An IIT Bombay alumna has reignited debate around India’s ballooning living expenses, saying even non-metro cities are no longer affordable.
Monali Dambre, a core team member at startup Agno, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express growing anxiety over everyday affordability. “Living in India is becoming genuinely costly—even in tier-3 towns,” she posted. “I’m seriously concerned about how middle- and lower-income families are expected to manage.”
Residing in Bengaluru, Dambre said her routine grocery spending has surged, despite sticking to basic necessities. “I’m not buying anything fancy—just essential items like fruits, vegetables, and grains—but my bills feel unusually inflated,” she wrote.
Her candid remarks triggered a wave of online reactions. While some blamed convenience-based delivery apps for the price hike, others argued that physical stores offer little relief either. Dambre agreed, adding that traditional markets are now equally expensive—and less convenient.
Several users linked the issue to wider economic trends. One X user noted, “The rupee’s depreciation against real assets like gold, coupled with high taxes and soaring real estate, is pushing all input costs higher.”
Another echoed the sentiment: “Inflation on groceries has surpassed typical 5-6% yearly increases. It’s getting unsustainable.”
Dambre’s post resonated widely, shining a spotlight on the pressing issue of income stagnation vs. rising essentials—a daily battle many Indians now face.
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