Oxford-studied financial advisor and content creator Udayan Adhye has triggered debate online after claiming that raising a child in a metro city in India could cost nearly Rs 6.75 crore over 21 years. In a viral Instagram video, Adhye said many parents fail to account for the long-term impact of education inflation, healthcare costs, lifestyle spending, and extracurricular expenses while planning for their children’s future.
Child-raising cost in India: Maths explained
According to Adhye, the biggest contributor to the estimate is education inflation, which he said is growing at 10-12% annually. He argued that this is much higher than the 5-6% returns offered by many child-focused investment plans. He explained that costs rising at such a pace could double every six years. Based on this assumption, a four-year college degree that costs around Rs 20 lakh today may rise to nearly Rs 1.6 crore to Rs 2 crore by the time a newborn turns 18.
What expenses were included
Adhye said the estimate goes beyond higher education costs. His calculations included spending on private schools, coaching classes, sports training, music lessons, gadgets, vacations, childcare, healthcare, and other lifestyle expenses over two decades.
The projection also considered metro city childcare costs such as nanny services, premium healthcare, and lifestyle spending common among affluent urban families.
Lifestyle and city can change the final figure
Adhye clarified that the total amount may vary widely depending on a family’s lifestyle, the city they live in, and their educational goals for the child. He also noted that postgraduate education is generally treated separately and is often financed through education loans or by the child later in life.
"Raising a child in an Indian metro is no longer just an emotional decision. It is a serious financial goal. School, college, coaching, lifestyle, healthcare, gadgets, vacations; the numbers quietly compound for 21 years. And no, a basic child plan won't cut it," the video was captioned.
Social media users are divided over the estimate
The viral claim led to mixed reactions online. Some users criticised the video and said it created unnecessary fear around parenting by presenting children as a financial burden. They argued that the Rs 6.75 crore estimate reflects an ultra-premium urban lifestyle rather than the spending pattern of most Indian families.
Others said the estimate may not be entirely unrealistic, especially in cities such as Mumbai and Bengaluru, where private school and college fees have increased sharply in recent years.
Viral vidoes on rising cost of education in India
This is not the first time a financial influencer’s video on the rising cost of raising children in India has gone viral on social media. Similar discussions have surfaced repeatedly in recent years as education, healthcare, and childcare expenses continue to rise in major cities.
One widely shared social media post last year also claimed that for many middle-class families, raising a child in urban India has become as expensive as buying a house in a tier-2 city. The post argued that parenthood is increasingly becoming a major financial decision for households already dealing with rising living costs.
The post also highlighted the growing burden of private schooling, daycare, coaching classes, and healthcare expenses. According to the claims made in the viral write-up, a large share of middle-class household income is now spent on child-related expenses, especially in metro cities where private education and childcare services cost significantly more.
It further pointed to changing social pressures around parenting, including spending on extracurricular activities, coding classes, sports coaching, gadgets, and lifestyle-related expectations. The post argued that many parents feel compelled to spend more to keep up with social trends and competitive academic environments.
The write-up also mentioned the increasing use of EMI-based payment options for school fees and other education-related expenses, reflecting how some families are spreading out costs over longer periods.
While many users agreed that the cost of education and childcare has risen sharply over the years, others said the estimates shared online often reflect upper-middle-class or affluent urban lifestyles rather than the reality for most Indian households.
One line from the viral post that gained attention online read: “In 1995, you could raise a child and buy a house. In 2025, you can do only one. Choose wisely.”
