From Nandini milk to Namma Metro: How Bengaluru's cost of living has skyrocketed in a year

The Namma Metro fares have seen one of the biggest price rises. The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) increased the maximum fare from ₹60 to ₹90 in February of this year after making changes to its pricing system. Furthermore, smart cards now demand a minimum balance of ₹90 instead of ₹50. The metro relies on thousands of commuters every day, therefore the 50–90% fare increase has put a significant financial burden on Bengaluru residents.

Over the past year, the price of milk, a basic in most homes, has also increased several times. With effect from April 1, Nandini milk prices would increase by ₹4 per litre, according to a recent announcement by the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF). Prior increases of ₹3 per liter in July 2023 and ₹2 per litre in June 2024 had come before this.

Consequently, the price of a one-liter packet of Nandini toned milk has increased from ₹40 to ₹46. Customers have been negatively impacted by these frequent increases, even though Nandini maintains that its prices are still cheaper than those of rivals like Amul and Heritage.