Finding a home in Mumbai is often described as an exhausting experience, particularly for tenants juggling steep rents, limited space, strict landlord conditions and location constraints. A content creator has now captured the frustration in a humorous video, comparing the city’s rental hunt to some of India’s toughest competitive examinations.
‘You learn to compromise’
Taking to Instagram, content creator Yuvraj Dua shared a video detailing the challenges people face while searching for a suitable flat in Mumbai.
“I've taken UPSC, I've taken JEE, but life's toughest exam, you know which one it is? Finding a house in Mumbai. It is the most mind-damaging activity,” he said.
Dua added that the process tests nearly every quality a prospective tenant might possess. “It tests your patience, determination, willpower, resilience, and most importantly, capacity to compromise,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Dua added that the process tests nearly every quality a prospective tenant might possess. “It tests your patience, determination, willpower, resilience, and most importantly, capacity to compromise,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}According to him, people who remain unwilling to lower their expectations may begin reconsidering their entire life plan within just a few days.
“If you can't compromise on your expectations, by the third or fourth day you'll start pulling your hair out, you'll change your goals, your dreams—you'll say, ‘My dad's shop in my hometown is fine, I'll just sit there,’” he joked.
High rents and strict conditions
Speaking about rental prices across different neighbourhoods, Dua said Goregaon remained comparatively manageable, while finding an affordable place in areas such as Andheri and Bandra was extremely difficult.
“Put 10 bricks, put a stove on it, set up a commode, and they'll still ask for 17,000,” he said.
He further explained that tenants often struggle to find the right balance between budget and location. “If you have the budget, you won't get a good location. If you get a good location, you won't have the budget,” he said.
Dua described restrictions against unmarried tenants as the “final boss” of Mumbai’s housing search. Mocking the long list of conditions imposed by some property owners, he said, “Bachelor, non-drinker, non-smoker, vegetarian, reptilian, Pythagorean, Mediterranean, Scandinavian, amphibian...”
Ending the video, he urged viewers to show kindness to anyone currently searching for accommodation in the city.
Watch the clip here:
Internet users relate
The clip received several reactions from social media users who shared similar experiences. One person wrote, “This is so true, bro. I took the NEET exam, but I still found this to be the toughest.”
Another user shifted the debate to Bengaluru, saying, “Try finding a house in Bangalore. You’ll know what real struggle feels like.” A third commented, “Going through the same process brother,” while another simply wrote, “Welcome to Mumbai.”
HT.com has reached out to the user for his comments, and the copy will be updated once his response is received.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)