daily budget for 4 somewhat fancy ladies?

EmpressGinger · May 17th, 2009, 23:14

I wondered if any of y'all might have a rough idea of what me and my 3 young daughters (myself, 2 teens and one 8 year old) would need to budget for daily spending cash for the 4 of us...Our hotel and flights not included as we'll have prepaid that.

So just for hiring a car and driver, (most days, we may just take taxis some times when not going out of Delhi..we aren't much into walking though, and we prefer to have a car and driver when possible...we may take a train to one of the other cities or may use a driver for those day-trips,) entrance fees, meals, light shopping...tips..whatever expenses we'll have daily.

We aren't the 'roughing it backpapcking' type, but we won't be just eating at fancy upscale places or shopping for 'big ticket' items, just ya know fabric, nick nacks, tee shirts...likely some jewelry but silver not gold and not real high end stuff. So I suppose like 3 star trip like not backpacking level or 5 star level budget.

So I'm just trying to get a rough idea what we need to budget daily for spending money....not the 'least' one can get by on daily there...or how much someone with money to burn would spend there... but a mid-range of pampered tourist type traveling budget

Thanks for your help,
Blessings,
Ginger

namaste_cat · May 19th, 2009, 02:41

Hard to say because there's quite a range for the things you mention - "fabric, nick nacks, tee shirts...likely some jewelry but silver" as one can get t-shirts from Rs 50 to 5,000 and up. Even in the same city, prices vary greatly e.g. in Delhi what you'll pay in Sarojini Nagar will be quite different from more touristy areas even for similar type and quality items.

Also just how much shopping y'all will be doing. Silver jewelry pieces are usually at least Rs 250-300 and up to several 1000 rupees depending on type, stones, etc. Will all your meals be eaten out or is there complimentary breakfast?

My 15-yr old daughter has grown up thinking India's inexpensive (she's visited every yr since she was a baby), but even she noticed that in the last 4-5 yrs, prices have gone up a lot. No longer are things cheap even when we convert to $. My son doesn't find much of interest in terms of shopping. So just for my daughter and I, I'd say if I didn't rein her in, she'd easily spend $300-400 a day. Of course she doesn't but you know what I mean

Meal prices are quite high in my opinion for even so-so restaurants so I'd count on at least $100 a day for all your meals. Maybe that's low considering 4 people...

camelgirl · May 19th, 2009, 03:14

This is always a difficult question. Every traveler has a different idea of what a budget should include and what a moderately priced meal is!

The only expensive entrance fees (about $15 or 750 rupees) are at the Taj Mahal in Agra (which I think also includes the wonderful, not-to-be-missed, Fatipur Sikri, which isn't too far from the Taj.) A day trip from Delhi by train or taxi.

If you plan on spending your entire time in Delhi with day trips away, you will be in one of the more expensive cities in India. It's also a very huge city with many areas/sections. Old Delhi, has the Red Fort & Chandi Chowk--a crowded but interesting market & the oldest part of the city & also some excellent restaurants like Karim's, which was written up somewhere recently (NY Times?)

I think you should be able to budget far less than $100 a day for 4 people but you will probably spend more your first week as you figure things out and discover less expensive but good places to eat & shop.

I think you should go to the Government Tourist office (the real one, there are many called that but that are private) at

The Government of India Tourist Office
88 , Janpath , Connaught Place, New Delhi 110 001, India
Phone : +(91)-(11)-332 0005

The Government of India Tourist Office is open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 6 pm and on Saturday from 9 am to 2 pm.

You can set up some nice tours & trips with them. We always like to take one of their city bus tours, which give a good overview.

On the same street is a wonderful Raj era hotel called The Imperial Hotel. It's 5 star and ridiculously expensive but you might want to treat yourself to a meal there. I think they still have an nice afternoon lunch buffet which overlooks the garden.

