Bengaluru's Soaring Rent Prices: A Crisis Deepens as Salaries Fail to Keep Pace

Bengaluru's soaring rent prices are pushing residents to the edge, with many calling the situation "unsustainable." A viral post on social media platform Grapevine sparked outrage over rent hikes outpacing salary increases, with users sharing their financial struggles. The original poster highlighted the grim reality: "Rents are increasing faster than salaries are increasing." They added, "A 3 BHK is closer to 90K in top areas now. Even in Sarjapur Road/Bellandur near tech parks, it's no less than 70K." This is not just a Bengaluru problem, as the user pointed out: "Spoke to a few friends in Delhi NCR. This is definitely the case in Gurugram and Delhi." Mumbai is also facing similar issues, with one user stating, "No points even talking about that city."

The situation is taking a toll on residents, with one user sharing a personal struggle, stating, "My current CTC is the same as my annual rent. Last year my hike was 8% whereas my rent increased by 10. My only saving grace is that mine is a two-income household." Another lamented, "This is really unfortunate that one person's income is completely consumed for rent. It is as if you are working for your landlord." Some advised drastic measures to counter the rent crunch, including re-evaluating lifestyle, moving to other areas, and considering homeownership as an alternative. Others proposed rent sharing among bachelors as a way to split the financial burden.

Bengaluru's rental market is seeing a shift, with increased housing supply leading to a 5% rent correction. However, rentals in the outskirts of Whitefield's eastern IT corridor and North Bengaluru have surged, driven by high demand from tech professionals. Real estate experts predict significant rental appreciation in 2025 across these areas, with 2BHK rents reaching over ₹28,000-30,000 per month. The city's office market is also expected to witness healthy demand, with annual office rents rising by 4-4.5% until 2026. CBD rents are expected to increase by up to 7%, followed by Whitefield. As the city's rental market continues to evolve, residents are left wondering how much longer they can keep up with the rising costs.