In recent years, India’s real estate market, especially in metro cities, has seen an unprecedented rise in prices. Buying even a small flat in cities like Mumbai and Delhi-NCR now requires a budget of over ₹1 crore, making homeownership a significant challenge for the middle class. If you have a budget of ₹1 crore and are looking for a large, comfortable home in a metro city, you need to wisely select cities based on price-per-square-foot value.

Budget of ₹1 Crore in Mumbai and Delhi-NCR

In expensive and densely populated metro cities like Mumbai and Delhi-NCR, a budget of ₹1 crore will offer you relatively limited options. The per-square-foot rates here are the highest in the country, ranging from ₹12,000 to ₹25,000 per square foot or even more. Consequently, with a ₹1 crore budget, you are likely to find a home only in outer or suburban areas away from the main parts of these cities. Typically, this budget gets you a 1 BHK or a very small 2 BHK in Mumbai and Delhi-NCR, with a carpet area averaging between 400 to 750 square feet. Therefore, buying a large or spacious home for ₹1 crore in these cities is nearly impossible.

India’s IT city Bangalore has very expensive posh areas like core Indiranagar, core Koramangala, or prime areas of Whitefield. The average property rates in these zones often range from ₹12,000 to ₹20,000 per square foot or even higher. Finding a large apartment in these posh localities with a ₹1 crore budget is almost impossible. If one does find a property within this budget, it will typically be a studio apartment with a carpet area of less than 500 square feet. If a buyer wants a 1 BHK, they would have to look towards the city’s outer or rapidly developing areas like extensions of Sarjapur Road or Kanakapura Road, where a ₹1 crore budget could fetch a 2 BHK of approximately 850 to 1100 square feet.

Where Can You Get a Large Home with a 1 Crore Budget?

Real estate prices in Pune are significantly lower compared to Mumbai, but it remains an expensive metro city. Average property rates in Pune’s major residential areas range from about ₹7,500 to ₹10,000 per square foot, depending on location and project quality. With a 1 crore budget, you can find a good 2 BHK apartment in Pune’s outer, yet well-connected, developing areas like extensions of Hinjewadi, Wakad, or parts of Kharadi. The average carpet area for a 2 BHK within this budget could be between approximately 950 to 1300 square feet. Thus, Pune is a balanced choice for buyers with a ₹1 crore budget.

Kolkata Offers the Possibility of a Large Home

Property rates in Kolkata are among the lowest compared to other major metro cities in the country. Average rates here are between approximately ₹5,500 to ₹6,500 per square foot. With a ₹1 crore budget, you can purchase a spacious 3 BHK apartment of 1500 to 1800 square feet in the city’s prime outer suburbs or some good mid-city locations. If your primary priority is the largest carpet area, Kolkata proves to be the most affordable and splendid option within this budget.

Chennai Offers a 1250-1650 Square Foot Home for ₹1 Crore

Chennai is also among the metro cities where prices are relatively controlled, with average rates ranging from about ₹6,000 to ₹8,000 per square foot. In the city’s rapidly growing suburban areas like OMR, Perambur, or Pallavaram, you can easily find a spacious 2 BHK or 3 BHK home of 1250 to 1650 square feet for ₹1 crore. With its good connectivity and employment prospects, Chennai can be the second-best attractive option for buying a large home with a ₹1 crore budget.

Mumbai

Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, is a major port city on India’s west coast and the financial capital of the country. Its modern history began in the 17th century when it was transferred from Portuguese to British control, growing into a global trade hub. Today, it is a vibrant metropolis famous for its Bollywood film industry, colonial-era architecture like the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, and iconic landmarks such as the Gateway of India.

Delhi-NCR

Delhi-NCR (National Capital Region) is a vast metropolitan area centered around India’s capital, New Delhi, encompassing surrounding districts from neighboring states. Its history is deeply layered, with the core of Delhi itself being a succession of ancient and medieval cities, while the rapid expansion of the NCR in the late 20th century transformed it into a major economic and administrative hub. Today, it juxtaposes historic landmarks like the Red Fort and Qutub Minar with the modern planned city of Gurugram and government complexes in New Delhi.

Bangalore

Bangalore (officially Bengaluru) is the capital of India’s Karnataka state, known globally as a major technology and innovation hub often called the “Silicon Valley of India.” Historically, it has origins dating to the 16th-century Kempegowda dynasty, with significant development under Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan in the 18th century, followed by its prominence as a British military station in the 19th century. Today, it blends its historic landmarks, like the Bangalore Palace and Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace, with modern IT parks and a vibrant, cosmopolitan culture.

Pune

Pune is a major city in the Indian state of Maharashtra, historically known as the cultural and educational capital of the region. Its history dates back over a millennium, but it rose to prominence in the 17th and 18th centuries as the capital of the Maratha Empire under the Peshwas. Today, it is a vibrant metropolis famous for its universities, historic landmarks like Shaniwar Wada, and its deep association with the Indian freedom struggle.

Kolkata

Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of India’s West Bengal state and was the capital of British India until 1911. Founded as a trading post by the British East India Company in 1690, it grew into a major colonial port and a historic center for Indian art, literature, and the 19th-century Bengal Renaissance. Today, it is a vibrant, densely populated metropolis renowned for its cultural heritage, colonial architecture, and as the home of luminaries like Rabindranath Tagore.

Chennai

Chennai, formerly known as Madras, is the capital of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and a major cultural and economic hub on the Coromandel Coast. It was established as a British East India Company trading post in 1639, with the construction of Fort St. George, and grew into a key colonial administrative center. Today, the city is renowned for its classical arts, historic temples like the Kapaleeshwarar, and its status as a global center for the Tamil film industry.