NEW DELHI — According to a new analysis from Worldpanel by Numerator, Indian households’ average quarterly expenses have gone up “steadily” by more than 33% over the past three years, reaching more than ₹56,000 in 2025. “Kharcha 3.0” is the name of the report that talks about how finances are getting tighter all around the country, with spending going up a lot in both cities and rural areas.
The study, which is based on a sample of 6,000 families and largely examines housewives as primary FMCG purchasing decision-makers, gives a full picture of how consumer behavior is changing.
The results show that urban households still have the greatest costs. From June 2022 to March 2025, the average quarterly spending went up from ₹52,711 to ₹73,579. But rural households have also seen a big jump in spending, with their average quarterly costs going up from ₹36,104 in June 2022 to ₹46,623 in March 2025.
The survey says that this year, the rise in costs is much more noticeable in lower-income households in both cities and the countryside. As budgets get tighter, more people are having trouble keeping track of their money. The survey also revealed that people were spending their money differently, with a little more of their budget going to school and paying off debts in 2025.
As prices go up, people are becoming more careful with their money. The survey says that people are starting to put more importance on important things, with some impulse purchase now and again. Some people are choosing cheaper options instead of their usual purchases to stay inside their budgets.
The study also showed what people want to do with whatever extra money they get. 54% of the people who were asked said they would save any extra money they got. After that, 38% said they would use it to pay for basic needs, and 18% said they would use it to pay off debt. Only 7% of people stated they would use extra money to buy luxury or high-end goods, which shows that people are becoming more financially responsible.
The survey shows that Indian consumers are changing in a big way because they are more focused on managing their money and are being more careful with their discretionary spending.