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.

A country of dreams built on hard work, but about to crumble under the weight of relentless price hikes. Even the Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities—once the promised lands of affordability—hope is fading fast. From Lucknow’s bustling streets to Nagpur’s quiet corners, the cost of living is surging, choking the lower and middle classes. How did this unfold? Can families survive the next decade? And what hidden forces are reshaping India’s future?