In another social media discussion on Bengaluru’s rental housing market, a Reddit post revealed that tenants in the city are paying up to ₹38,000 for an unfurnished 1 BHK unit.
The discussion started with a certain user asking how are folks in the city shelling out so much for a flat. “Saw a kid from today paying 38K+ in rent for a simple unfurnished 1 BHK in CV Raman Nagar. So how much are you spending in terms of percentage from your salary as rent?,” the Redditor asked.
While CV Raman Nagar is a reasonably upscale neighbourhood in East Bengaluru, a majority of the netizens found the amount unjustified. Many of those engaged in the online discussion are paying between ₹20,000 – 30,000 for their 1 BHK or 1 room accommodation (in a 2 BHK/3 BHK unit). With several of them employed as techies in the city, the rental fee comprises 10-30% of their monthly income.
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“I’m paying 23.5K for a 1 room in 3 BHK. Total rent for the apartment is 70K,” a Redditor wrote. “This is ~10% of my monthly income. Flatmates are in equivalent roles, so household income is ~ 5-7 lpm,” the individual added.
The larger discussion boiled down to a demand-supply dynamic as rationale for high rents in the city. One must pay higher rent to live in close proximity to their workplace and save on commute expenses meanwhile, or take up an apartment in far off locations with reasonable rents but compromising on time to travel to office everyday.
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Meanwhile, speaking for those with a relatively humble income, one user asked, “As everyone says paying 30-40% of your income isn’t justified… But what if the person earns less than 30k, it’s impossible to find a liveable place for anything less than 25%, not even triple sharing PG. So what can they do?”
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According to the Bengaluru PG Owners’ Association, the city has over 20,000 PG facilities, home to around 17 lakh students and working professionals. Paying guest accommodations in the IT capital charge anywhere between ₹4,000 to 8,000 for basic facilities, while those with luxury amenities can charge well over ₹30,000 for single rooms.
“Paying 14K for a single sharing room in PG. Cannot afford a flat or 1 BHK just yet,” another user wrote.
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A certain user also compared Bengaluru’s rental market to that of Hyderabad. “A good clean house with decent amenities in Hyderabad cost like 35-45K for a 3BHK in gated society, whereas just to have something similar in Bengaluru we end up paying 60K for a 3 BHK in a 3-4 storied building,” the individual wrote.
Facets of rental housing in Bengaluru
True to the spirit of Reddit, the post quickly turned into a platform for discussing the various facets of rental housing in Bengaluru. Those seeking an accommodation sought leads while others doled out tips and advice to follow/avoid during the house hunting process. Some shared instances of sharp rental hikes, as much as 70% in a span of three years.
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