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An influencer’s claim that raising a child in India costs ₹1.39 crore has gone viral, sparking a debate online as many questioned his calculations while others defended parenthood
A content creator’s estimate that raising a child in India could cost ₹1.39 crore has set off a heated discussion on social media (Image-X/@beingsumit01)
A content creator’s estimate that raising a child in India could cost ₹1.39 crore has set off a heated discussion on social media. While his detailed expense breakdown caught attention, it was his comparison of parenthood with owning a luxury car that drew the strongest reactions.
The viral reel was shared by Instagram user Vikhayat, who has over 288,000 followers. He explained why he has chosen to remain ‘child-free’ by breaking down what he believes are the major expenses involved in raising a child from birth to the age of 18.
He argued that when all costs are combined, including pregnancy, education, healthcare, food, clothing, transportation, gadgets, extracurricular activities and even the cost of renting a larger home, the total comes to approximately ₹1.39 crore.
He began by estimating pregnancy and delivery expenses, including doctor consultations, scans, medicines, maternity clothing and delivery at a private hospital, at around ₹3 lakh. He then factored in baby essentials such as diapers, food, vaccinations, toys, books, a stroller, crib and toiletries, putting those costs at roughly ₹6 lakh over the first two years.
Moving on to everyday expenses, Vikhayat estimated that food from the age of two until 18 would cost around ₹15 lakh. He identified education as one of the biggest expenses, calculating approximately ₹33 lakh for preschool, school fees, books, uniforms and school activities while claiming he was using figures from the lower end of the average for metropolitan cities like Delhi and Mumbai.
His estimate also included around ₹9 lakh for tuition classes, ₹5.4 lakh for healthcare expenses such as dental care, eye check-ups, braces, insurance and medical emergencies, ₹9 lakh for entertainment, ₹7.2 lakh for clothing, ₹4 lakh for gadgets including smartphones, gaming consoles and laptops, ₹8 lakh for sports and extracurricular activities, and another ₹8 lakh for transportation.
One of the largest components in his calculation was the additional cost of renting a bigger house to accommodate a child’s room. He estimated this at ₹32.4 lakh over 18 years.
According to him, the actual expense could be even higher because his estimate did not account for college education, inflation or the returns that could have been earned by investing the same amount.
To drive home his point, he compared the total expenditure with the on-road price of a BMW M4 Competition, claiming that instead of spending nearly ₹2 crore on raising a child, one could buy the luxury sports car.
The video was later reposted by an X user named Sumit, and it quickly became the focal point of online discussions, with many viewers questioning both the assumptions behind the calculations and the analogy itself.
One user wrote, “Raising kids costs an average of ₹1.39 crore?! Bro, that calculation is insane. 🥲🫣”
Another commented, “i was like ok, but then he compared a loving living being to a fucking car : u lost me at that u idiot,”
Sharing a personal experience, a third user said, “As someone who saw a Toddler grow up in my house, itna kharcha nhi aaya 20 months me. Probably 10% of the numbers he’s just throwing here,”
Another user highlighted the emotional aspect of parenting, writing, “Guys, here’s some unsolicited advice. I absolutely adore my son Rudra, who’s only six months old. At this stage, his single smile is more precious than any money. Kids are beautiful and a blessing. Don’t let any idiot convince you otherwise. We can’t control how our kids will be in future but seeing them grow up is probably one of the greatest joy in this universe we are in.”
Others were equally critical of the creator’s perspective.
“Agar uske ma baap ne isko paisa karne se pahle ye socha hota to aaj ye bhi na hota gyaan dene ke liye,” wrote one user.
Another said, “These kind of influencers should be banned for posting content like this.”
One commenter added, “Bro is living life on one brain cell. Kindergarten have better understanding than you.”
Several shorter reactions also surfaced, with users calling it a “Sad to see such mindset,” a “Wasted comparison,” while others simply asked, “Kaun Hai Ye?”
August 01, 2026, 11:02 IST
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