodology & data sources

Salary data: IMA (Indian Medical Association) published salary surveys; Practo and 1mg doctor income surveys 2022–24. GP starting salaries in India vary widely by location — ₹50K–₹1.5L/month.

Loan EMI: Standard reducing-balance formula. Interest accrual during study period uses simple interest on principal.

Education costs: Published university fee schedules plus indicative living cost surveys. All figures indicative.

Why break-even, not just total cost

Most cost comparisons stop at the sticker price — ₹45L for Georgia versus ₹3.2Cr for a UK degree — and leave families to guess what that actually means for their finances over time. The number that matters more is when the investment turns net positive: the month cumulative doctor earnings, after loan repayments, exceed what you spent to get there. A cheaper degree with a longer path to registration (extra FMGE attempts, a lower starting salary) can break even later than a more expensive one with faster, higher-paid entry into practice. This tool exists because that comparison is almost never shown together in one place.

Written & maintained by Medi-Prep — founded and edited by a practising doctor (MBBS) and parent of a medicine applicant. Published 25 May 2026 · Updated 25 Jul 2026 · Sources & disclosure

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