How much does it really cost to travel in India each day? The answer depends on where you go, how you travel and what you eat, but India remains one of the most affordable countries in the world. Knowing the typical daily costs for food, transport and accommodation helps you plan a realistic budget, avoid overspending and enjoy your trip without money worries.
This guide breaks down the daily costs of budget travel in India. You will find typical prices for stays, meals and transport, sample daily budgets for different travel styles, regional differences and tips to bring your costs down.
Daily Costs of Budget Travel in India at a Glance
| Travel style | Daily costs per person |
|---|---|
| Shoestring backpacker | ₹800–1,200 |
| Budget traveller | ₹1,200–2,000 |
| Comfortable budget | ₹2,000–3,500 |
These daily costs include accommodation, food, local transport and entry fees, but not long-distance travel between cities.
Accommodation: Daily Costs
| Stay type | Price per night |
|---|---|
| Hostel dorm bed | ₹300–800 |
| Dharamshala or ashram | Free (donation) to ₹500 |
| Basic guesthouse (double) | ₹600–1,200 |
| Budget hotel (double) | ₹900–2,000 |
| Homestay (double) | ₹800–2,500 |
Accommodation is usually the largest part of your daily costs. Sharing a double room with a travel partner cuts this cost in half. Prices rise in big cities, hill stations in summer and beach towns in winter. Read How to Find Affordable Hotels in India's Popular Tourist Cities for tips on finding cheap rooms.
Food: Daily Costs
| Meal | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Street breakfast (parathas, poha, idli) | ₹40–100 |
| Thali at a local restaurant | ₹100–250 |
| Street snacks (samosa, vada pav, chaat) | ₹20–80 |
| Chai | ₹10–30 |
| Café meal | ₹250–500 |
| Mid-range restaurant dinner | ₹400–800 |
If you eat at local restaurants and street stalls, food costs ₹300 to ₹600 a day. Adding a café meal or two pushes it to ₹700 to ₹1,000. In pilgrim towns like Amritsar, free langar can bring your food costs close to zero.
Local Transport: Daily Costs
| Transport | Typical price |
|---|---|
| City bus | ₹10–40 per ride |
| Metro (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, etc.) | ₹10–60 per ride |
| Shared auto or e-rickshaw | ₹10–30 per ride |
| Private auto | ₹50–200 per ride |
| App cab (short city ride) | ₹100–300 |
| Scooter rental | ₹300–500 per day |
| Bicycle rental | ₹100–200 per day |
Local transport usually adds ₹100 to ₹400 to your daily costs. Walking and using buses or metros keeps it at the lower end.
Long-Distance Transport Costs
Long journeys are not part of daily costs but have a big impact on your total budget.
| Mode | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Sleeper class train (500 km) | ₹300–450 |
| 3AC train (500 km) | ₹800–1,200 |
| State bus (300 km) | ₹300–600 |
| Volvo or AC bus (300 km) | ₹600–1,200 |
| Budget flight | ₹2,500–6,000 |
Overnight trains and buses save a night’s accommodation. Read Cheapest Ways to Travel Across India by Train for train tips.
Sightseeing and Entry Fees
Many temples, ghats, beaches, markets and viewpoints are free. Major monuments like the Taj Mahal, Amber Fort and Hampi’s Vittala Temple have entry fees, with lower rates for Indian citizens. Budget about ₹100 to ₹300 a day for entries if you visit paid sights.
Sample Daily Costs: Shoestring Backpacker
| Expense | Cost |
|---|---|
| Hostel dorm | ₹400 |
| Breakfast | ₹60 |
| Lunch thali | ₹120 |
| Street food dinner | ₹100 |
| Chai and snacks | ₹60 |
| Local transport | ₹100 |
| Entries | ₹100 |
| Total | ₹940 |
Sample Daily Costs: Budget Traveller
| Expense | Cost |
|---|---|
| Shared budget room (your half) | ₹700 |
| Breakfast | ₹100 |
| Lunch | ₹200 |
| Dinner | ₹250 |
| Snacks and drinks | ₹100 |
| Local transport | ₹200 |
| Entries | ₹200 |
| Total | ₹1,750 |
Sample Daily Costs: Comfortable Budget
| Expense | Cost |
|---|---|
| Good budget hotel (your half) | ₹1,200 |
| Café breakfast | ₹250 |
| Lunch | ₹300 |
| Restaurant dinner | ₹500 |
| Snacks and drinks | ₹200 |
| App cabs and autos | ₹400 |
| Entries and activities | ₹400 |
| Total | ₹3,250 |
Daily Costs by Region
| Region | Budget traveller daily costs |
|---|---|
| Rajasthan | ₹1,200–1,800 |
| Uttarakhand and Himachal | ₹1,200–2,000 |
| Goa | ₹1,500–2,500 |
| Kerala | ₹1,400–2,200 |
| Varanasi and Uttar Pradesh | ₹900–1,500 |
| Northeast India | ₹1,500–2,500 |
| Ladakh | ₹1,800–3,000 |
| Big cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru) | ₹1,800–3,000 |
Remote regions like Ladakh and the Northeast have higher daily costs because of transport and permits. Big cities are pricier for stays. Small towns and pilgrim centres are the cheapest.
How Seasons Change Your Daily Costs
Daily costs rise sharply in peak season. In hill stations, summer holidays from April to June can double room rates. In Goa and Rajasthan, December and January are the most expensive months. During the monsoon, many destinations offer big discounts. Festivals like Diwali, Holi, Christmas and New Year push up both transport and hotel prices. Travelling in the shoulder season can cut your daily costs by 30 to 40 percent.
Hidden Costs to Plan For
- Bottled water: ₹20 a litre; carry a refillable bottle and use filters.
- Tips: small tips for guides, porters and staff.
