How much does it cost to travel in India?

India is a paradise for budget travelers who can survive in here easily without any problems and enjoy a great holiday. For example, India travel cost of Rs1,100 ($15) will be enough for the average daily traveling expense for these people. For majority of tourists, travel price of Rs2,100 ($30) can satisfy their needs.

Currency of India: Indian Rupee (INR)

Symbol: ₹

1 rupee (₹) = /100 paisa (p)

Banknotes: ₹5, ₹10, ₹20, ₹50, ₹100, ₹500, ₹2000, ₹200

Coins: ₹1, ₹2, ₹5, ₹10, p50

India Rupee Exchange Rates (May 2019)

1USD = 69.51 INR

1EUR = 78.54 INR

1GBP = 90.71 INR

1AUD = 50.01 INR

1CAD = 52.07 INR

India Travel Cost in Detail (estimated for your reference)

Visa Fee:

Indian tourist visa fee in most of countries is $123 like Canada and Japan. While in UK it is $254, so you need to look up the official website to insure fee of your country.

Flight Ticket Price:

It varies greatly depending on the off season or peak season and different departures. For example, from NYC-DEL, it could cost $995-$1150 in deferent months. Booking airplane tickets in advance could save you a lot of India travel cost.

Hotel Price:

The costs of five-star hotels are around Rs7,000 to Rs15,000 ($100-$215). The costs of budget hotels are about Rs350 to Rs5, 500 ($5-$79).

Food Price:

Indian food price is so cheap that it does not cost you too much. A portion of Thali is Rs80-150 and Chicken Tandoori is Rs120. It might cost Rs200-300 per person in one day. A bottle of water is about Rs15.

Local Transport Fee:

Indian trains usually can be categorized as AC1, AC2, AC3，AC chair car, sleeper class and seating. But majority of tourists will choose AC2, AC3 or CC. In this way, from Delhi to Agra, it costs Rs530-735 per person. From Delhi to Mumbai, it costs Rs1, 600-2,305 per person. Generally, if you have a long-distance journey, it is necessary to book train tickets online in advance or take airplane for convenience. As for the short-distance trip, you can turn up in the train station and buy the tickets.

In Delhi, pre-paid taxi from airport to city center is about $5.7-$7; 3km taxi ride in Delhi costs around $0.76-$1.15; and the 3km auto-rickshaw ride in Delhi is about $0.5-$0.86. If you tend to rent a car or driver full day, the price is about $21-$29.

A government-run bus from Delhi to Dharamsala costs about Rs500 and a private-run bus could cost Rs750.

Read More: Transportation in India

India Train Station

Tuktuks in India

Ticket Prices of Major Tourist Attractions:

The Red Fort costs Rs500 for foreigners, Rs30 for locals and free for children under 15 years. Taj Mahal costs Rs1,100 for foreigners and Rs1,050 for cashless payments, while Rs50 for locals and Rs45 cashless. Besides, there are many attractions free to everyone such as Chhatrapati-Shivaji Terminus.

To sum up, for budget travelers, they could manage India travel cost of $15 per day. And for tourists who have abundant travel budget, they might spend over $250 per day.

If you go for an independent trip about 10-15days in India, travel price of $900 will be enough. Also, you can join the group tour for convenience and price varies greatly from $900-3,000 according to your travel budget.

Taj Mahal

Chhatrapati-Shivaji Terminus

Tips on Spending Money in India

1. Usually, foreigners are charged more than locals, so you can try to negotiate with vendors for a better price.

2. You should pay attention to the petty theft or scams in shops and watch your wallet and pockets. Also, check your change clearly after paying stuff in case of being cheated.

3. Tipping etiquette is very important in India, so you should always prepare some money in your pocket to tip the waiters or other service staff.

4. Recently, mobile payment becomes popular in India, especially Paytm, which is more suitable for Indian mobile users. For foreign tourists, you had better prepare enough cash for your journey. Credit card only can be used in high-end shops and hotels.