India a price guide!!

Nick-H

We all have our own style --- yes, very true; I've never stayed anywhere that cost less that Rs.750 a night!

rootsrockreggae

Well in answer to your questions..

I don't drink so that's one thing I don't have to budget for!

I've already payed for everything else (flights, visas etc)

I'm not looking to do really expensive touristy things, i'm just looking to be a bit of a bum around India!

Nick-H

Well, if you can find Rs200 guest houses, and live on Rs40 vegetarian meals, and your shopping is maintained at window shopping, then your only problem will be the "around India" bit.

Best decide what degree of discomfort you can stand on the trains, make a list of where you want to go, and check out the fares.

machadinha

<cross-posted with Nick again>

My guesstimate would be you can do that on your budget yes -- but kindly don't quote me on that if it screws up.

I'd suggest again to have some form of back-up if it turns out not to work. To become a pain on your family at home or fellow travelers around you if you end up skint just is no fun to anyone, right.

EDIT: I think in general, hotel & transport costs will really form the bulk of your expenses. The level of comfort you seek in these will probably reflect your mode of travel, so it doesn't require all that much thought. (As in: Budget traveler = probably opts for Sleeper Class trains = cheaper, etc.) Daily costs of living don't have to (relatively speaking) add all that much, although it depends per person of course. I'm quite confident I could still eat and drink well for well under 200 Rs. a day there, and those posher places don't usually have much added value to me anyway.

There's a good and very basic overall estimate here, but I'm not sure when those estimates were last updated: How to get the most out of the Itinerary section.. The same poster, Steve, has some intelligent remarks on the class-meets-budget concept here: Train fares. Of course and in all of this, do remember even India doesn't come for free, and it does so less now than perhaps one or even five decades ago, indeed.

Maybe scouting around our Hotel Listings some will give you some idea of sleeping costs. The real rock-bottom places will be unlikely to be listed there of course, and one needs to wonder again how up-to-date all of that is, but it will give some indication. Likewise, check some train fares at http://erail.in/ for instance.

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Nick-H

I could eat and drink (out) here in Chennai for Rs100 a day. I would get really, really fed up with the standard veggie meal, which I'm not very fond of to begin with, but it would keep the body going for a few weeks, even for non-veggie like me.

Imagining myself a visitor here, to do much else I'd have to become a prodigious walker, and I do know visitors to Chennai who's sight-seeing has involved several miles of walking a day. It's difficult to use buses unless you know your way around, and not all cities have English-script destination boards or bus-stop signs. You are unlikely to get in and out of a Chennai auto-rickshaw (as a visitor) for less than Rs50, and you could spend your daily budget just getting around!

shashank.aggarwal

well, what I would say try to go for your budget, but keep almost an equal amount as a backup...

You can survive in hardcore tourist areas like Goa for your budget, but city would be difficult.

This feb in Goa I tried to do it on a budget and was successful in staying there for less than Rs.500 a day, including accommodation, three meals (not standard Rs.40 meals) and drinks. At the same time, in a city like Mumbai, I would budget atleast Rs.2000 a day for a comfortable day.

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Aishah

To help cut those costs you could make your own food - especially if you've found some cheap room someplace where you are staying for a while. You can do this without cooking and have healthy meals - salads bulked out with nuts, fruit salad and muesli/cornflakes. Buy one cheap cooked meal a day. Dairy products - milk, cheese, yoghurt you can do yourself too. Make your own drinks with a mug and immersion heater. All this will keep your costs down. I think your biggest cost will be in getting from one place to another, and in this regard buses and sleeper class in the trains will be your best bet.

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Nick-H

Good grief... this is getting to sound much too like hard work!

rootsrockreggae

haha I agree...cooking my own meals..doesn't sound like a holiday.

I'm planning on going up North to the Himalayas as soon as I arrive in Delhi, does any one have any recommendations?

Regards

Dan

trustindia

That's about 600 Rupees a day.

In which case it can be done but your going to have to work hard and places like mumbai will not be in your budget. Although that's the only place I can think of where you couldn't survive on this.

You'll have to cut your cloth accordingly of course. For instance traveling every couple of days won't be easy on this budget but what's the hurry?

The room is the most important factor. If you track down a single for 100-150 it's easy from there on in. The good news is there are lots of hotels/rooms in this price range you'll still have to track them down of course.

Eating will be basic Indian fare but that doesn't mean you'll be eating the same stuff all the time. India is full of cheap street stalls and restaurants, which offer a massive menu of snacks and cheap meals.

You can even have the occasional drink on this budget especially in places like Dui, Sikkim and Goa where the price of a bottle of Rum is only around 130 Rupees.

Bring a few second hand books that you can swap with other traveller, this will keep the spending down. Some places have lending libraries, where you can hire books for as little as 10 rupees a day, so if you're a quick reader
Traveling second class you can do a lot of Kilometers for 150 Rupees, somewhere in the region of 200-230 Kms, more if you use cattle class.

Local buses are similarly priced.

So go for it, start as you mean to go on and watch the pennies, you'll be fine.
Not living in the lap of luxury perhaps but you'll be in India, hopefully enjoying yourself.

N.B.

It will take few days get in the swing of things, allow a little more money for the first few days.

trustindia

In the mountains, Mcleadganj might be a good place to start.

Aishah

rootsrockreggae - what I suggested is not cooking, it's chopping. And no, Nick,it's not hard work. Just pack a small veggie knife,and a spoon - buy your veggies fresh from the market. Peel and chop - wash anything in iodized water (a drop in a litre will do the trick). Use the spoon to put on mayonnaise (buy this in McLeod Ganj general provision stores if you go there!!) stir it up and enjoy! Same thing for fruit - chop it and put on your cereal, nuts etc. Also can buy there. You can survive (almost) on bananas!!
And they are very cheap. Buy your one cooked meal for the day from a popular thali place where many are eating and the food is fresh cooked on the spot.
Eating like this is far healthier and cheaper than buying cooked Indian meals all the time.

btw you can buy plastic bowls to contain your food, and maybe a plastic plate, very cheaply anywhere in India.

Hal

Hop on a plane to Leh?
Or maybe not - looking back through the thread a bit you're on a budget. Bus to Manali and beyond?

wim

That's good news - I didn't get the impression these cheapies were still around, going by the info I get on this forum. I guess this is because indiamike seems to mainly get used by middle class travellers?

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scotsman

hello guys, just a quick question for the people who are in india at the moment regards prices
are the fares, accomodation and food roughly the same as 06, or are they considerably more expensive now than 2 years ago?
hi nick