From Luxury to Mainstream: How Wellness Homes Are Redefining Urban Living in India

India’s wellness real estate market is rapidly gaining global prominence. Once a niche in luxury housing, wellness-focused homes are now reshaping mainstream urban living as health-conscious buyers seek environments that foster balance, longevity, and holistic well-being.

The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) ranks India among the top ten countries driving a significant portion of the global wellness real estate market. The sector was valued at $13 billion in 2024 as against $6 billion in 2019, registering a robust annual growth rate of 20.3 per cent between 2019 and 2024.

What Is Driving This Surge?

As per ANAROCK, real estate that encompasses wellness elements in a building’s design, materials and amenities is a major global trend. Wellness features in a residential (and also commercial) building enhance its desirability as it improves the overall environment and enhances well-being.

Among the most popular wellness amenities are gyms, yoga/meditation rooms, roof gardens and enhanced natural lighting and ventilation.

“As we edge more into the luxury homes domain, buyers also seek projects with art studios, hobby rooms and Zen gardens where they can unplug and rejuvenate. Such features eventually transcended luxury home projects and came to be expected in mid-range homes, as well. Wellness amenities now deliver a far more convincing 'premium' punch than architectural eye-candy,” says Anuj Puri, Chairman, ANAROCK Group.

Embedding Wellness And Sustainability Beyond Certifications

The rise of wellness real estate comes from a real shift in how people see their homes after the pandemic. With urban life becoming increasingly stressful, buyers want spaces that help them breathe better, live healthier, and feel balanced.

Sensing the shift in consumer preferences, some of India’s leading branded developers quickly began integrating such features into their projects. Trehan Iris is one such developer and is soon introducing wellness-centric residences in Gurugram.

Aman Trehan, Executive Director, Trehan Iris, says, “Wellness real estate in India is commanding a premium of 10–30 per cent, underscoring the rising demand for health-focused living. Gurugram is at the forefront of this shift, with wellness-driven features becoming integral to modern developments and setting new benchmarks for urban living.”

“India’s wellness spend already stands at Rs 60,000–80,000 crore and is projected to cross the Rs 1-lakh crore mark by 2028, reflecting the massive opportunity ahead. Recognizing this need, we are soon introducing wellness-centric residences in Gurugram. We firmly believe that an investment in health and wellness today is, in essence, an investment in a greener, more resilient future -- one that creates enduring value for homebuyers and investors alike,” Trehan adds.

Ishaan Singh, Director, AIPL, says developers are going beyond certifications by integrating natural light, air purification, biophilic design, low-VOC materials, and community wellness zones. Equally important are jogging tracks, sports courts, yoga decks, and recreation areas that keep every age group active and engaged.

“These homes may carry a 10–20 per cent premium, but families see it as an investment in health, lower long-term costs, and stronger property value. Millennials and NRIs are the strongest early adopters, though interest is widening. Over the next decade, wellness communities will play a pivotal role in making housing deeply experiential,” Singh says.

Are Wellness Homes Worth The Premium?

Wellness homes in India usually command a higher price tag than standard luxury homes. So, is the 10–30 per cent premium on wellness properties justified in terms of long-term returns and lifestyle benefits?

Industry experts say there is obviously a significant cost attached to incorporating wellness amenities into a building’s architecture, so properties in such buildings cost more than those without any wellness features.

“The upkeep of such features also adds to the overall maintenance expenditure of the building. However, wellness features translate into benefits such as improved employee efficiency, performance and retention in office buildings, and a higher happiness and satisfaction quotient in housing projects. Because of the high costs involved, we are unlikely to see this trend percolating down into affordable housing very soon,” informs Puri.

Such amenities come for a premium, and developers need to keep affordable housing... well, affordable. “Nevertheless, some of the latest affordable projects being developed in the less expensive peripheral areas of our major cities do have a degree of basic wellness features,” he adds.

Buyer Segments Driving Demand

According to industry experts, there isn’t any specific buyer class for this segment, other than the fact that these are not affordable housing buyers and are willing and able to pay extra for wellness features.

Such buyers are often willing to compromise on the conveniences of central locations - but not on the health of their families. Homebuyers with such an orientation will look for internationally recognised wellness ratings such as WELL Building Standard and Fitwel rating, which measure and certify wellness features positively impacting human health and wellbeing.

Wellness Living: The Next Big Shift in Indian Residential Real Estate

India’s wellness real estate market will most probably stay in the premium and luxury segment, but this buyer class itself is expanding. Given that luxury housing has been the top seller since Covid-19 and the demand has sustained even beyond the pandemic’s immediate impact, premium housing with wellness features will more likely sell well.

“We do expect affordable housing to get a shot in the arm sooner or later, and this may increase its currently abysmal sales share in the future. Luxury housing with wellness features will grow in tandem with incomes,” says Puri.

According to ANAROCK’s consumer sentiment survey for H1 2025, Rs 90 lakh to Rs 1.5 crore budget range has emerged as the 'most favoured' option for over 36 per cent of prospective homebuyers - indicating a stronger shift towards premium and luxury properties. Also, 63 per cent of respondents pick real estate as the 'most preferred' investment asset class - a 4 per cent increase over the previous year’s survey.

“Since luxury housing tends to have wellness features almost by default and definition, the numbers speak for themselves,” observes Puri.