Over 20 years, a 1% difference in expense ratios can cost you big. If you invest ₹1 lakh in a fund with a 0.5% expense ratio, you'll earn ₹15 lakh at 14.5% returns. But with a 1.5% ratio, you get only ₹12.6 lakh at 13.5%. That's a ₹2.4 lakh difference—proof that lower expense ratios mean higher returns.