Bengaluru Real Estate: City Center or Suburbs - Which is the Better Buy?

A Bengaluru couple’s Reddit post about searching for an apartment in the city’s outskirts has sparked a debate after they highlighted challenges such as long commutes, weak infrastructure, and prices of ₹1.5 crore or more even for compact units. Their experience has reignited discussion on whether older homes in central neighborhoods offer better long-term value than new suburban projects.

“My husband (36) and I (32) live and work in Mahadevpura, Bangalore, not in the IT sector. Combined per-month income in hand is ₹5 lakh, and monthly expenses are roughly ₹1.5 lakh. We visited a project in Bengaluru outskirts because it's new, a Cat A builder and seems to be somewhat in our budget,” the redditor wrote.

“The roads are so bad, potholes everywhere, the roads, even the highway, are littered on the sides, there was a railway crossing on the way,” she said.

The couple, who live and work in Mahadevapura and earn a combined monthly income of ₹5 lakh, wrote that nearly every project within their preferred radius felt either unaffordable or poorly connected. After visiting a new project in Hoskote, about 17 km from their home, they described the drive as “too far” and said the roads, traffic, and overall surroundings were dismal.

They calculated that a 1,200 sq ft unit priced around ₹10,000 per sq ft at allotment would cost roughly ₹1.5–1.6 crore at possession in 2029. Given the distance, the lack of current infrastructure, and the overall living conditions, the buyer said the experience left them questioning “who are these people buying flats upwards of ₹2 crore on EMIs for the next 20 years.”

Several Reddit users echoed the sentiment. “We went around visiting properties for four weekends. Nothing seems worth the price, honestly,” one commenter said. Others described the market as “overpriced” and noted that flats costing ₹60 lakh a few years ago now sell for over ₹1 crore for the same size.

Another user cautioned, “Don’t buy these overpriced flats. Rent till you get a place valued correctly.”

The discussion highlighted how rising land costs post-COVID, aggressive launches by branded developers, and low resale supply have contributed to the current mismatch between pricing and buyer expectations.

Real estate experts note that purchasing an apartment in the city centre largely depends on your lifestyle priorities and financial strategy. “City cores typically offer unmatched access to employment hubs, established social infrastructure, public transport, and entertainment. For professionals who value shorter commutes, walkability, and proximity to everyday amenities, central locations provide significant convenience and reduce long-term dependency on transportation. Property in these areas also tends to retain value well because demand remains consistently strong,” Sunil Singh of Realty Corp said.

Singh said that while city-centre living offers strong connectivity and convenience, the pricing gap has become a major deterrent for many buyers. Older apartments on MG Road now cost between ₹15,000 and ₹20,000 per sq ft, while Indiranagar’s 15–20-year-old units range from ₹12,000 to ₹16,000 per sq ft. New launches push prices even higher, with MG Road projects starting at ₹22,000 per sq ft and Indiranagar developments beginning around ₹18,000 per sq ft.

He noted that central locations also come with trade-offs such as higher maintenance costs, smaller layouts, and limited inventory. A typical 2BHK in the core city averages about 950 sq ft, whereas similarly priced homes on the outskirts often offer around 1,300 sq ft. For buyers who value larger spaces and long-term appreciation potential, suburban micro-markets may deliver better overall value, he pointed out.

Real estate experts say buyers are increasingly turning to Bengaluru’s outer zones for more affordable options and stronger investment prospects. According to Kiran Kumar of Hanu Reddy Realty, enquiries for peripheral locations have risen by 10–15 per cent compared to the main tech corridors.

Localities such as Devanahalli, Doddaballapur Main Road, and the extended Whitefield belt offer plots in the ₹4,000– ₹5,000 per sq ft range, while apartments in gated communities typically start at around ₹80 lakh. In North Bengaluru, new launches vary widely, with a recent Prestige project priced at about ₹12,000 per sq ft and other plotted developments available for ₹6,000–7,000 per sq ft. Most apartment projects in the north begin at roughly ₹1 crore, making them relatively more attainable for mid-segment buyers.

Agents add that several emerging corridors on the outskirts are posting stronger price gains than established city pockets. “Certain peripheral markets are recording close to 20 per cent annual appreciation, whereas places like Whitefield are averaging around 15 per cent,” Kumar said.

Bengaluru’s peripheral housing corridors continue to grapple with persistent infrastructure gaps despite rising residential demand. Large stretches of the outskirts lack adequate arterial roads, suffer from uneven maintenance, and remain vulnerable to traffic bottlenecks during peak hours. Several new residential clusters have expanded faster than public infrastructure, leaving early buyers dependent on long detours for essential services such as schools, hospitals, and retail, experts point out.

Last-mile connectivity also remains a major concern, with limited BMTC bus coverage and almost no seamless link between upcoming residential zones and existing metro stations.

Sopan Gupta, principal partner at Square Yards, cautioned that commuting and civic infrastructure remain challenges. “These homes are often far from major employment hubs. If public transportation is not yet in place, commuting can be time-consuming and costly. Social infrastructure and civic services are still catching up in many areas,” he said. Centrally located modern apartments, by contrast, remain in the premium segment, pricing them out of reach for budget-conscious buyers.