In 2019, Rs 50K was gold and now it can't pay rent: CA explains why most are struggling, not 'surviving' in urban cities

Living in India’s largest cities has become a battle to stay afloat. Chartered Accountant Nitin Kaushik says that in 2025, a monthly income below Rs 50,000 in Bengaluru, Mumbai, or Pune means “barely breaking even” rather than saving.

Posting on X, he warned that rents alone consume 40-60% of many urban salaries. Add transport, food, and utilities, and there is little left over. “Living in a metro today without a strong salary equals financial pressure 24x7,” Kaushik wrote.

Bengaluru’s rent surge

Bengaluru, long considered India’s tech capital, has seen one of the sharpest rent hikes. Kaushik pointed out that in prime neighbourhoods, one-bedroom flats that cost around Rs 18,000 a month in early 2022 now exceed Rs 30,000. That is an increase of 70-100%.

He linked the rise to several factors — the return to office after COVID, a wave of job relocations, and growing real estate demand from NRIs and investors.

Essentials pushing costs higher

Kaushik also highlighted that the price of essentials such as food, energy, and transport has stayed high. Combined with lifestyle spending, this has made metro living nearly twice as expensive as it was just three years ago.

The income you now need

For those hoping to live comfortably, Kaushik estimates that in 2025, a single person in Bengaluru would need a CTC of Rs 20-30 lakh a year. For a family with one child, that figure rises to Rs 40-50 lakh, which he says would cover good housing, schooling, leisure, and savings.

Kaushik warned that even households earning Rs 1 lakh a month are often stuck living paycheck to paycheck due to lifestyle expenses. His advice is direct: upskill to increase income, manage rent and commuting costs, start investing early, and look beyond headline salaries to focus on take-home pay after adjusting for living costs.

He summed up the shift bluntly: “Your Rs 50K/month in 2019 was gold. In 2025, it barely pays rent.”