Minimum Balance You Need To Maintain In Your Account In 4 Key Banks

State Bank of India (SBI), ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Punjab National Bank (PNB), among other leading banks of the country have fixed their average monthly balance (AMB) requirements according to the location of a customer's savings account in urban, metro, semi-urban and rural areas. Average Monthly Balance (AMB) is the minimum average of deposits required by the bank customers in their regular savings bank accounts. Customers failing to meet the AMB requirements in a month have to bear certain penalty charges.

Here's a comparison of the average monthly balance in SBI, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Punjab National Bank (PNB):

State Bank of India (SBI)

SBI customers who have accounts in metro and urban centres are required to maintain an average monthly balance of Rs. 3,000. Customers who maintain a balance equal to or less than 50 per cent of the required monthly balance are charged Rs10 per month plus the applicable GST (Goods and Services Tax) rate. (Also read: SBI accounts that you can operate with nil balance)

Customers with accounts in semi-urban areas are required to maintain an average monthly balance of Rs. 2,000. If the balance falls short by up to or less than 50 per cent of the required AMB, SBI charges Rs. 7.50 per month plus GST rate. Customers with accounts in rural areas require maintaining a minimum balance of Rs. 1,000. 

(As mentioned on SBI's website)

ICICI Bank 

Customers with a regular savings account in ICICI Bank branches located in metro and urban areas need to maintain an average monthly balance of Rs. 10,000. The AMB required in semi-urban, rural and gramin locations is Rs 5,000, Rs 2,000 and Rs 1,000 respectively. 

(As mentioned on ICICI Bank's website)

HDFC Bank

Customers with a regular savings account in HDFC Bank branches located in metro and urban areas are required to maintain an average monthly balance of Rs 10,000. The AMB required in semi-urban and rural locations is Rs 5,000 and Rs 2,500 respectively. 

Punjab National Bank (PNB)

Customers with a regular savings bank account in PNB located in metro, urban, semi-urban areas are required to maintain a minimum quarterly average balance of Rs. 2,000. The AMB required in semi-rural locations is Rs 1,000.

(As mentioned on PNB's website)

However, there are certain accounts where AMB rules are not applicable. These accounts are called as zero balance savings accounts.