Raising a child in India could cost nearly Rs 7 crore, financial advisor’s estimate sparks debate

Raising a child in a major Indian city could require a jaw-dropping Rs 6.75 crore over two decades, according to an estimate shared by finance advisor and content creator Udayan Adhye. His video has drawn attention online by putting a long-term price tag on parenting and pointing to expenses that extend well beyond school and college fees.

Adhye’s calculation factors in a range of costs that can accumulate throughout a child’s upbringing, including education, healthcare, activities, technology, travel, childcare and lifestyle expenses. His broader point is that bringing up a child involves a substantial financial commitment that needs to be considered over several years.

The Rs 6.75 crore figure, however, is an estimate rather than a fixed amount that every family in India would spend. The eventual cost can vary considerably depending on where a family lives, the educational choices it makes, healthcare requirements, lifestyle and other individual decisions.

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A post shared by Udayan Adhye | Finance & Investing (@udayanonmoney)

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Education could take up a major share

According to Adhye, rising education costs are among the biggest factors behind the projected figure. He said school fees can increase by around 10% to 12% annually, meaning an amount that appears manageable today could become significantly larger over the course of a child’s school years.

He also used higher education to illustrate the effect of rising costs. A college degree priced at around Rs 20 lakh today, he suggested, could cost approximately Rs 1.6 crore to Rs 2 crore by the time a newborn reaches 18, assuming education expenses continue increasing at a high rate.

The calculation is based on projected future costs and is not a prediction of what every parent will necessarily spend.

Parenting costs go beyond tuition fees

Adhye’s estimate also takes into account expenses that may not immediately come to mind when families calculate the cost of raising a child.

These include sports and extracurricular activities, music and other classes, coaching and competitive examination preparation, healthcare, gadgets and technology, family holidays, lifestyle spending, and childcare or nanny services.

While individual expenses may appear relatively modest, the cumulative cost can grow substantially when they are spread across 18 to 21 years. For families in metropolitan areas, Adhye’s calculation suggests that higher costs associated with education, childcare, housing and lifestyle can add further pressure to the overall budget.

Why inflation matters in financial planning

Another aspect of Adhye’s argument concerns how parents plan for future expenses. He questioned whether conventional child-focused investment plans always account adequately for the rate at which education and other costs could rise.

Parents may base their savings targets on prices they see today, while the actual expenses arise many years later. According to his argument, inflation can create a significant gap between the amount saved now and the amount eventually required.

He therefore urged parents to approach a child’s future expenses as long-term financial goals and account for rising costs while planning their savings.

Social media users ask for the Rs 7 crore calculation

The estimate quickly attracted attention on Instagram, with viewers seeking more details about how the figure had been reached.

In his video, Adhye invited those interested in the numbers to comment or send him a direct message, saying he could share a Google document containing the calculation. His caption similarly presented raising a child in an Indian metro as a major financial goal that requires long-term planning.

What the estimate does and does not mean

The Rs 6.75 crore figure should not be interpreted as a standard cost of parenting in India. Families can have vastly different expenses depending on their city, school and college choices, spending habits, healthcare needs and the opportunities they provide their children.

Still, the calculation has brought attention to how the cost of raising a child can accumulate gradually rather than appearing as a single large expense. From education and activities to healthcare, technology and travel, individual outlays can add up significantly over many years.

The discussion sparked by Adhye’s estimate is therefore less about whether every family will need exactly Rs 6.75 crore and more about whether prospective parents are accounting realistically for the future costs involved in raising a child.