Gold vs Equity vs FD Calculator

What if you'd put your gold money into Nifty 50? Compare lump sum investments across gold, equity index funds, and fixed deposits — see gross returns, post-tax value, and inflation-adjusted real returns.

Equity wins

₹85.8L

yrs
%

Lump sum of ₹10,00,000 invested for 20 years. FD interest taxed at 30% slab rate. Gold & equity LTCG at 12.5%.

Equity wins after tax

₹85,81,131

Nifty 50 delivers highest post-tax value at 11.35% effective CAGR

Gold

Post-tax

₹71.8L

Gross

₹80.6L

Multiplier

8.1×

Equity (Nifty 50) (Best)

Post-tax

₹85.8L

Gross

₹96.5L

Multiplier

9.6×

Fixed Deposit

Post-tax

₹30.1L

Gross

₹38.7L

Multiplier

3.9×

Gold (Physical / ETF)

Invested
₹10,00,000
Gross value (20 yrs)
₹80,62,312
Capital gain
₹70,62,312
LTCG tax (12.5%)
-₹8,82,789
Post-tax value
₹71,79,523
Real value (after 6% inflation)
₹22,38,609
Effective CAGR
10.36%
Real return
4.11%

Equity (Nifty 50 Index Fund)

Invested
₹10,00,000
Gross value (20 yrs)
₹96,46,293
Capital gain
₹86,46,293
LTCG tax (12.5% above ₹1.25L)
-₹10,65,162
Post-tax value
₹85,81,131
Real value (after 6% inflation)
₹26,75,637
Effective CAGR
11.35%
Real return
5.04%

Fixed Deposit (FD)

Invested
₹10,00,000
Gross value (20 yrs)
₹38,69,684
Interest earned
₹28,69,684
Tax at slab rate (30%)
-₹8,60,905
Post-tax value
₹30,08,779
Real value (after 6% inflation)
₹9,38,152
Effective CAGR
5.66%
Real return
-0.32% (losing money)

Growth Comparison (Pre-Tax)

₹0₹20L₹40L₹60L₹80L₹1Cr0yr5yr10yr15yr20yrYears
Gold
Equity (Nifty 50)
Fixed Deposit

The Tax Trap

Gold: 8.1× your money in 20 years. LTCG at flat 12.5% (no exemption). Consider Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGBs) for tax-free maturity + 2.5% annual interest.

Equity (Nifty 50): 9.6× your money. Most tax-efficient — LTCG at 12.5% with ₹1.25L annual exemption. Market-linked risk but historically best long-term returns.

FD: 3.9× your money. But interest is taxed at your slab rate (30%). After tax and 6% inflation, you're actually losing 0.32% per year in real terms.

Note: Gold and equity returns are historical averages (20yr CAGR) and not guaranteed. FD rate is current SBI rate. Gold LTCG assumes holding >24 months (physical/digital) or >12 months (ETF). Equity LTCG assumes holding >12 months. Tax rates per Finance Act 2024 (effective 23 July 2024). This is a simplified comparison — actual returns depend on entry timing, market conditions, and individual tax situation.