Rising rents, expensive housing societies, growing maintenance charges and increasing daily expenses have frequently sparked discussions online about the cost of living in Delhi-NCR. From Gurgaon to Noida, many residents say managing monthly expenses has become increasingly difficult, especially for middle-class families trying to balance rent, commute, groceries and savings. Amid this, a post by an IIT PhD scholar questioning how couples survive in NCR on salaries below ₹1 lakh per month has gone viral on X.The post sparked a discussion, with several users sharing their own experiences of living expenses in Delhi-NCR. (Pexels/Representational Image)“Cost of living in NCR is insane. I am not able to crunch numbers how a couple can live within 50-60k a month,” wrote Mishra Dev, a PhD scholar at IIT.Dev said that even while living a minimalist lifestyle, he estimated the “bare minimum” monthly expenses for two people in NCR to be between ₹85,000 and ₹95,000. “I am kind of a minimalist and cost of living a bare minimum life is 85-95k each month for two,” he wrote.(Also Read: Bachelor claims saving around ₹75,000 per month after moving to Delhi from Mumbai)What did social media say?The post triggered a discussion online, with several users sharing their own experiences of living expenses in Delhi-NCR cities such as Noida and Gurgaon.One user said they were shocked by rental prices while house-hunting in Noida. “Felt the same when we visited Noida. May be, we were taken to properties which were too expensive. We have seen properties where 2Br Flat is 45k-50k per month plus maintenance and another one which was 3Br at 75k per month with 15k Maintenance,” the user wrote.Another user from Delhi said their household expenses for a family of 3 already touched ₹70,000 per month despite living in a flat owned by the family. “I live in Delhi, my Monthly expenditure is around 70k. And that's because I live in a flat bought by my father, my needs are few. 70K consist of the expenditure of me, m wife and my 11-year-old kid. Its going to rise off course,” the comment read.Some users also argued that many people earning ₹50,000 to ₹60,000 per month are not necessarily living comfortably but merely adjusting to survive. “People are not living comfortably in NCR on 50–60k. They are adjusting. Cheaper rent far away. Longer commute. Credit card rollover. No savings. Family support. Delayed healthcare. Zero room for mistakes. That is not affordability. That is survival with better packaging,” the user wrote.Others, however, felt that spending habits and lifestyle choices also play a major role. “There are people living in Gurgaon at 30K a month. And for some even 3L won't be enough. It's not the city, it's your expenses that you have to manage,” another user wrote.Many users also pointed out that while the cost of living continues to rise across cities, salary growth has not kept pace. “Cost of living increasing everywhere but salaries aren’t,” one comment read.