Buying CCTV in India is confusing because two quotes for "8 cameras" can differ by 3x. This guide breaks down where the money actually goes.
## What makes up the price - **Cameras** - 2MP bullet/dome cameras start low; 5MP, colour-at-night and AI cameras cost more. - **Recorder (DVR/NVR)** - channel count and whether it supports your resolution. - **Storage** - surveillance-grade hard disks sized for the retention days you need. - **Cabling and conduit** - often 25-35% of the job in large sites. - **Power, PoE switches and UPS backup** for the rack. - **Labour, mounting, configuration and mobile app setup.**
## Indicative budgets (2026) | Site type | Typical setup | Notes | |---|---|---| | Home / small shop | 4 cameras + 4ch DVR + 1TB | 15-30 days retention | | Retail store | 8 cameras + 8ch NVR + 2TB | Counter + entry coverage | | Office floor | 16 cameras + 16ch NVR + 4TB | PoE switch + UPS | | Factory / warehouse | 32+ cameras, IP PoE | Outdoor housings, long cable runs |
## How many days of footage do you need? Retention drives storage cost more than anything else. 30 days at 5MP needs roughly double the disk of 15 days. Decide retention first, then size the disk.
## Hidden costs people forget 1. Surge protection for outdoor cameras. 2. Proper earthing - the most common cause of repeat failures in India. 3. Remote viewing setup and a static IP or P2P cloud plan. 4. AMC for cleaning, focus correction and firmware updates.
## Save money without cutting quality - Standardise on one camera family so spares are interchangeable. - Use PoE so you run one cable instead of two. - Put cameras where incidents happen, not evenly across the ceiling.
## Get an exact figure Every site is different. DSR Telecom does free site surveys across India and gives an itemised quote - hardware, cabling, labour and AMC separated, so you can see exactly what you are paying for.