Why are house prices so high in India?
In recent years, the continued rise in housing prices in India has attracted widespread attention. Whether in big cities such as Mumbai, Delhi or Bangalore, the soaring housing prices have made it unaffordable for many ordinary families. So, what is the reason why Indian housing prices are so high? This article will analyze the supply and demand relationship, policy factors, economic environment and other aspects, and supplement it with structured data to reveal the truth behind India's high housing prices.
1. The imbalance between supply and demand is the core reason

As the second most populous country in India, urbanization is accelerating, resulting in a surge in housing demand. However, the limited supply of land, especially the scarcity of high-quality plots in big cities, has directly pushed up housing prices. The following is the housing price growth data of major cities in India over the past five years:
| City | House prices in 2018 (Rs/sq ft) | House prices in 2023 (Rs/sq ft) | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| mumbai | 15,000 | 25,000 | 66.7% |
| delhi | 10,000 | 16,000 | 60% |
| bangalore | 8,000 | 12,500 | 56.3% |
| Hyderabad | 7,000 | 11,000 | 57.1% |
2. Policies and taxes push up costs
The land policies and tax systems of Indian state governments also have a significant impact on housing prices. For example, there are high land acquisition costs, cumbersome development approval processes, and high stamp duty and goods and services tax (GST), which are ultimately passed on to homebuyers. Here is the additional cost of buying a home in major cities in India:
| City | Stamp duty | GST rates (new homes) | Proportion of other expenses |
|---|---|---|---|
| mumbai | 5%-6% | 5% | 10%-15% |
| delhi | 4%-6% | 5% | 8%-12% |
| bangalore | 5% | 5% | 7%-10% |
3. Economic and investment demand boost housing prices
The rapid growth of the Indian economy has attracted a large amount of foreign investment, and real estate has become a popular investment area. At the same time, the expansion of the local middle class has also increased the demand for home purchases. Here is the investment data for the Indian real estate market:
| years | Foreign capital inflow (100 million U.S. dollars) | Domestic investment (Rs billion) | Average annual increase in house prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 42 | 1,200 | 5% |
| 2021 | 55 | 1,500 | 7% |
| 2022 | 68 | 1,800 | 9% |
4. Future trends and challenges
Although the Indian government has launched the "Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana" program, the upward trend in housing prices is difficult to reverse in the short term. Urbanization, population growth and land scarcity remain major challenges. Experts predict that house prices in major Indian cities may rise by another 20%-30% in the next five years.
To sum up, the high housing prices in India are the result of multiple factors. For ordinary families, the pressure to buy a house is still huge, and the government and the market need to work together to achieve healthy development of the real estate market.
check the details
check the details