travelbudget

India

South Asia · 2 cities covered

2
Cities
$118
Avg mid / day
$40–450
Daily range
Country brief

Budgeting India end to end

Across the 2 cities we track in India, the mid-range shoulder-season daily figure averages $118. The spread inside the country — from Delhi at $108/day to Mumbai at $128/day — is 19%, a tight band that lets you mix destinations without rebudgeting.

Delhi sits at the affordable end — layers of empires inside one chaotic, generous capital. — while Mumbai anchors the top end (tide-edge megacity of cinema, commerce, and bhel puri.). For a multi-stop trip in India, weight your days toward Delhi if extending the trip matters more than density, or toward Mumbai for shorter, more concentrated stays.

India uses INR and Hindi is the working language for daily transactions. A single currency across the country keeps FX overhead low — one card with no foreign-transaction fee is enough for the trip.

Best windows across the India cities we track: Oct–Mar; Nov–Feb. Low season trims roughly 15% off the daily total here and peak adds about 25% — for Delhi specifically, that's the difference between roughly $92/day and $135/day at the same mid-range tier, often a larger swing than the gap between mid-range and luxury inside one season.

Practical India tips

  • Long-stay rent in India works out to roughly 60% of the nightly mid-range hotel rate — the cost-of-living page for Delhi shows the monthly breakdown.
  • If India is part of a wider South Asia trip, the region overview ranks it against neighbouring countries on the same daily-cost scale.
  • Solo vs. couple maths in India: food and local transport are roughly per-person, while accommodation halves when shared — a couple's per-person daily total usually lands 20–30% below the solo figure, sometimes more in cities where mid-range hotels charge per room rather than per guest.
  • Cards work in major India cities, but cash matters outside them — keep $50 equivalent in INR on you for taxis, markets and tips. ATMs in tourist districts skim more than airport machines; pull larger amounts less often and use the in-network ATM your home bank lists for India.
  • Tipping in India is region-typical for South Asia — figure 5–10% where service isn't included, round up for taxis, and never feel pressured beyond that. Locking tipping into your daily plan stops it becoming a surprise line by week two.
  • Insurance and connectivity are the two cheap upgrades that change a India trip: a basic travel medical plan ($2–5/day) and a local eSIM (often under $15 for the trip) together cost less than one bad day and remove almost every category of small avoidable problem.
Average daily cost · shoulder season

Three credible numbers across India.

Budget
$53
per person · per day
hostels, street food
Mid-range
$118
per person · per day
hotels, sit-down meals
Luxury
$331
per person · per day
design hotels, tasting menus
Cities

Where to go in India

More in South Asia

Region overview →

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to travel in India per day?

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On average, a mid-range traveller spends $118 per day in India during shoulder season. Budget travellers can get by on around $40/day, while a luxury trip averages $450/day.

What is the cheapest city to visit in India?

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The most affordable destination in India is Delhi, where a budget trip costs about $40 per day in low season.

What is the most expensive city in India?

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At the top end, Mumbai reaches around $450 per day during peak season.

When is the best time to visit India?

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The best windows vary by city, but many destinations in India are ideal during Oct–Mar or shoulder season for a balance of weather and price.