Tripura woman reveals the financial reality of owning a Paris house beside ₹1.4 lakh EMI

A Tripura woman broke down her Paris home expenses beyond her EMI, explaining why buying is still better than renting despite the extra costs.

A 32-year-old woman from Tripura, Borni Banik, has gone viral after sharing a transparent breakdown of the hidden costs of owning a home in Paris. Banik revealed that, having bought her apartment without family wealth, the financial commitment extends far beyond her monthly €1,300 (around ₹1.4 lakh) EMI. Her Instagram video details the unexpected monthly and quarterly expenses that often catch first-time buyers off guard.

The Indian woman who purchased a house in Paris. (Instagram/@bornibanik)

“I bought an apartment in Paris at 28. No family money, no shortcuts — just numbers and a plan. But nobody told me what I’d actually still be paying for it every single month,” Borni Banik wrote on Instagram. She added, “Owning isn’t the finish line people make it out to be — it’s a different set of numbers, and most of us never see them until we’re already in it.”

In her viral video, she detailed the recurring monthly and quarterly expenses she must bear in addition to her hefty €1,300 (approximately ₹1.4 lakh) EMI, systematically breaking down the extra fees that come with owning property in Paris. She continued that though she had to pay certain amounts, it was better than renting a house.

Take a look at the video:

What did social media say?

The post prompted varied responses on social media, with many praising Banik for being transparent about her financial situation.

“So proud of you to achieve your dreams at such an early age and being so transparent about it,” an individual posted.

Another commented, “Which area do you live in? Did you already buy the new apartment or a semi-used apartment?” Banik responded, “Hey! It’s an old apartment. Don’t think disclosing the apartment will be safe. Sharing the video's idea is to disclose what charges are included other than the EMI. Hope it helps,” adding, “So I stay 10 min away from Paris. My purpose was to stay close to Paris at a place where apartment value goes up and I get a better price but also stay near Paris for work and opportunities . The process is similar in buying though . You can scroll down in my page I have two more videos on price of apartment what other costs are involved . Follow for more on money, investments and home purchase related content.”

A third expressed, “Very helpful and informative. These hidden/surprise costs can really impact your budgeting.” A fourth wrote, “Please never stop uploading these informative videos!”

Speaking to Hindustantimes.com, Banik noted that society rarely encourages women to purchase homes with their own money, adding that owning a self-bought house brings a profound sense of empowerment.