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CA Nitin Kaushik says a single professional now needs a CTC of Rs 20 to 30 lakh annually for a comfortable lifestyle, leisure and significant savings.
He advises people to upskill for faster income growth, choose housing that balances cost and commute and invest early. (Photo Source: Freepik)
Maintaining a comfortable lifestyle in Bengaluru today demands a much higher income than many expect. Financial expert CA Nitin Kaushik estimates that a single working professional now requires a CTC of Rs 20 to 30 lakh per year to enjoy a good quality of life, indulge in leisure activities and still save a substantial amount. For a household with a spouse and child, that comfort threshold climbs to Rs 40 to 50 lakh annually, covering the cost of living in a premium gated community, access to quality education, regular weekend outings and the ability to set aside 10 to 15 per cent of income as savings.
According to The Economic Times, Kaushik warns that earning below these levels often forces individuals and families to struggle with day-to-day expenses, given the sharp surge in Bengaluru’s cost of living in recent years.
Rising Costs Driven by Soaring Rents
The primary driver of Bengaluru’s cost-of-living surge is housing. Rental prices in prime localities have jumped 70 to 100 per cent since early 2022. Even a modest one-bedroom apartment can cost Rs 30,000 or more per month. This surge is linked to post-COVID job relocations, the return-to-office trend and heightened demand from NRIs and real estate investors.
As a result, many households now allocate 40 to 60 per cent of their monthly income solely to rent. When transportation, utilities, groceries and other essentials are added to the mix, the scope for saving becomes negligible, particularly for those with stagnant or modest incomes.
Lifestyle Inflation: The Hidden Expense
Kaushik emphasises that the problem isn’t just price inflation on essentials, it’s also lifestyle inflation. In Bengaluru’s socially and professionally competitive environment, there’s constant pressure to maintain certain “urban standards” in dining, leisure and shopping choices. Even households earning Rs 1 lakh per month can end up living paycheck-to-paycheck when trying to keep up with these expectations.
Post-pandemic, a rush towards better-paying jobs and migration to metros for career opportunities has fueled demand for quality housing, while supply has lagged. Meanwhile, core inflation in necessities such as food, fuel and transport has stayed persistently high. According to Kaushik, this mix of economic and lifestyle pressures has made metro living nearly twice as expensive as it was just a few years ago.
Strategies to Cope with the Rising Cost of Living
To survive and thrive in this environment, Kaushik advises professionals to:
- Focus on upskilling so that income growth outpaces expense growth.
- Optimise housing choices by finding the right balance between rent affordability and commuting distance.
- Invest early to protect wealth from inflation over the long term.
He also stresses the importance of evaluating salary packages holistically, considering not just the CTC but also take-home pay, benefits and cost-of-living adjustments.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, metro residents in Bengaluru, Mumbai and Pune earning less than Rs 50,000 per month are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. For many, rent alone consumes 40 to 60 percent of monthly income, leaving limited funds for transportation, food and utilities.
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