India Travel Budget: Real Daily Costs and Money-Saving Tips

How much does India cost per day?

India is one of the best-value destinations on earth, but prices swing wildly between a Goa beach shack and a five-star hotel in Mumbai. Here are realistic daily budgets per person, excluding flights.

• Backpacker: 1,500-2,500 INR (about 16-28 EUR). Hostel dorm, local thalis, sleeper trains, buses.
• Midrange: 4,000-7,000 INR (about 45-78 EUR). Private room, mix of local and tourist restaurants, AC trains, the odd taxi.
• Comfort: 12,000 INR and up (135 EUR+). Boutique hotels, drivers, fine dining.

Sample prices

• Masala dosa or thali at a local restaurant: 80-200 INR
• Street chai: 10-20 INR; bottled water: 20 INR
• Hostel dorm bed: 400-800 INR; midrange double: 2,000-4,000 INR
• Auto-rickshaw across town: 100-300 INR
• Sleeper-class train, Delhi to Agra: around 250 INR; AC chair car: 700-1,200 INR
• Taj Mahal entry for foreigners: 1,100 INR; most temples are free

Money and cards

India is largely cashless in cities thanks to UPI, but UPI apps usually need an Indian bank account, so foreigners still rely on cards and cash. Carry rupees for rickshaws, chai stalls, tips and rural areas. ATMs are everywhere; withdraw 10,000 INR at a time to limit fees, and use bank-branch machines (HDFC, ICICI, Axis, SBI). Visa and Mastercard work in hotels, malls and bigger restaurants; Amex is patchy. Tell your bank you are travelling and carry a backup card.

Saving tips

• Eat where locals eat. A pure-veg thali for 120 INR often beats the 600 INR tourist menu next door.
• Book trains early on the IRCTC app; fares jump as seats fill, and Tatkal tickets cost more.
• Use prepaid taxi booths at airports and stations, or Uber and Ola, to skip haggling.
• Travel slow. Overnight sleeper trains save a hotel night and cover huge distances cheaply.
• Carry small notes. Vendors rarely have change for a 500 INR note.
• Avoid commission-hungry touts who steer you to specific shops or hotels.

Stay connected in India

A HelloSIM eSIM keeps you online the moment you land, so maps, translation, IRCTC bookings and ride apps all work without expensive roaming.