Property ads in India quote land prices in many ways: per cent, per square foot, per acre, per ground or as a total. If you are comparing plots across areas or states, the units alone can make a good deal look expensive or a poor deal look cheap. Here is a simple guide.
Common land units and conversions
- 1 cent = 435.6 sq.ft (about 40.47 sq.m)
- 1 acre = 100 cents = 43,560 sq.ft
- 1 ground (used in and around Chennai) = 2,400 sq.ft, roughly 5.5 cents
- 1 hectare = about 2.47 acres
Other local units such as guntha, bigha or kanal vary by state, so always ask for the size in square feet as well.
Which unit is used where
- Per cent is common for residential plots in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
- Per sq.ft is used for apartments, villas, urban plots and office space.
- Per acre is used for farm land, agricultural land and large parcels.
- Per month or per seat per month is used for rentals, offices and co-working.
How to compare two plots fairly
- Convert both prices to the same unit, usually price per sq.ft.
- Check whether the price is for the plot only, or includes development charges, corner premium, road frontage or amenities.
- Add registration, stamp duty and any documentation charges to get the real cost.
- Compare the approval status and title. A cheaper plot without clean approvals is not a bargain.
A quick example
A plot priced at a certain amount per cent can be converted to a per sq.ft price by dividing by 435.6. Doing this for every option on your shortlist makes it easy to see which one is actually better value.
On Signature Properties every listing shows its price unit clearly, whether it is per cent, per sq.ft, per acre or per month. Browse plots and land or ask an advisor to compare options for you.