Also on Janpath is the Cottage Industries Emporium which is excellent and all of you will enjoy it. It's multi-storied and has arts & crafts & clothes from all over India. It has a nice little cafe also. http://www.cottageemporiumindia.com/

EmpressGinger · May 19th, 2009, 03:15

thanks Namaste cat, that is all helpful info.

I was thinking on 300ish a day for all 4 of us, so maybe I need to save enough to be able to up that to 400ish at least sounds like...

LOL of course I'd love to allow for us to all spend 500 of 600 dollars a day shopping and then 300 for meals and taxis, and all...but I'll have to rein us in too.

Blessings
Ginger

Hal · May 19th, 2009, 04:00

$300 to $400 a day not including hotels? Pure luxury.

Breakfast is usually included in the hotel price. If not, it might be Rs 100-150 each, tops.
A very good meal for 4 in a better-than average restaurant will be Rs 1000-1500.
Car and driver for a day - Rs 1200 in Delhi, maybe Rs 2000 if you go outside the city.
Water, snacks and admissions may be Rs 250 each a day except for the Taj.
Trains are a real bargain, even in the second A/C classes may cost Rs 1000 each for an overnight, 12 hour trip.

namaste_cat · May 19th, 2009, 04:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hal

$300 to $400 a day not including hotels? Pure luxury.

Breakfast is usually included in the hotel price. If not, it might be Rs 100-150 each, tops.
A very good meal for 4 in a better-than average restaurant will be Rs 1000-1500.
Car and driver for a day - Rs 1200 in Delhi, maybe Rs 2000 if you go outside the city.
Water, snacks and admissions may be Rs 250 each a day except for the Taj.
Trains are a real bargain, even in the second A/C classes may cost Rs 1000 each for an overnight, 12 hour trip.

Hal, Ginger's including buying knick knacks, clothing, silver jewelry...those can be inexpensive or not

Hal · May 19th, 2009, 04:14

Yes, but I get the sense that they're not planning on spending $200-300 a day on souvenirs and clothing though.
That's what they'd have left over from $300-400 if they travel as described.

palerider · May 19th, 2009, 05:51

That's about 16,000 to 18,000 rupees per day?.
Sounds like you might scrape through, with a few nick nacks.
Can I come too?.
18,000 is my monthly budget. but I do go a bit down market sometimes.

EmpressGinger · May 19th, 2009, 07:02

Well I doubt we'll do 200 dollars a day just in shopping, but a couple of the days we'll likely hit that mark between the 4 of us. I know when we were in Egypt we had 2 or 3 days where we spent that much, actually a bit more, in jewelry and perfume oil and pricey fancy stuff...then other days we just got tee shirts and post cards and fridge magnets it was more like $50 shopping costs that day.

I suppose I should say a 'mid-range daily budget' WITHOUT shopping is what I am wondering about...as clearly there is shopping and there is SHOPPING...and We'll likely do a bit of both kinds.

As I said we travel like 'somewhat fancy ladies' because it is our once a year splurge trip...so I assume we will spend more than a single person could live a month on there, in our 9 days. So what I really want to know is daily budget for: taxis or more likely hiring a car and driver...meals...entrance fees (sounds minimum thanks for that info)....tips...that sort of daily costs.

Thanks for all the info...

Blessings,
Ginger

palerider · May 19th, 2009, 10:48

Yeah, I wasn't having a dig at you. I just wish i had the funds to go crazy in India, all that silk in Kanchipuram, all the jewellery in Jaipur. You really should go to Jaipur, the jewellery capital of India.
I bought some incredible Bling there for really low prices.
A large amethyst ring for a friend in a silver setting, very plain and chunky, for 12 dollars US?.
Bloody bargain.

Nereid · May 19th, 2009, 19:30

Hi Ginger,

I know *exactly* what you mean when you describe how you like to travel. In the US, I think of my style as "Holiday Inn" travel -- no roach motels, no hostels but not quite the Grand Hyatt either!

Anyway, I think for $100 to $125 a day (for all four of you), you can comfortably cover the expenses you are talking about, eat at decent places and occasionally eat somewhere super-nice.

