For many middle-class Indians, owning a home remains a major life goal. But rising property prices in big cities have made that dream difficult even for families with strong incomes.
Neha Sharma, Bengaluru-based tech professional, shared her experience on X after comparing home buying in Bengaluru and the United Kingdom. Her post went viral and sparked discussion about high property prices, expensive loans, and transparency in India’s real estate market.
She wrote, “In Bengaluru, with 2 people’s salary we had a hard time buying a flat (later we cancelled it).” She then compared that experience with her move to the UK. “2 years after moving to the UK , I bought an independent 3 bed house, with all kitchen appliances – gas, fridge, dishwasher, washing machine, oven, carpet, lighting, etc. with backyard, good views, and parking.”
She added, “No one asked for black money. Bought it on 1 person’s salary. Got 1st buyer discount. 100% transparency.” Many salaried professionals face rising apartment prices in cities such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, Gurugram, Pune, and Hyderabad. Many social media users said buying a home in India now requires years of savings, heavy loans, and large down payments.
Social media reactions
One X user said, “Buy in foreign and if not possible – Live on rent here. Let property buyers and builders bleed for sometime.”
Another user compared home loan systems in India and the UK. The person wrote, “The reason why it’s easier to buy a house in the UK is cause the down payment required is 5% the cost property and interest is 5%. A few years ago you could buy a house at 1% int. In India DP is 20% and int is 8% min.”
One user said that property prices in London remain extremely high. One comment said, “The apartments are insanely costly and almost unaffordable in today’s economy in London. You need to pay crores to get a 1 bed flat. Individual houses are relatively cheaper but again it depends on the area. Prime zones are not affordable.”
Another user commented, “Pls sell it at least before 2030, otherwise it will be too late. Radicals are quickly gulping down the UK.”
The discussion started after Odisha-based investor Satpal Singh posted a comparison between housing affordability in Mumbai and New York. He wrote, “2 BHK in Mumbai: Rs 3 Cr. 2 BHK in New York: Rs 4.75 Cr.”
He added, “Mumbai: 15x salary (Needs 15 years to own). NYC: 5x salary (Needs just 5 years to own). This is how insanely broken real-estate is in India.”
Real estate prices in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Gurugram, and Hyderabad have climbed sharply after the pandemic. Demand for larger homes, rising construction costs, and increasing land values have pushed apartment prices to record levels in many areas.
At the same time, salaried workers face rising living expenses, education costs, healthcare bills, and loan repayments. For many middle-class families, saving for a 20% down payment itself has become difficult.