Once upon a time, getting in shape and staying healthy meant signing up for a gym and simply showing up. But now, between boutique fitness and Pilates studios, Hyrox races, personal trainers, supplement stacking, protein-maxxing, and swanky wearable trackers, our wallets are begging for some relief. And that’s before you even get into the recovery side of things so your muscles can bounce back faster. Cold plunges, sauna socials, and deep-tissue massages have become default wellness expenses for even the most rookie gym-goers.
With the country’s fitness industry set to grow from an estimated ₹16,200 crore in 2024 to ₹37,700 crore by 2030, it’s evident that Indians have no qualms about spending on their health. Below, five people with vastly different workout preferences share how much they’ve forked out in the name of fitness and why they have no regrets:
The businessman with one too many workout shoes
Yash Mittal, 37, businessman, Mumbai
“I started taking fitness a lot more seriously three years ago, after my second child was born. My annual gym membership is anywhere between ₹90,000 to ₹1,50,000, depending on whether I’m training for an event, such as Hyrox. I play padel and basketball regularly, so that’s another ₹5,000 to ₹7,000 a month on court bookings, alongside protein, supplements, and creatine, which total to ₹15,000. Physiotherapy sessions could add another ₹20,000 a year depending on the severity and number of injuries. Workout clothing, shoes, and training equipment cost anywhere between ₹1,00,000 and ₹3,00,000 a year. I have more workout shoes than non-workout shoes. If I were to spend more in the future, it would probably be on a Garmin watch.”
The multi-hyphenate who treats Hyrox like an expensive hobby
Shveta Salve, 45, actor, entrepreneur, and content creator, Goa
“Fitness is definitely my most consistent spend. I might think twice about shopping, but training is something I show up for six days a week. It’s a priority and I budget for it accordingly. I’ve been training with my coach for four years now—three days of personal training and three days of group classes—which adds up to ₹26,000 per month. Protein, creatine, and other supplements are around ₹3,000. Monthly physiotherapy sessions are approximately ₹3,000. I’ve been using a Whoop band [which comes with an annual fee of ₹21,990 to ₹35,000+ per year] for the last year as a fitness tracker. Activewear, shoes, and training gear expenses vary, but on average it is about ₹2,000 to ₹4,000 per month.
After Bengaluru, I’m travelling to Gujarat for my next Hyrox in November, which means additional costs for race registration, flights, transport, and accommodation. I’ve done mixed doubles in the past, which is around ₹10,000 plus taxes. I also signed up for women’s doubles, which is another ₹10,000. There’s something quite unhinged about paying to torture yourself.”
The padel fanatic with nearly 300 games under his belt
Anirudh Jain, 34, co-founder of a marketing agency, Mumbai
“Since December 2023, I have roughly played 297 padel sessions as per my Whoop data. I play padel at least thrice a week with friends, so monthly expenses, including courtside charges, drinks, and balls, are between ₹28,000 to ₹30,000. Electrolytes and protein powder are ₹10,000 per month. It’s kind of absurd, but it is what it is, unfortunately.”
The Bengaluru professional who trains hard but recovers harder
Harshita Shah, 28, Founder’s Office at a startup, Bengaluru
“I spent around ₹6,000 on the gym and have two different memberships (I got a good deal). I spend ₹3,000 to ₹5,000 on pickleball or padel per month. Sometimes I’ll go for spinning classes at Chakra, which is around ₹900 per class. I have been prepping and training for Hyrox—the registration fee is ₹12,000. I live in Bengaluru and the race was in Mumbai, so a round-trip flight cost me ₹15,000. I got new shoes from Hoka, which came to ₹20,000, even though I didn’t end up wearing them. I pay ₹2,000 for supplements, which include Omega-3, magnesium, and electrolytes. I spend ₹3,000 on energy drinks and gels. I buy at least two pieces of activewear every month from brands like Asics or Puma, so that’s around ₹6,000 a month. I spend a minimum of ₹3,000 a month on massages, sometimes even ₹9,000 if I’m really sore.
The artist who would rather splurge on cute workout sets than a handbag
Sakshi Kapoor, 34, artist, Mumbai
“I would rather spend on fitness, eating well, and wellness than a handbag or a pair of shoes. For me, ₹10,000 per month goes towards personal training, and it’s the best investment ever. I pay ₹2,500 for a gym club membership and consume whey isolate protein, buying one kilo every three months, which is around ₹5,000. My family has gifted me workout sets from Oysho and Lululemon, and I recently bought shorts and a sports bra from Bird Eye for almost ₹5,400. I also get a monthly massage for ₹1,200.
