Short answer: North vs East Bengaluru splits on momentum and jobs. In H1 2026, Knight Frank found North's sales up 11% and East's down 9%. East's locations grew faster on price, though, and East has the jobs: 29.3% of office leasing against 3.2% for North. East has a running metro; North waits for the Blue Line.
- Sales: North took 31% of city sales in H1 2026 and East 29%, a reversal from 30% and 34% a year earlier (Knight Frank).
- Prices: Knight Frank's East locations rose 14–20% in 12 months; its North locations 6–18%.
- Stock: East had 22,878 unsold homes (4.9 quarters to sell); North 15,408 (3.9 quarters), up 34% in a year.
- Jobs: the Peripheral Business District East took 29.3% of office leasing; North took 3.2%.
- Our DESK test: demand, employment, stock, kilometres of running rail.
- How do North and East Bengaluru compare?
- Which zone is selling faster?
- Where have prices risen more?
- Which zone has more unsold homes?
- Where are the jobs?
- Which has better metro access?
- Worked examples
- The DESK test: comparing two zones (our framework)
- North vs East Bengaluru checklist
- Legal and tax note
- Frequently asked questions
- Talk it through with acre&key
- Sources
"North" and "East" mean different things on different sites. This page uses Knight Frank's zones. North is Hebbal, Bellary Road, Hennur, Jakkur, Yelahanka and Banaswadi. East is Whitefield, Old Airport Road, Old Madras Road, KR Puram and Marathahalli.
How do North and East Bengaluru compare?
| Measure, H1 2026 | North | East |
|---|---|---|
| Share of launches (H1 2025) | 29% (27%) | 31% (32%) |
| Share of sales (H1 2025) | 31% (30%) | 29% (34%) |
| Sales change, year on year | +11% | −9% |
| Unsold homes (YoY change) | 15,408 (+34%) | 22,878 (+19%) |
| Quarters to sell | 3.9 | 4.9 |
| Locations Knight Frank tracks | Hebbal, Yelahanka, Thanisandra, Hennur | KR Puram, Whitefield, Marathahalli |
| 12-month price change, by location | 6% to 18% | 14% to 20% |
| Share of office leasing | 3.2% (PBD North) | 29.3% (PBD East) |
| Metro today | No running line in these locations | Purple Line to Whitefield |
All figures from Knight Frank's H1 2026 report. PBD is Knight Frank's Peripheral Business District; PBD North covers Thanisandra, Yelahanka and Devanahalli.
Which zone is selling faster?
North. Knight Frank calls it the city's fastest-growing residential corridor, with launches up 10% and sales up 11%. East's sales fell 9% as buyers worked through earlier supply.
The city sold 27,968 homes in H1 2026 (ET Realty, news, citing Knight Frank). At the zone shares, that's about 8,670 in North and 8,110 in East.
Where have prices risen more?
East, by location. Knight Frank's 12-month changes:
| Zone | Location | ₹/sq ft, H1 2026 | 12 months | 6 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East | KR Puram | 6,400–13,400 | 20% | 7% |
| East | Marathahalli | 7,310–15,500 | 15% | 3% |
| East | Whitefield | 7,100–15,200 | 14% | 9% |
| North | Yelahanka | 6,300–12,700 | 18% | 15% |
| North | Hebbal | 7,800–15,000 | 11% | 16% |
| North | Hennur | 7,000–14,000 | 10% | 18% |
| North | Thanisandra | 5,700–13,500 | 6% | 3% |
North's six-month figures are stronger in three of four locations, so its prices may be catching up. Our area pages go deeper: Hebbal vs Thanisandra, KR Puram vs Whitefield and Devanahalli vs Yelahanka.
Which zone has more unsold homes?
East, in units: 22,878 against 15,408. But North's stock grew faster, up 34% in a year. At the current pace, East would take about 15 months to sell what's built or launched, and North about 12. Both give you room to negotiate on slower projects.
Where are the jobs?
East, by a wide margin. PBD East took 29.3% of Bengaluru's office leasing in H1 2026, and with the Outer Ring Road, over 81% of the city's leasing. PBD North took 3.2%, and its office rents were flat over 12 months while PBD East's rose 10% (Knight Frank). North's job story is the airport belt, the KIADB Aerospace Park and Manyata Tech Park.
Which has better metro access?
East. The Purple Line runs to Whitefield. In Knight Frank's North locations, nothing runs yet. The Blue Line will link both zones to the airport. Knight Frank cites a June 2027 target, while more recent news reports put full opening at March 2028, in phases (Times of India, 9 Oct 2026, news). See our metro lines guide and East Bengaluru infrastructure tracker.
Worked examples
These use published figures and illustrative assumptions.
