Furniture rentals are booming. Here’s when renting works—and when it doesn’t

₹1,549 a month on Furlenco. The platform also offers an option to buy it for ₹32,500, which is roughly equivalent to 21 months of rent.

On platforms such as OLX, similar beds are listed for about ₹15,000.Mumbai-based Sanchari, a 26-year-old advertising professional, spends ₹5,800 every month on personal furniture and appliances and ₹1,200 for common furniture in the house she shares with another person. She has been doing this for around two years.She has rented a bed, two cupboards, a mattress, a sofa, a recliner, an AC, and common furniture for the hall.“At this point, I have paid more than the cost of the AC as rent,” she agreed, but her decision isn't driven by hard math alone—convenience is what moves the needle.For her, renting is easier when moving homes and offers the flexibility to end the subscription whenever she wants.Ashish, a 34-year-old Bengaluru-based HR professional, said he rented a bed and sofa because reselling furniture can be difficult when moving.“I am looking at it like an experience and may choose to buy in some time,” he said.Another Mumbai-based 46-year-old professional, who did not wish to be identified, recently moved from a fully furnished house to a rented apartment closer to his workplace and rented furniture and appliances for the new home.He said the furniture matched the décor of the apartment and he was unsure how long he would stay at the job.“I have paid six months' rent in advance for a bed, AC, sofa, four chairs, fridge, and a washing machine because RentoMojo offers a discount on the same,” he said.Renting over longer tenures often works best in shared accommodation, where it solves not just the cost issue but also the question of ownership if living arrangements change.Haripriya,