Inflation is 1.55%. Why does city life feel 15% dearer?

If #Inflation is only 1.55%, why does life in the #City feel 15% more expensive every year?
Recently, a friend told me she got a 15% #salary hike, yet she wasn’t happy.
“Barely keeps up with inflation,” she said.

I was puzzled. Government data claims inflation is 4–5% on average, and for July, it was reported at just 1.55%, an eight-year low.

Shouldn’t she be celebrating?
Her reply hit home: “I don’t know what formula they use. My rent goes up 10% every year, my household help asks for the same, school fees and groceries are rising, and commuting costs never stop climbing.”

And she’s right.
For many living in #metros, real inflation feels very different:
Rent: +10% YoY
School fees: +8–12% YoY
Groceries: +7% YoY
Transport/fuel: +5–8% YoY

The official #CPI basket factors in rural and urban prices together, but urban costs (especially services, housing, and education) often rise faster.
Averaging them across the country hides the actual pain points for city dwellers.

Perhaps it’s time we had a “#MetroInflationIndex” to reflect the true cost of living in urban India and maybe even use it as a benchmark for salary revisions.

What’s your personal inflation rate? Add up your top 5 yearly expenses and compare them to your last hike; you might be surprised!