'Bengaluru is becoming unaffordable': Tech director flags city's rising costs, stagnant pay

Bengaluru is becoming increasingly unaffordable, silently eating into the hard-earned savings of its residents, according to Harish A N, director at software firm Ceiyone. In a LinkedIn post, Harish flagged the growing financial strain on the city’s middle class. He laid out a series of price hikes that have compounded the squeeze on salaried professionals. From daily essentials to rent and transport, the costs are mounting while incomes remain largely stagnant.

Milk prices were raised by ₹4 per litre on March 7, with Nandini milk now selling at ₹47 for a reduced one-litre pack (down from 1,050 ml), he wrote in the post. On April 1, diesel prices jumped by ₹2 following a sales tax hike, pushing the cost to ₹91.02 per litre.

Commuters are also paying more, he added. Namma Metro, already among India’s priciest public transport systems, raised its maximum fare from ₹60 to ₹90 on February 9. Other essentials, from power and garbage tax to coffee powder, have also gone up.

According to Harish, Housing is now among the biggest concerns. "A 2BHK in Whitefield or Koramangala costs around ₹40,000 per month—up from ₹25,000 just a year ago." For freshers from smaller cities, he noted, rising PG rents, food, and commute expenses add further pressure.

"Despite rising costs, salaries remain stagnant, with IT sector hikes barely outpacing inflation,” Harish noted, highlighting the growing disconnect between living expenses and income growth. He also pointed to worsening traffic congestion, with peak-hour commutes stretching beyond two hours in areas like Hebbal, now infamous as a choke point.

“The middle class bears the brunt,” he said. “Rising costs outpace stagnant incomes, leaving them squeezed between skyrocketing expenses and limited financial growth.”

Yet amid the growing stress, Harish acknowledged one thing that continues to draw people in: Bengaluru’s weather. The city’s cool breeze and mild climate still offer comfort in an otherwise taxing urban experience. “It’s hard to say goodbye.” 

Harish ended with a broader question: “Is it just Bengaluru, or is this trend affecting major cities worldwide?” As inflation takes hold and cities stretch their infrastructure, the challenge of affordability may no longer be local—it’s global.