- Camera and mobile fees at some monuments.
- Permits for protected areas like Ladakh, Sikkim and the Northeast.
- SIM card and data: ₹200 to ₹400 a month for generous plans.
- Laundry: ₹50 to ₹150 per load at guesthouses.
- ATM fees for foreign cards.
Adding ₹100 to ₹200 a day for these extras keeps your budget realistic.
How to Lower Your Daily Costs
- Share rooms with a travel partner.
- Eat thalis and street food instead of café meals.
- Use buses, metros and shared autos.
- Walk whenever possible.
- Travel overnight to save on stays.
- Visit free sights like ghats, markets and beaches.
- Avoid peak season and festival weeks.
- Stay longer in one place and ask for weekly rates.
- Use UPI payments to avoid card fees.
Tracking Your Spending
Write down every expense in a notes app or spreadsheet. Check your total each evening. If you overspend one day, balance it with a cheaper day. Small habits like this keep your daily costs under control throughout your trip.
Daily Costs in Popular Destinations
Here is what a budget traveller can expect to spend each day in some of India’s favourite places, including a shared room, local food, transport and entries.
- Rishikesh: ₹1,100 to ₹1,700. Hostels are cheap, the ghats and aarti are free and food is simple and filling. Read Rishikesh on a Budget: Cheap Stays, Food and a 3-Day Itinerary.
- Varanasi: ₹900 to ₹1,500. Guesthouses in the old lanes, cheap street food and free ghats keep daily costs very low. Read Varanasi on a Budget: Affordable Hotels, Food and Sightseeing.
- Jaipur: ₹1,300 to ₹1,900. Entry tickets for forts add up, so a composite ticket helps. Read Jaipur on a Budget: How to Explore the Pink City for Less.
- Goa: ₹1,500 to ₹2,500. Scooter rental and beach shack meals push up costs, but hostels are cheap. Read Goa on a Budget: Cheap Beaches, Accommodation and Food.
- Manali: ₹1,200 to ₹2,000, rising sharply in May, June and around New Year. Read Manali on a Budget: How to Save Money on a Mountain Holiday.
- Hampi: ₹1,000 to ₹1,600. Most ruins are free, and a bicycle costs very little. Read Hampi on a Budget: Cheap Accommodation and Heritage Sightseeing.
- Amritsar: ₹800 to ₹1,400. Free langar at the Golden Temple makes it one of the cheapest cities in India. Read Amritsar on a Budget: A Low-Cost Golden Temple Trip.
How Daily Costs Differ for Solo Travellers, Couples and Groups
Solo travellers usually pay more per person for rooms, because they cannot split the cost. A hostel dorm solves this and keeps daily costs close to those of a couple. Couples get the best value from private double rooms, often paying ₹500 to ₹1,000 each per night. Groups of three or four can share family rooms, autos and taxis, which brings daily costs down even further. If you are travelling alone, joining other travellers for day trips and shared taxis is an easy way to save.
Daily Costs for Foreign Visitors
Foreign visitors pay the same prices as Indians for food, stays and local transport in most cases. The main difference is monument entry fees, which are higher for foreign nationals at major sites like the Taj Mahal and Red Fort. Visa fees, travel insurance and international flights are separate. Many foreign backpackers report daily costs of about US$15 to US$30 on a tight budget, and US$30 to US$50 for a more comfortable trip.
A Simple Way to Budget Your Trip
Multiply your expected daily costs by the number of days, then add long-distance transport and a 10 percent buffer. For example, a 10-day trip at ₹1,500 a day comes to ₹15,000. Add ₹3,000 for trains and ₹1,800 as a buffer, and your total budget is about ₹19,800. This simple formula keeps your plans realistic and stress-free.
Money and Payments
UPI payments are accepted almost everywhere in India, from tea stalls to hotels, which makes tracking daily costs easy. Still, carry some cash for small villages, rural buses and places with poor network coverage. Withdraw larger amounts at once to reduce ATM fees, and keep cash in two separate places. Foreign travellers can use international cards at most hotels and larger shops, and some apps now support UPI for visitors.
Stretching Your Budget on Long Trips
On trips of several weeks, slow travel is the best way to lower your daily costs. Staying a week in one place lets you negotiate weekly room rates, find the cheapest local eateries and avoid frequent transport costs. Long-term travellers in places like Rishikesh, McLeod Ganj and Goa often live on ₹800 to ₹1,200 a day.
Emergency Fund
Keep an emergency fund of at least ₹3,000 to ₹5,000 separate from your daily budget. It covers missed trains, medical needs or a sudden change of plans.
Frequently Asked Questions About Daily Costs in India
How much money do I need per day in India?
Budget travellers can manage on ₹1,200 to ₹2,000 a day; backpackers on ₹800 to ₹1,200.
What is the cheapest region to travel in India?
Uttar Pradesh, parts of Rajasthan and pilgrim towns are among the cheapest.
Is food expensive in India?
No. Local meals cost ₹100 to ₹250, and street food is even cheaper.
Are hostels cheaper than hotels?
Yes, dorm beds cost ₹300 to ₹800, though shared hotel rooms can be similar per person.
Do daily costs include train travel?
Usually not. Add long-distance transport separately to your budget.
Final Thoughts
Knowing the daily costs of budget travel in India makes planning simple. With ₹1,200 to ₹2,000 a day, you can travel comfortably, eat well and see a great deal. For more ways to save, read How to Travel India on ₹1,000 a Day and How to Plan a 3-Day Trip in India Under ₹3,000.
Plan your budget, track your spending and enjoy the incredible value India offers to every traveller.
Use these numbers as a starting point, adjust them to your own style and leave a little room for surprises. A clear budget gives you the freedom to relax and enjoy every day of your journey.