For decades, the belief that ₹1 crore guarantees financial security has echoed through drawing rooms, tea stalls, and LIC brochures — not to mention Amitabh Bachchan’s booming voice proclaiming the value of “ek crore” on Kaun Banega Crorepati in the early 2000s. It was the ultimate middle-class milestone — a sure sign that you’d made it.
But in 2025, that one-crore dream holds less water than ever. It’s more mirage than milestone.
By the time you finally say “I’ve made it”, inflation, EMIs, and real-life curve balls have likely gatecrashed the celebration. Let’s bust the myth that ₹1 crore is enough and examine why “settling down” has become a moving target.
In the early 2000s, ₹1 crore could buy you a house, a car, and still leave enough for an FD to cover living expenses. Today? That amount won’t even get you a decent 2BHK in Mumbai or Bengaluru. Factor in 4–6 percent inflation, and your crore quickly shrinks to the equivalent of ₹30–40 lakh.
Reality check: That ₹30 dosa now costs ₹120 — and that’s just breakfast.
Middle-class families are often just one health scare away from financial ruin. A single major illness — cancer treatment, bypass surgery, or an organ transplant — can cost ₹15–30 lakh. If you’re still depending on a standard ₹5 lakh cover, your savings could evaporate in weeks.
One ICU bill = Goodbye, ₹1 crore.
Your lifestyle has scaled up — have your savings?
International school for one child: ₹3 lakh/year
Dining out once a week: ₹3,000
OTT subscriptions: ₹10,000/year
Annual vacation (even domestic): ₹80,000+
From iPhones to impulsive Zomato orders, your crore can vanish before you even realise it.
Private sector jobs — even at MNCs, IT, or startups — are no longer safe havens. One recession, one round of layoffs, or one AI breakthrough and it’s game over. Ask any techie in their 40s — they’ve seen it happen.
If your master plan was “Retire early and start a homestay in Goa”, time to revisit that spreadsheet.
Think that crore will fund your post-retirement peace? Think again. A reputed Indian university education can cost ₹30–40 lakh. Foreign education? ₹1–1.5 crore. That’s before adding coaching, laptops, hostel fees, and “miscellaneous”.
Translation: One child = One crore.
Why do we still worship this ₹1 crore figure? Because it feels big. It’s round, clean, reassuring. But feelings don’t pay bills. Facts do — and in today’s India, the facts are brutal. Financial security isn’t a destination anymore; it’s a lifelong journey. That crore? It’s the petrol pump, not the finish line.
Don’t depend on just one salary. Freelance, invest, rent out property — work smart, not just hard.
You should ideally have 6–12 months of expenses in a liquid emergency fund. A job loss shouldn’t mean moving back in with your parents.
Get adequate health insurance — ₹25–50 lakh, minimum. Don’t rely solely on your employer’s plan. Also consider a solid term life insurance cover.
FDs alone won’t save you. SIPs in mutual funds, index funds, NPS — that’s where your money needs to sweat.
You don’t need to be a chartered accountant, but understanding inflation, compounding, taxation, and asset allocation is no longer optional.
Most middle-class Indians aren’t truly “settled”. They’re just one layoff, one medical emergency, or one market crash away from collapse.
Ask yourself honestly: If your income stopped today, how long could you maintain your current lifestyle?
If your answer is less than 10–12 years, you’re not financially stable. You’re playing Jenga with your future, hoping the next piece won’t bring it all crashing down.
"Life is stable only when your money works for you while you sleep, and your survival doesn’t depend on active income."
The ₹1 crore dream isn’t dead — it just needs an upgrade. Add hustle, protection, awareness, and growth to the mix. That’s when you start getting closer to what settled really looks like.
(By arrangement with livemint.com)
