Bengaluru man says family spends up to Rs 80,000 monthly on home-cooked food

For many households, grocery shopping is a routine expense. But when the monthly bill starts approaching the cost of a holiday or a major purchase, it can quickly become a talking point. That is what happened after Bengaluru-based social media user Ramsri Goutham Golla shared that his family of four spends between Rs 60,000 and Rs 80,000 every month on groceries and food, despite preparing all their meals at home.His post raised a question that many people could relate to: how much does it really cost to feed a family comfortably today?

While some users said the amount reflected the rising cost of food and the expense of eating well, others felt the figure was unusually high and questioned the family's spending habits. The discussion soon turned into a comparison of household budgets, with people from different cities sharing how much they spend on groceries each month.A home-cooked food budget that surprised social media usersGolla explained that his household includes two adults and two young children.

The family prepares its meals at home and includes meat in its diet twice a week. Despite not depending entirely on restaurant meals or food deliveries, he said the monthly grocery and food bill remains between Rs 60,000 and Rs 80,000. Sharing his frustration, he wrote, “Groceries and food cost Rs 60K–Rs 80K a month for us with 2 adults and 2 young kids, with everything cooked at home and meat twice a week!

How is everyone surviving?”The post prompted people to look more closely at their own spending. Some said they had also noticed grocery expenses increasing, while others admitted that they rarely calculated how much they spent on food every month. One user said the post had made them reconsider their expenses, writing, “I did not realise the cost until I saw this. Time for a reality check.

We order food online as well.”Another person agreed that food prices had become more difficult to manage, saying, “It’s true if someone said a few years back I would not believe it but nowadays prices are higher and higher.” A user from Hyderabad also supported Golla's point, saying that feeding a family of four with healthy food could easily cost more than Rs 60,000 a month. Golla responded that he would be happy if his expenses stayed at that level, adding that his actual bill was even higher.Eggs, milk, meat and fruits: Where does the money go?As the discussion continued, users began questioning how a family could spend so much on groceries.

Some argued that even good-quality food and regular meat consumption should not push a household's monthly kitchen budget that high. One person challenged the estimate, claiming that a family of four in Bengaluru could manage its kitchen expenses within Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000, even while buying premium food products and meat.Golla then offered a breakdown of some of his regular purchases to explain why the bill adds up.

According to him, eggs alone cost around Rs 3,000 a month because the family consumes an average of 10 eggs daily. Milk adds another Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000, while meat purchased twice a week costs approximately Rs 6,000 to Rs 8,000.He also listed dosa and idli batter, which he said costs between Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000 monthly. Other expenses include rice, fruits, vegetables, cooking oil, tea powder, dry fruits and nuts.

Pointing to the price of everyday food items, Golla said rice costs around Rs 80 per kg, while fruits can cost Rs 200 to Rs 400 or more per kg. Vegetables such as onions, tomatoes, okra and potatoes add to the total. His explanation shifted the discussion from the overall monthly figure to the cost of individual items that households buy regularly.Families share their own monthly grocery budgetsNot everyone agreed that a family of four needs to spend anywhere close to Rs 80,000 on food.

Several users shared their own budgets, suggesting that the amount varies depending on the city, food choices and household requirements. A user from a prime suburb in Mumbai said their household of four adults and a dog spends around Rs 50,000 a month, including daily non-vegetarian food. Another person questioned whether Golla's expenses needed a closer review, arguing that even a premium grocery budget for four people in a major city would generally be around Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000.One commenter claimed to spend only Rs 15,000 a month for a family of four, including daily meat, fish, eggs, fruits, nuts and vegetables.

The user argued that spending Rs 60,000 or more was a matter of individual choice rather than a reflection of what every family spends. The contrasting responses show how differently households approach food shopping. Family size, the quantity and quality of ingredients, dietary preferences and where people shop can all influence the final bill. However, the figures shared in the discussion are individual experiences, not a survey of average grocery expenses.Is Rs 80,000 the new grocery reality?Golla's post has brought attention to a familiar household concern: the growing pressure of managing everyday expenses.

While some users found his budget understandable, others believed it was far above what a family of four should need. The discussion also highlights why comparing grocery bills can be difficult. Two families of the same size may have very different shopping habits, meal plans and preferences. The cost of eating at home is not determined by the number of people alone.For now, the debate has left social media users comparing bills, questioning their spending habits and sharing their own ways of managing monthly food expenses.

And Golla's question, “How is everyone surviving?”, has become a starting point for a much wider conversation about the cost of putting everyday meals on the table.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ testGet the latest Lifestyle News and more. Download the TOI app.