Recent discussions, like a certain viral piece floating around, have stirred debate by suggesting a ₹70 lakh annual salary in India’s metro cities barely sustains a middle-class lifestyle. For TheBrink’s readers, we cut through the noise with a data-driven exposé, revealing the real financial dynamics of urban India’s high earners.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) implemented a rule eliminating penalties for late Equated Monthly Installment (EMI) payments across all loan types, including personal, auto, and home loans.

You’re earning a decent salary, living in a bustling city, sipping overpriced coffee, and yet, your bank account feels like it’s on a perpetual diet. You’re not alone. India’s middle class is caught in a chilling economic paradox, one where your paycheck, no matter how “stable,” might be the very thing dragging you into a financial abyss.