How much SIP do you need every month for ₹1 crore in 15 years?
TL;DR: At an assumed 12% annual return compounded monthly, you'd need to invest roughly ₹20,000/month for 15 years (180 months) to reach ₹1 crore. At a more conservative 9% assumption, that rises to roughly ₹27,000/month — the required amount is genuinely sensitive to the return you assume, which is why running it at more than one rate matters.
Why the same goal needs a very different monthly number depending on the return assumed
A 3-percentage-point difference in assumed annual return doesn't sound like much, but compounded monthly over 15 years it changes the required contribution by roughly 35% in this example. This is the single most common mistake in "how much do I need to invest" questions — running the number once, at one optimistic rate, and treating it as fixed.
The numbers at a few different assumptions
| Assumed annual return | Required monthly SIP for ₹1 crore in 15 years |
|---|---|
| 15% (optimistic) | ~₹15,900/month |
| 12% (base case) | ~₹20,000/month |
| 9% (conservative) | ~₹27,000/month |
These are illustrative, rounded projections at a fixed monthly contribution with no step-up — actual results depend on real market returns, which vary year to year rather than compounding smoothly.
Two levers that change this more than people expect
- A step-up — increasing your monthly SIP by even 10% a year (in line with typical salary growth) meaningfully reduces the starting amount needed to reach the same goal, since later contributions arrive on top of an already-larger base.
- Time — extending the horizon by even 2-3 years reduces the required monthly amount substantially more than most people expect, because those extra years compound at the end, when the corpus is largest.
Calculate your exact number, with a step-up and a conservative check
Our SIP calculator includes an annual step-up option and a built-in conservative/base/optimistic scenario comparison, so you see the range — not just one number that quietly assumes everything goes well.
Frequently asked questions
How much SIP is needed for 1 crore in 15 years?
At a 12% annual return assumption, roughly ₹20,000/month for 15 years reaches ₹1 crore. At a more conservative 9% assumption, that rises to roughly ₹27,000/month — the exact figure is sensitive to the return you assume, so it's worth checking at more than one rate.
Is 12% a realistic return assumption for equity SIPs?
12% is a commonly used illustrative base-case assumption for Indian equity mutual funds over long horizons, but actual returns vary by fund, period, and market conditions — it should be treated as one scenario among several, not a guarantee.
Does a step-up SIP reach the goal faster than a fixed SIP?
Yes, generally — a step-up SIP that increases your contribution annually (commonly by 10%, in line with typical income growth) reaches the same target with a lower starting monthly amount than a fixed SIP held constant for the whole period.