India Travel Costs in 2026

Is India expensive? For most travellers, the answer is a resounding no. Budget backpackers can easily live on $20 a day, the site's average, which covers a guesthouse bed, two or three roadside meals, and a train ticket. Digital nomads, meanwhile, will find a comfortable lifestyle for around $52 a day, and if you want the top end of the market, expect to spend $247 a day on five-star hotels, fine dining, and private drivers. These figures are genuinely low by global standards, largely because labour, food, and domestic travel are cheap in India.

Why such low numbers? A dollar goes far in a country where the per-capita income is one-tenth of the US average. A full meal at a local eatery costs $2–3, a metro ride $0.50, and a night in a basic but clean hostel $8–12. Even mid-range hotel chains like OYO or Treebo charge $15–25 per night. The catch is that anything imported—wine, cheese, electronics—carries a heavy tax, and that's where your budget will balloon if you insist on Western comforts. Similarly, plane tickets on domestic routes are cheap (often $40–80), but international flights into Delhi or Mumbai are not, thanks to fuel surcharges and limited competition. So yes, India is cheap once you're on the ground, but you'll pay a premium for anything that feels like home.

India is not a single-priced country. The site's own figures put Goa at the cheapest end of the backpacker spectrum at just $18 a day, while Mumbai, its most expensive, still only sets you back $25 a day. That might sound like a trivial gap, but it represents a real difference in what you get. In Goa, the bulk of your money goes to a beachside hut with a fan, a thali plate for $2, and a scooter rental for $5. Mumbai, by contrast, has no real beach life for budget travellers; the same $25 buys a cramped dorm bed in Colaba, a pricier breakfast, and more expensive transport.

So what should you actually budget? A realistic daily range for a budget traveller (backpacker/no-frills) is $18–25. If you want a private room with AC, better food, and the occasional cab, plan on $40–60 a day. And if you're looking for comfort—a good hotel, nice dinners, and reliable guides—$100–150 a day is a comfortable starting point, though the site's luxury average of $247 gives you room to splash out. For digital nomads, Hyderabad stands out as the highest-rated city for remote workers (7.8/10), and it also tends to be cheaper than Mumbai or Delhi on accommodation and eating out. The big price drivers are accommodation type, whether you're in a tourist hub like Goa or a business city like Mumbai, and the season—everything spikes in December and January.

The best time to visit India on a budget is October to March, when the weather is dry and pleasant across most of the country. November through February is peak season, and hotel rates in Goa, Jaipur, and the Golden Triangle can double or even triple. If you're flexible, plan your trip for late October or early March, the shoulder months. You'll still get good weather, but prices drop by 20–30% and the crowds thin out. The monsoon (June to September) is the cheapest time, with many hotels offering 50% discounts, but you'll deal with heavy rain, humidity, and some flooded roads—not ideal for first-timers.

Expect temperatures in summer (April to May) to hit 40°C in Delhi and Rajasthan, while Goa stays around 30°C but gets sticky. For festival lovers, Diwali (usually October or November) lights up the whole country but also brings a squeeze on rooms in big cities. Holi in March is a blast, but again, book well ahead for the few days surrounding it. December's tourist rush is a real price spike, especially in Goa and Kerala; if you want a break on the beach, consider mid-January instead. In short, the value window is late October to early November and the first two weeks of March. They sit inside the pleasant dry season, just outside the holiday frenzy, and you'll find bargains on flights and hotels if you don't mind booking a few weeks out.

Getting around India is cheap, but it's not always fast. The rail network is the backbone: an overnight sleeper from Delhi to Jaipur costs about $8 in a third-class AC and takes 5–6 hours; a longer hop like Mumbai to Goa takes 9–10 hours and costs $12–20. For anything over 500 km, consider flying. IndiGo and Air India fly one-way between Mumbai and Delhi for as little as $45 if you book two weeks out, and the flight takes just over two hours. Buses are the most budget-friendly for shorter hops: a Volvo air-conditioned bus from Bengaluru to Chennai runs $10–15 and takes 6–7 hours. Government-run trains and buses are the cheapest, but private operators on the same routes add a few dollars for comfort.

Where is overland not practical? Crossing the country from Delhi to Chennai is doable by train but takes about 28 hours; that's where flying becomes the clear choice. For the coastline, a flight from Goa to Mumbai is the fastest at about 1 hour, but it's rarely cheaper than $50. Within cities, auto-rickshaws and metro systems are your friends—a 5-km ride costs $1–3. Ferries link the islands around Mumbai but don't serve the mainland destinations. If you're planning a loop (Delhi-Jaipur-Agra, for instance), a private car with driver costs $50–70 per day including fuel, which is a great deal if you split it among four people. Just remember that night trains save you a hotel night and are a uniquely Indian experience.

For most nationalities—US, UK, EU, Canadian, Australian—India offers an e-Tourist Visa, which you apply for online. The 30-day version costs about $25; 1-year and 5-year options are also available. You'll need a passport valid for six months with two blank pages. Enter via any of the major airports (Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Goa, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, or Jaipur) and you'll get an arrival stamp. The e-visa does not cover every land border crossing, so if you're coming overland from Nepal or Bhutan, you'll need a regular visa. That's the entry rule most travellers get caught out by.

Currency is the Indian Rupee (INR). Cards are accepted in many hotels and chain restaurants, but cash is king for street food, auto-rickshaws, and small shops. Exchange a modest amount at the airport, then rely on ATMs; a typical withdrawal fee is $1.50–3. Avoid money changers at tourist sites, and test an ATM with a small withdrawal before taking out a large sum. Tipping is customary but not mandatory: 5–10% in restaurants, a few rupees for porters. Finally, India enforces a 'last port of call' rule for yellow fever: if you arrive from affected parts of Africa or South America, carry your vaccination certificate.