Kab tak rent? Netizens weigh in on buying versus renting a home in the Hyderabad real estate market

Hyderabad real estate: Soaring property prices and job uncertainty leave double-income buyers torn between renting and buying, balancing heart and math

Hyderabad’s soaring real estate prices are testing even high-earning professionals. A Reddit post by a city-based IT professional and his wife highlighted the rising cost of housing, job insecurity, and the tough decision young couples face when weighing renting versus buying, the heart versus the math.

Hyderabad’s soaring housing costs leave even high earners torn between renting and buying, as young couples weigh job risks against rising prices. (Representational Photo)(Pixabay)

The buyer, in his early 30s, shared that he and his wife together earn over ₹4 lakh per month and are planning to start a family. “Currently, 2,000 sq ft flats are in the range of ₹1.5–2 crore, that too under construction. Even after paying this much, my mind is not able to justify it,” he wrote. With no ancestral property or family support to fall back on, he said the emotional pull to buy a home has been getting stronger.

Yet, the numbers are daunting. An EMI of ₹1.5–1.8 lakh feels overwhelming to him, especially since he grew up in a modest household where his father earned only ₹2,000 a month. “Not getting comfortable with 1.5–1.8 lakh EMI… job insecurities are always there,” he admitted.

While some netizens noted that a ₹1.5 lakh EMI on a ₹4 lakh monthly income is technically manageable (around 35–40% of earnings), others cautioned against compromising mental peace. “If you’re losing sleep over a 20-year EMI, that’s a red flag. Don’t stretch for the dream house yet,” one Redditor advised. “Renting isn’t a failure. Live in the same ₹2 crore flat for ₹40–60k rent and invest the savings.

“Kab tak rent? Until you feel financially and mentally ready,” one post read.

Owning a plot vs a flat

One of the Redditors responded by suggesting an alternative. “I recently purchased a Bengaluru plot in a gated society for 80 lakhs and intend to construct a duplex for around 1 crore. Spending 2 crore on a flat doesn’t make sense to me. On your own plot, you can build two floors, one for yourself and one for your parents,” he wrote.

Another shared a similar experience from Noida: “I did the same. Bought a plot and constructed a house. But since Noida doesn’t allow flat-like structures, I had to sell it. Considering Delhi now.”

Balancing the heart and math

Several homebuyers acknowledged the emotional weight of the decision. “This is a very real dilemma many dual-income couples in their early 30s face,” one wrote, noting that the heart seeks stability, especially with a baby on the way, while the brain sees renting as financially viable.

However, they suggest that buying now provides emotional security, a hedge against inflation, and family stability, though it comes with the risks of a heavy EMI burden and reduced flexibility. On the other hand, renting and waiting offers greater financial freedom, significantly lower monthly outgo ( ₹40–60k for the same ₹2 crore flat), and the chance to grow wealth through equities, but postpones the emotional satisfaction of owning a home.

Another buyer suggested buying a smaller, ₹1–1.3 crore flat with a more manageable EMI of ₹80–90k. “Upgrade later once career and savings stabilize,” he said.

Buy small, upgrade later?

Not everyone agreed with buying smaller now and upgrading later. “Worst thing to do would be buying a small flat thinking you could upgrade in the future,” cautioned one Redditor, citing his father’s experience. The family bought a 2BHK in the 2000s but struggled to upgrade later due to rising costs, inflation, and life expenses.

“Eventually, all my father’s savings went into a bigger home, and I had to step in for the loan. That small flat became a gold mine in the city center, but upgrading was still painful.”

Others warned of larger economic headwinds. “There is global uncertainty looming. Jobs may be scarce by 2030. Don’t look only at Indian real estate, globally, prices are correcting. In India, it’s speculation, fear of missing out (FOMO), and scarcity driving prices,” a Mumbai-based realtor wrote.

Some practical advice also emerged. “If you get laid off, you don’t need to stay in Hyderabad. Instead, buy land in your hometown or a cheaper area and construct a home there,” one Redditor wrote. Another pointed out the contradiction: “On one hand, you say job insecurity is real, and on the other, you want to take a huge loan. If you default, the bank takes the flat. How can you derive emotional satisfaction from that?”

Hyderabad real estate market

Hyderabad's real estate sector, especially in peripheral locations, is expected to see property prices increase by 10-20% over the next 3-5 years, driven by key infrastructure projects, including the Metro Phase 2 extension, a recent report by Colliers India has said.

Hyderabad Metro Phase II is set to boost real estate growth in the city's west, south, and east peripheries. The expansion will connect key areas, including Nagole to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, LB Nagar to Hayath Nagar, and Raidurg to Kokapet. Housing prices in Hyderabad’s Western Periphery, including Kokapet, Neopolis, and Narsingi, have risen by over 50% in the past five years, with an additional 10-15% increase expected.

Industry experts note that in select micro-markets, Hyderabad has even outpaced Bengaluru in terms of price growth. Take Kokapet, for instance, property values there have surged by nearly 89% in the last five years. Data from real estate consultancy ANAROCK further shows that between 2019 and the first half of 2024, average housing prices in Hyderabad jumped 64%, compared with a 57% rise in Bengaluru. Hyderabad's Kokapet ranked second with 89% price appreciation. Prices rose from ₹4,750 per sq ft in 2019 to ₹9,000 per sq ft in H1 2024.