As rents soar in metros, relationships increasingly double up as housing arrangements, blurring the line between intimacy and survival
21 August 2025, New Delhi
In India’s swelling metros, where the cost of living often bites harder than heartbreak, a new social phenomenon is quietly gaining visibility: urban hobosexuality — relationships where housing security plays as much of a role as romance.
What is ‘Hobosexuality’?
The term, once popular in Western media, refers to individuals who enter or sustain relationships primarily for the sake of accommodation. In India, where metropolitan rents in cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Delhi can consume 40–50% of an average young professional’s salary, the phenomenon is steadily becoming relevant.
Rising Rents, Rising Pressures
- Mumbai: According to ANAROCK data (2024) , average rentals for a 1BHK apartment in prime areas now range between ₹35,000–₹60,000 per month.
- Bengaluru: Whitefield and Koramangala saw rent inflation of 20–25% year-on-year in 2023.
- Delhi NCR: Gurgaon and Noida rentals have spiked, with gated societies charging ₹25,000–₹45,000 for a modest flat.
With shared accommodations also becoming costlier, financial survival often pushes people toward unconventional solutions — including entering live-in setups where “romance” comes bundled with “room.”
Sociologists Weigh In
Urban sociologists argue that hobosexuality in India reflects both economic compulsion and shifting relationship norms.
Dr. Amita Bhide, urban studies scholar at TISS , notes that for many migrants, “housing insecurity often dictates the form and pace of their relationships.”
Relationship counselors in Bengaluru report a growing number of young couples who admit that “affordability” and “convenience” are as much a part of their bond as love itself.
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Gender Dynamics in Play
Unlike the West, where hobosexuality is often portrayed as a male phenomenon, in Indian metros the equation is more gender-neutral:
Working women with stable jobs sometimes provide the housing advantage, while partners contribute through other means. In other cases, young men with better-paying tech jobs in cities like Bengaluru or Pune invite partners to cohabit, effectively subsidizing rent.
Redefining Love in the Age of Rent
Urban hobosexuality may not be celebrated, but it undeniably reflects the pressures of India’s urban housing crisis. For many, love today isn’t just about chemistry — it’s about convenience, cohabitation, and cost-sharing.
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