From starter homes to ultra-luxury rentals: Bengaluru’s 1BHKs now fetch over ₹1 lakh a month

Bengaluru’s pied-à-terre luxury real estate market heats up with ₹1 lakh-plus rents as executives, expats prefer staying near workplaces to beat traffic

Once seen as a starter home, the 1BHK is being redefined in Bengaluru’s luxury real estate market. High-end one-bedroom apartments now command monthly rents exceeding ₹1 lakh, driven by demand from expats, CXOs, and frequent travellers seeking proximity to tech hubs and the airport.

Once a starter home, the 1BHK is now a luxury in Bengaluru, fetching rents above ₹1 lakh from expats, CXOs, and travellers near tech hubs and the airport. (Representational Image) (Unsplash )

Earlier this week, a viral video by Russian expat Viktoriia Kovan reignited conversations around India’s real cost of living. Sharing her monthly expenses in Gurugram, she revealed her rent alone is ₹1.2 lakh, cautioning viewers that a ‘deep pocket’ is essential for a comfortable lifestyle in Indian metros. Some exclusive serviced 1BHKs, with hotel-style amenities and concierge services, can even fetch ₹3 lakh a month.

But it’s not just Gurugram. In Bengaluru too, luxury 1BHKs are increasingly breaching the ₹1 lakh mark, reflecting a broader shift in how ‘basic living’ is being priced in urban India.

Real estate industry estimates suggest nearly 30% of this inventory is leased, while the rest is held as second homes. The typical tenants are senior executives, expats, and professionals who value premium amenities, from luxury interiors and dishwashers to valet parking and in-house restaurants.

For many, the city’s worsening traffic has made such apartments a practical necessity. Executives with families in distant suburbs are opting for pied-à-terres close to offices like Manyata Tech Park, staying there during the week and heading home on weekends. The arrangement saves commuting hours, allowing them to wrap up work on time and reclaim personal space in the evenings.

From Bhartiya City’s Leela Residences in Thanisandra, in north Bengaluru where a fully furnished 900 sq ft one-bedroom rents for nearly a lakh, to Four Seasons Private Residences near Airport Road, where exclusive serviced 1BHKs command ₹3 lakh with concierge and hotel-style services, demand is rising steadily, experts point out.

Professionals seeking work-life balance near tech parks, expats on short-term assignments, and business travellers value the convenience of compact, high-end living. Smaller units not only deliver higher rental yields for investors but also offer tenants a blend of luxury, location, and low-maintenance living.

From studios to sky-high rents

At Bhartiya City’s Leela Residences in north Bengaluru’s Thanisandra, a 700 sq ft studio rents for about ₹80,000 monthly rent, while a 900 sq ft 1BHK touches the ₹1 lakh mark, Manjesh Rao, chief broker at BlueBroker, said.

“Roughly 30% of the inventory is leased, with the rest held as second homes. The profile of tenants here is mostly vice presidents and above, expats, and frequent flyers who value proximity to the airport and impeccable amenities, including luxury furnishing and dishwashers to valet parking and in-house restaurants,” he said.

Hotel-style 1BHK apartments with concierge services

Real estate experts point out that for those who want more than an apartment, Four Seasons Private Residences on Airport Road offers a hotel-like lifestyle. A 2,100 sq ft 1BHK here costs around ₹3 lakh a month. Tenants enjoy concierge services, laundry pickup, housekeeping, deep cleaning, and even personal chefs on call. Maintenance alone runs ₹30,000– ₹40,000 monthly, Rao said.

Tech park tenants

Behind Manyata Tech Park, NR Northwood has carved a niche with compact 300–400 sq ft studios ( ₹50,000 monthly rent) and 1BHKs (80,000 monthly rent).

“The walking distance to the office makes these a hit among tech professionals. Investors are snapping them up too, a recent buyer picked up four 1BHKs purely for rental income in similar projects, with yields of 3–4%,” brokers said.

Builder floors commanding ₹1 lakh rent

The luxury 1BHKs in Bengaluru extend well beyond integrated townships, with central locations commanding premium rents. In Ashok Nagar, a 1,300 sq. ft. penthouse at UKN Miraya Brunton is leased at ₹90,000 a month, while in upscale Sadashivanagar, a 1,500 sq ft apartment at Orchid View touches ₹1 lakh. Similarly, a stylish 1BHK builder floor in Ulsoor’s SBB Sapphire and a spacious 1,500 sq. ft. independent floor in JP Nagar also fetch ₹1 lakh each, reflecting how well-designed single-bedroom homes have become status symbols across the city’s most desirable neighbourhoods.

Here's why smaller units rule

Some landlords are even converting 2BHKs into oversized 1BHKs (1,200 sq ft) to tap this segment. According to Rao, “The smaller the unit, the higher the yield. Bengaluru never had a strong supply of 400 sq ft units, but today, tenants don’t want big homes. Fully-furnished, easy-to-maintain apartments close to work are the new currency.”

According to Rao, the luxury 1BHKs in luxury projects like Leela Residences start from at least 90 lakh to 1 crore and can go up depending on the location of the project and amenities. Other independent builder floor apartments typically start at 60-80 lakh, depending on the developer and the location, Singh said.

He recalled a client who invested in a 1BHK near north Bengaluru’s Manyata Tech Park purely for work-life balance. The client’s family lives in south-eastern Sarjapura, where his daughter studies, but the long commute was draining.

“He now stays close to his workplace in Manyata on weekdays and heads home on weekends. With traffic eating into personal time, this arrangement lets him finish work by 8 pm and still have a life outside the office,” he said.

The city’s worsening traffic has only added to demand. Professionals with families in far-off areas are renting pied-a-terres, or small condominiums, near offices for workdays, then commuting home over weekends.

Sunil Singh of Realty Corp explains, “If you buy a 1BHK near a tech park for ₹80 lakh– ₹1 crore, you can easily rent it for ₹35,000– ₹40,000. With good interiors, that jumps to ₹55,000– ₹60,000. It may take time, but demand will absorb the supply.”