Meta Engineer Compares Property Prices in India and London
A London-based Indian software engineer has triggered an online discussion on property prices after sharing details of a house in the UK capital and comparing it with housing costs in India. The post has garnered approximately 850,000 views on X.
Arnav Gupta, an engineering manager at Meta, posted a photograph of a house in Wembley, London, listed for about £0.5 million, or roughly ₹6 crore at current exchange rates. He highlighted that properties of comparable prices in India are often significantly smaller.
The house shown in the image is a single-storey structure featuring multiple gables and sloping red roofs. It includes bay windows and extensive greenery, with plants such as wisteria covering the front wall. Gupta noted that the property also comes with a large backyard.
Comparison with Indian housing market
“This house is less than ₹5cr (£0.5M). Less than 30min commute to anywhere in central London. Indian property markets makes no sense to me after seeing the market here,” Gupta said in a post on X.
His remarks sparked a broader conversation about property pricing in India, where real estate values in cities such as Mumbai, Delhi NCR, and Bengaluru are influenced by high demand, limited land availability, and regulatory factors.
Mixed reactions from users
Some users agreed with Gupta’s observation, pointing out that residential properties in India often offer limited space despite high prices, particularly in gated communities and apartment complexes.
“See this house is also available in India but it is priced basis demand and supply in India. This subtle point is missed by many,” one user said.
Others responded with appreciation for the property itself. “That's really pretty. Already a fan of the landscaping,” another user commented.
A user compared the London property with his residence in India, stating, “Meanwhile in India, all my society (Ashiana Silver Crest Villas, Gurgaon) had was one small park. That also is under threat,” adding that the land had reportedly been sold for construction.
Some users expressed concern about the sustainability of current property prices in India. “Indian property market is a big bubble and the coming oil shock along with AI shock is going to see property prices tumble by 15-20%,” one person said.
“Indian real estate market is a joke, not built for middle class,” another user added.
Location and additional context
Responding to queries, Gupta said the house is located in Wembley, about 30 minutes from central London by tube and situated in Zone 4. He clarified that he was not involved in buying or selling the property and had come across it while running in the neighbourhood.
He also noted that in the UK, making major modifications to a property requires planning permission from the local council, and objections from neighbours can make approvals difficult.