Worked example 1: what ₹1 crore buys at each midpoint
| Zone | Location | Midpoint (₹/sq ft) | Area for ₹1 crore |
|---|---|---|---|
| North | Yelahanka | 9,500 | 1,053 sq ft |
| North | Thanisandra | 9,600 | 1,042 sq ft |
| East | KR Puram | 9,900 | 1,010 sq ft |
| North | Hennur | 10,500 | 952 sq ft |
| East | Whitefield | 11,150 | 897 sq ft |
| North | Hebbal | 11,400 | 877 sq ft |
| East | Marathahalli | 11,405 | 877 sq ft |
The spread inside each zone is bigger than the gap between them. Charges add 7.6% inside GBA, so set aside ₹7.6 lakh on a ₹1 crore flat.
Worked example 2: does rent cover the EMI?
Using ANAROCK's Q1 2026 base rates and 2BHK rent midpoints for a 1,000 sq ft flat, with an 80% loan over 20 years at 8.5%:
| Step | Whitefield (East) | Thanisandra Main Road (North) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ₹1,06,80,000 | ₹1,01,00,000 |
| EMI | ₹74,147 | ₹70,120 |
| Rent (midpoint) | ₹37,500 | ₹35,000 |
| Rent ÷ EMI | 51% | 50% |
| Gross yield | 4.2% | 4.2% |
On these figures, the two zones look the same to a landlord. Our rent vs buy page works through the owner-occupier side.
The DESK test: comparing two zones (our framework)
| Step | Question | North, H1 2026 | East, H1 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demand | Are sales rising or falling? | Rising (+11%) | Falling (−9%) |
| Employment | Is office leasing near you growing? | Small share (3.2%) | Large share (29.3%) |
| Stock | How many quarters of unsold homes? | 3.9 | 4.9 |
| Kilometres of running rail | What runs today? | None in these locations | Purple Line |
Score each step for your own commute and plans. A zone verdict only goes so far; the next step is the micro-market and then the building.
North vs East Bengaluru checklist
- [ ] Time the commute to your office at 9 am and 6 pm.
- [ ] Check which metro station is running, not planned.
- [ ] Compare the price with the guidance value; our East Bengaluru gap guide shows how.
- [ ] Ask for the BWSSB connection and recent bills.
- [ ] Read the project's RERA dates; see whether East projects deliver on time.
- [ ] Check lakes and drains near the site.
- [ ] Ask for recent rental agreements if you plan to let.
Legal and tax note
This is general information. Ask a CA about income-tax rules on price, guidance value and rental income, and a property lawyer about title and approvals before you pay an advance.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on where you work. East has the jobs and a running metro. North is selling faster and has a planned airport-side metro. Compare specific locations, not zones.
Over 12 months, Knight Frank's East locations rose 14–20% and its North locations 6–18%. Over six months, three of the four North locations rose faster.
East: 22,878 homes and 4.9 quarters to sell. North had 15,408 and 3.9 quarters, but its stock rose 34% in a year (Knight Frank H1 2026).
We can't say that from the data. East's prices rose fastest while its sales fell, which can mean more room to negotiate. Compare the price with recent registrations nearby.
The Blue Line will run through Hebbal to the airport. Knight Frank cites June 2027; news reports put full opening at March 2028, in phases.
On ANAROCK's figures, they're level: about 4.2% gross for 1,000 sq ft in both Whitefield and Thanisandra Main Road.
Sources differ. In Knight Frank's zones, North covers Hebbal, Bellary Road, Hennur, Jakkur, Yelahanka and Banaswadi; East covers Whitefield, Old Airport Road, Old Madras Road, KR Puram and Marathahalli.
Inside GBA, charges total 7.6% of the higher of price and guidance value; outside, 7.65%. Try our stamp duty calculator.
Sources
Checked 19 Oct 2026.
- Knight Frank, India Real Estate: Office and Residential Market H1 2026 (Bengaluru zones, launches, sales, unsold stock, price table, office leasing): https://content.knightfrank.com/research/3116/documents/en/india-real-estate-office-and-residential-market-h1-2026-12927.pdf
- ET Realty, Bengaluru housing sales up 5% in H1 2026, citing Knight Frank (news): https://realty.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/residential/bengaluru-housing-market-sees-5-sales-increase-in-h1-2026/132356572
- ANAROCK, Bengaluru Q1 2026 Residential Market Viewpoints (base rates and rents): https://websitemedia.anarock.com/media/Bengaluru_Q1_2026_Residential_Market_Viewpoints_84d41ec09a.pdf
- Times of India, Blue Line delayed to March 2028, phased opening, 9 Oct 2026 (news): https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/bengaluru-metro-blue-line-delayed-to-march-2028-how-the-58km-airport-corridor-will-open-in-phases-which-stretches-will-be-ready-first-and-when-commuters-can-expect-services-from-central-silk-board-to-kia/photostory/134829302.cms
