You need nearly Rs 7 crore to raise a child in an Indian metro: Oxford trained financial advisor’s viral video sparks debate
Cost of raising children in India: The math explained
According to Adhye, the biggest contributor to the forecast is education inflation, which is growing at 10-12% annually. This, he argued, was much higher than the 5-6% returns offered by many child-focused investment plans. He explained that such rapidly rising costs could double every six years. Based on this assumption, a four-year college degree costing around Rs 20 lakh today could rise to around Rs 1.6 billion to Rs 2 billion by the time a newborn turns 18.
What expenses are included
Adhye said the estimate goes beyond higher education costs. Their calculations included spending on private schools, coaching lessons, sports training, music lessons, gadgets, holidays, child care, healthcare and other lifestyle expenses over two decades.
The projection also took into account the costs of child care in the metropolitan city, such as nanny services, premium healthcare and lifestyle expenses common among affluent urban families.
Lifestyle and city can change the final figure
Adhye explained that the total amount can vary greatly depending on the family’s lifestyle, the city they live in, and the child’s educational goals. He also noted that postgraduate education is often treated separately and is often financed through educational loans or later in the child’s life.
The video’s caption reads, “Raising kids in metro India is no longer just an emotional decision. It’s a serious financial goal. School, college, coaching, lifestyle, healthcare, gadgets, vacations; the numbers quietly add up over 21 years. And no, a basic child plan isn’t going to cut it.”
Social media users were divided on the prediction
The viral claim sparked mixed reactions online. Some users criticized the video and said it created unnecessary fear about parenting by presenting children as a financial burden. They argued that the Rs 6.75 crore estimate reflects the ultra-premium urban lifestyle rather than the spending pattern of most Indian families. Others said the estimate may be entirely unrealistic, especially in cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru, where private school and university fees have risen sharply in recent years.
Viral videos on rising cost of education in India
This isn’t the first time a financial influencer’s video about the rising cost of raising children in India has gone viral on social media. Similar debates have arisen repeatedly in recent years as spending on education, healthcare and child care continues to rise in major cities.
A widely shared social media post last year claimed that for many middle-class families, raising children in urban India has become as expensive as buying a house in a tier-2 city. The post argued that parenthood is becoming an increasingly important financial decision for households already dealing with rising costs of living.
The post also highlighted the increasing burden of private school, nursery, coaching classes and healthcare expenses. According to the claims made in the viral article, a large portion of middle-class household income is now spent on child-related expenses, especially in metropolitan areas where private education and child care services are much more expensive.
He also noted changing social pressures around parenting, including spending on extracurricular activities, coding lessons, sports coaching, gadgets and lifestyle expectations. The post argued that many parents feel compelled to spend more to keep up with social trends and competitive academic environments.
The article also mentioned the increasing use of EMI-based payment options for school fees and other education-related expenses; This shows how some families spread costs over longer periods.
While many users acknowledged that education and childcare costs have risen sharply over the years, others said estimates shared online often reflect upper-middle-class or affluent urban lifestyles rather than reality for most Indian households.
One line of the viral post, which gained attention online, read: “In 1995, you could raise one child and buy a house. In 2025, you can only have one. Choose wisely.”
