'Bengaluru silently eating into our savings': Start-up mentor's post on soaring costs sparks debate

Bengaluru-based professional listed a string of recent price hikes that have added pressure on middle-class households.

Amid a wave of price hikes by the Karnataka government, a LinkedIn post by Bengaluru-based start-up mentor has gone viral, resonating with thousands who are struggling to keep up with the city's growing cost of living.

Commercial Street, Bengaluru. (pinterest)

In the post, Harish N A offered a candid take on how daily expenses are silently "eating into the hard-earned savings" of residents.

“Bengaluru is becoming increasingly unaffordable,” he wrote. “Are you feeling the same pinch?”

Read his full post here:

Public transportation has also become costlier. Referring to the February fare revision, Harish noted, “Namma Metro fares increased, making it India’s costliest metro, with the maximum fare rising from ₹60 to ₹90.”

He added that basic utilities and essentials have not been spared either: “Public transport, power tariffs, garbage tax, and even coffee powder have all seen sharp price hikes.”

Housing, too, is becoming unattainable for many. “A 2BHK in Whitefield or Koramangala now costs ₹40,000/month, up from ₹25,000 just a year ago,” he wrote, highlighting how rents have skyrocketed in Bengaluru’s IT hubs.

Harish also flagged the city's notorious traffic: “Peak-hour commutes stretch over two hours, with Hebbal becoming a notorious traffic choke point.”

The most worrying aspect, according to him, is that salaries have not kept pace with inflation. “Despite rising costs, salaries remain stagnant, with IT sector hikes barely outpacing inflation,” he observed. For freshers from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, the reality is especially harsh: “They face the brunt of high PG rents, food, and travel costs, questioning if Bengaluru’s opportunities are worth the strain.”

While lamenting the lack of financial growth, Harish wrote, “It’s the middle class that bears the brunt, squeezed between skyrocketing expenses and stagnant incomes.”

However, he acknowledged the city's enduring charm, “Bengaluru’s pleasant weather remains a saving grace... making it hard to say goodbye.”

Reactions pour in

The post quickly gained traction on LinkedIn, prompting a range of responses. One user remarked, “Bengaluru is chasing after Mumbai in terms of living expenses. It’s not a good trend.”

Another added, “You forgot maintenance charges—especially in premium housing societies. We're paying ₹11,000 monthly, and another ₹11,000 just for domestic help.”

Some linked the rising costs to population growth. “If you compare Bengaluru’s population from two or three years ago to now, it has exploded. As the population grows, supply chain demand increases—and so do costs,” a user commented. “Today it’s Bengaluru, tomorrow it will be another city.”