Planning to buy a home in Gurugram? Even ₹1 crore salary may not keep homes affordable anymore, says report

Gurugram's booming housing market is becoming increasingly unaffordable for even high-income salaried professionals, as soaring property prices continue to outpace improvements in household incomes. 

The city's residential affordability has reached a critical inflexion point, with the average EMI-to-income ratio rising from around 20% in 2021 to nearly 40% by the end of 2025, making homeownership significantly more expensive despite easier access to home loans, according to CBRE Research.

CBRE's affordability index, based on households earning ₹ 80 lakh and ₹ 1 crore annually, shows affordability deteriorating sharply between 2021 and 2025 before stabilising at around 38-40% through 2028. The report attributes this to sustained capital appreciation, which is expected to offset any meaningful gains from income growth.

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For households earning ₹ 80 lakh annually, the analysis assumes the purchase of a 3-BHK apartment measuring 2,250-3,700 sq. ft., priced between ₹ 8,500 and ₹ 19,000 per sq. ft. Meanwhile, for households with an annual income of ₹ 1 crore, the affordability calculations are based on a 4-BHK unit spanning 3,000-4,300 sq. ft., with prices ranging from ₹ 9,500 to ₹ 23,000 per sq. ft.

Housing finance expands 

While buying a home has become costlier, financing has become more accessible. Outstanding residential home loan deployment in India has increased by nearly three times, rising from ₹ 11.59 trillion in FY2019 to ₹ 32.78 trillion in FY2026. The expansion has been supported by stronger credit availability and rising household incomes, helping sustain housing demand despite increasing property prices.

Strongest residential growth cycle

The affordability challenge comes against the backdrop of Gurugram's strongest-ever residential expansion.
Since 2000, developers have launched more than 320,000 housing units across the city. The 2021-2025 period emerged as the strongest five-year cycle, with housing sales consistently exceeding new launches, reflecting robust end-user demand and limited inventory accumulation.

As of the first quarter of 2026, Gurugram has around 207,000 completed residential units, while another 121,000 units are under construction, highlighting the city's sustained development pipeline.

New growth corridors 

The city's residential geography has also undergone a significant transformation over the past two decades.
Before 2005, housing activity was largely concentrated around Golf Course Road and Sohna Road. Between 2005 and 2015, developers expanded into emerging micro-markets such as Golf Course Extension Road, Northern Peripheral Road (NPR) and Peripheral Gurugram.

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Over the last decade, these peripheral locations have become the primary engines of residential growth. Northern Peripheral Road, Peripheral Gurugram, Extended Golf Course Road and Southern Peripheral Road are the city's key residential corridors. The operationalisation of the Dwarka Expressway in 2024 has further boosted the attractiveness of these micro-markets by improving regional connectivity.

Luxury housing 

Developers are increasingly partnering with global hospitality and luxury lifestyle brands to launch branded residences, with names such as Trump, Westin, Tonino Lamborghini, Elie Saab and YOO lending their brands to premium projects.

The city is also seeing growing interest in senior living communities, driven by changing family structures, an ageing population and supportive government policies. Developers, including Max Estates, Silverglades, Pioneer Urban and Lamose Group, have entered the segment, while DLF is also planning to launch senior living projects.