Are high-rise apartments worth it or are buyers paying extra for ‘Instagram view’? Internet split over viral post

By Bricksnwall | 2026-05-29

A popular tweet describing a manager’s experience of living in a high-rise flat has generated a debate online, questioning if paying a premium for upper-floors is worth it 

A social media post highlighting 13 downsides to living in a high-rise apartment from the perspective of a user's manager has ignited an online debate about whether the price of luxury higher floor living is truly worth it. 

The post says that the manager bought a property on the 21st floor for ₹1.5 crore, but after 4 years he became fed up of the practical issues of living so high and decided to sell.

The ‘X’ post depicted the drawback of living in high-rise residences. It mentioned problems including dust, lift breakdowns, bad mobile coverage, crowded lifts and difficulties with deliveries to higher floors. ‘Big products don’t fit in the lift so workers take them up the steps and charge extra every time,’ it read. 

Many people agreed with the worries and labeled high-rise living difficult but others supported upper-floor flats saying that they provide more privacy, ventilation, sunlight and views. The talk soon evolved to a broader discussion about whether luxury high-rise houses provide real comfort or pricey compromises. 

The advertisement said the flat had a great view of the skyline — but the attraction reportedly wore off in weeks. The manager slowly began to think that the disadvantages outweighed the luxury of living in a high-rise building. He pointed out that the idea that mosquitoes are not found on upper floors is not true. He also noted the dust and noise levels were higher than predicted because there were no trees or buildings nearby at that height to serve as barriers.

“They said the upper floors have no mosquitoes. Biggest swindle ever. But do those who live on the 15th story and up really like living in a high-rise apartment? Or are we all simply being billed more for a better Instagram view? 

The only thing wonderful about the 21st floor was the view. It got dull after 2 weeks. The post indicated difficulties continued for 4 years. 

“People buy high floors for the status and the skyline views. But true comfort is convenience, accessibility and peace of mind. Sometimes, lower levels or even a separate house makes more sense than a sky-high address,” added the post.

The post also pointed out a few lifestyle disadvantages. The manager, it was said, became Vitamin D deficient since he could not get sunlight and spent less time outdoors. “It was often inconvenient to go down by the lift for walks.

There was a problem with delivering heavy items, with lifts sometimes being crowded and extra manpower expenses for lugging cumbersome furniture upstairs. The post said the lift cellphone signals were unstable and the network connectivity on the higher floors was inadequate and botched essential work calls.

“You can’t fit big stuff in the lift. They lug it up the stairs. They want more …‘He was paying this premium over and above his EMI for eternity,’ the message read.

Other concerns raised were health and maintenance. The article said her manager indicated deep-bore well hard water in high-rise buildings was causing hair fall and skin problems, and winds and strong sunlight made it difficult to grow plants on balconies.

The manager also felt that it was a sense of isolation living so high above ground during lockdowns, since it was not as easy to go out casually as it was for residents on lower floors.

“The lift is like a local train, slow, stopping at every floor with kids often pressing every button,” said the post.

The assertion was also made that people in upper levels pay more for their electricity bills even though they use the same equipment. “My co-worker on the ground floor has the same AC but is paying less. “Most electric meters are in the basement so longer wiring to the upper floors means more of a loss of power and higher bills in the long run,” the user stated.

X people have conflicting reviews on living above ground level

Many users agreed that the biggest downside is the dependency on the lift, especially in case of breakdowns or emergencies. Some others pointed out problems such as dust, strong winds, lack of network connectivity, noise from construction, pollution from factories and difficulty in taking care of balcony plants on upper floors.

Some reported lower floors had their own concerns such lack of privacy, noise from traffic, bugs, mice and waterlogging during storms.

“There is more noise at the lower floor though because of the traffic outside. So I agree with majority of points. “It’s a trade-off we need to settle,” one X user stated.

Some users said autonomous homes or farmhouses provide a more serene, aesthetically beautiful lifestyle than ‘box-like’ apartments in high-rises.

“I don’t like it at all. I think they are just boxes and would not look good

“I like house in farm,” another message read.

Many tenants, however, defended high-floor living, saying they enjoy better ventilation, sunlight, privacy and vistas and have not experienced any of the problems described in the viral piece.

Another user said, “People living on ground floor or a low rise also have to face problems such as “people dumping garbage , mosquitos are one thing, coackroach, worms and rats are prevalent at ground, they have to pay maintenance even though there is no usage of lifts by them, rain water, privacy.”

Should you get a top story apartment?

Ground floor and top floor flats tend to fetch a premium and are often released later in the sales cycle by real estate developers, as these residences tend to command considerable buyer demand. Top story apartments have many benefits such as more privacy and peace and quiet. These residences are typically quieter than homes on lower floors, with less foot traffic, and can feel more safe too. Some of the major advantages are unblocked views of the skyline, improved natural light and greater ventilation, which frequently reduce the need for artificial lighting and improve overall comfort of life, experts added. 

But there are certain trade offs with the lifestyle. They said that inhabitants living on upper levels commonly admit to feeling uneasy during situations like fire alarms, power outages or elevator problems. Longer lift wait times are a regular complaint, they said. 

Source: Hindustan Times