You can afford the Gurgaon EMI, but can you afford the life after it? CA warns homebuyers and asks them to re-think

Buying a home in Gurgaon can feel like a major financial milestone, especially when the EMI appears manageable on paper. But CA Nitin Kaushik believes homebuyers should look beyond the monthly payment and consider what the purchase could mean for the rest of their finances. From children's education and parents' needs to retirement savings and everyday expenses, he has raised a simple question: can you afford the home without sacrificing the life you want to build?

CA questions the real cost of a Gurgaon home

CA Nitin Kaushik took to X to discuss what he believes is Gurgaon’s bigger housing problem. According to him, it is not simply the fact that homes are expensive. The bigger issue is “the life you have to give up to afford one.” Kaushik pointed out that someone working in Gurgaon may be able to afford living there, pay rent and potentially even manage the EMI on a home loan.

But he believes the real financial test begins after the home loan payment is made.

Can you afford everything after the home EMI?

Kaushik asked prospective homebuyers to consider whether their income would still comfortably cover other major financial responsibilities. These include:
- Children

- Education

- Parents

- Car

- Investments

- Retirement

- Money left over to actually enjoy life

The point, he suggested, is not simply whether a person can technically pay a home loan every month. A buyer may be able to manage the EMI today but still find that the remaining income leaves little room for other priorities. That can gradually change the role of the house in the household budget.

When the house starts consuming your income

Kaushik argued that there is a point when a home stops being something that a person's income comfortably supports. Instead, “your entire income starts supporting the house.” That distinction can be easy to overlook when homebuyers focus primarily on whether a bank will approve their loan or whether the EMI fits within their current monthly budget.

But homeownership comes with a much longer financial horizon. Children may bring education expenses, ageing parents may need financial support, and retirement planning requires consistent investments. There are also everyday costs such as maintaining a car, handling unexpected expenses and having enough money for leisure. A home loan that leaves little flexibility can make each of these goals harder to manage.

CA asks Gurgaon homebuyers to rethink what they are buying

Kaushik's post ultimately turns the conversation from Can I afford this house? to a more personal question about what kind of life the house will create. He asked whether people bought a home “to build a better life” or whether they ended up building their life around paying for the home. That distinction is particularly important for buyers who are stretching their finances to purchase property in an expensive market.

The decision is not only about securing an address or owning an asset. It can also determine how much financial freedom remains for family responsibilities, investments, retirement and experiences. For Gurgaon homebuyers, Kaushik's warning is therefore less about rejecting homeownership and more about looking beyond the EMI before making one of the biggest financial commitments of their lives.