In Bengaluru, the amount is agreed between owner and tenant, not fixed by law. The Karnataka Rent Act, 1999, only covers rent below ₹3,500 a month in the city, so it no longer reaches a typical Bengaluru home. Across 115 of the 214 societies we tracked with a reported deposit, on 30 September 2026, the median asked was a little over four months' rent, ranging from about two months to eleven. When we place a tenant, we put the agreed number of months in writing before any money moves.
The number
Median deposit asked was 4.05 months (rounded to "a little over four") across 115 of 214 societies with a reported deposit figure, range 2.3 to 11 months, Sthãna's own read, 30 Sep 2026. Karnataka Rent Act, 1999 exempts rent above ₹3,500 a month in Bengaluru, confirmed against the Act's own text.
Sources
Where it comes from. Level 1 is a government or court page, level 2 established press, level 3 a portal's explainer, which gives only what is commonly quoted.
- Karnataka Rent Act, 1999, section 2(3)(e), via PRS Legislative Research, https://prsindia.org/files/bills_acts/acts_states/karnataka/2001/2001KR34.pdf, level 1
- Karnataka Rent (Amendment) Act, 2025, bill text, via PRS Legislative Research, https://prsindia.org/files/bills_acts/bills_states/karnataka/2025/Bill67of2025KA.pdf, level 1
- Sthãna's own read of live listings on Square Yards and NoBroker, 30 September 2026, https://sthana.co.in, level 3