- Bengaluru couple shared a detailed breakdown of ₹1.66 lakh monthly expenses for May
- Rent and utilities were the largest cost at ₹68,000 per month for the family of three
- Fitness-related expenses, including gym and gear, totaled about ₹31,000 in May
A Bengaluru couple's candid breakdown of their monthly expenses has gone viral, reigniting conversations around the city's rising cost of living and lifestyle choices. Megha and her husband, Shubham, shared an Instagram video revealing how their family of three spent almost ₹1.66 lakh in the month of May, excluding investments, EMIs, and holiday expenses. The pair, who describe themselves as millennials, gave a detailed insight into their spending habits, with big costs including housing, fitness, childcare, and household support.
Rent and utilities accounted for the largest share of their budget at Rs 68,000 per month. According to Shubham, housing remains their single biggest expense. A significant portion of the family's spending also went toward health and fitness. Gym memberships, personal training sessions, sports activities, supplements, and fitness gear together cost around Rs 31,000 during the month.
The couple further revealed that they spend Rs 29,000 on domestic help, including a nanny, cook, and housekeeping staff. Groceries added another Rs 18,000 to the monthly bill.
Expenses related to their toddler and pet dog, including diapers, toys, clothing, and pet food, came to nearly Rs 8,000. Meanwhile, miscellaneous costs such as dining out, entertainment, shopping, OTT subscriptions, and transportation totalled around Rs 12,000. Altogether, the family's expenditure for May stood at approximately Rs 1.66 lakh.
"Everyone says Bangalore is expensive. But how expensive? This is how much we spent in May as a family, and where it went. This doesn't include our monthly investments or our summer trip as we maintain separate funds for that," the video's caption read.
Watch the video here:
The video quickly sparked debate on social media, with users divided over whether the spending reflected Bengaluru's soaring living costs or a lifestyle driven by discretionary choices. While some argued that the budget was reasonable for a dual-income urban household with childcare support, others questioned the high allocation toward fitness and domestic help, reigniting the broader discussion around what constitutes a comfortable middle-class lifestyle in India's tech capital.
One user wrote, "Expenses shud always be compared with income… higher the income higher the money spent on convenience and comfort… so as long as it works for u, it's good."
Another commented, "Your expenses are personal and could be relative to your incomes. Your choice, your life. You don't need to validate it with the world." A third said, "That's a very clear breakup! And it's also good that you are getting time for fitness living in Bangalore with all the commuting! just curious to know you earnings."