Another $500 to $1000 (for all four of you) for the whole trip should cover shopping and a little bit of SHOPPING too. For that money, you can get a splurge item or two each (say, nice silver jewelry) and a whole bunch of souvenirs, handicrafts, Indian clothing but you probably won't be able to get the highest quality custom-made clothing or higher-end gold jewelry.

By the way, Mumbai is like New York City -- you can spend a TON of money very easily or you can get the best bargains. And even the Holiday Inn-type hotels in Mumbai cost about 4 times what they do anywhere else!

Hope you and your young ladies have a wonderful time splurging!

EmpressGinger · May 19th, 2009, 23:35

Thanks Nereid! (and Hal and palerider, etc.)

yeah I think that about sums it up...we don't have the funds to really be ritzy, but we aren't the backpacking types, so we try to aim for the middle level on hotels and restaurants and such, usually splurge on hired car and drivers just because it seems SOOO much quicker, easier, and more fun than chasing down, waiting on and bickering over prices of taxis endlessly all day every day...BUT we do like to shop and have expensive tastes...'Jewelry' is always on our list of words to learn in the new language we are studying for our trips.

I think we can manage to save up (Since we've got so long) at least a couple hundred per day budget (in dollars) but I think I'd feel less restricted if I can manage to save up 300 a day...that is going to be my 'target goal' I think for savings between now and then for the trip's spending money.

But good to know we could get by on as little as a hundred a day it sounds like...by all the info y'all have shared. THANKS for all the help everyone, so great to have first hand experience info.

Blessings,
Ginger

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nereid

Hi Ginger,

I know *exactly* what you mean when you describe how you like to travel. In the US, I think of my style as "Holiday Inn" travel -- no roach motels, no hostels but not quite the Grand Hyatt either!

Anyway, I think for $100 to $125 a day (for all four of you), you can comfortably cover the expenses you are talking about, eat at decent places and occasionally eat somewhere super-nice.

Another $500 to $1000 (for all four of you) for the whole trip should cover shopping and a little bit of SHOPPING too. For that money, you can get a splurge item or two each (say, nice silver jewelry) and a whole bunch of souvenirs, handicrafts, Indian clothing but you probably won't be able to get the highest quality custom-made clothing or higher-end gold jewelry.

By the way, Mumbai is like New York City -- you can spend a TON of money very easily or you can get the best bargains. And even the Holiday Inn-type hotels in Mumbai cost about 4 times what they do anywhere else!

Hope you and your young ladies have a wonderful time splurging!

EmpressGinger · May 19th, 2009, 23:38

Didn't know thta about Jaipur... LOL I think ya just moved that place up on our list of 'might take a day trip to see' sites.

We are hoping to save up enough to go 'a little' crazy at least ya know...but good to know we don't need that much to get by on if our savings is not so successful between now and Feb.

Blessings,
Ginger

Quote:

Originally Posted by palerider

Yeah, I wasn't having a dig at you. I just wish i had the funds to go crazy in India, all that silk in Kanchipuram, all the jewellery in Jaipur. You really should go to Jaipur, the jewellery capital of India.
I bought some incredible Bling there for really low prices.
A large amethyst ring for a friend in a silver setting, very plain and chunky, for 12 dollars US?.
Bloody bargain.

camelgirl · May 19th, 2009, 23:49

Jaipur is too far from from Delhi to do as a day trip. I'm guessing it's about 5 hours drive each way. It's also a large city (it's the capital of the state of Rajasthan) and even if you decide to spend one night, it would be hard to do very much of anything.

The shopping is fantastic but I don't think you'll enjoy Jaipur without giving it a minimum of 2 days.

I have a short video of a Jaipur Intersection in my IM pictures which is my signature if you want to see a bit of Jaipur & a bit of India traffic.

palerider · May 20th, 2009, 05:36

I stayed in a hotel in chameliwala Market, which is the jewellery market.
A lot of them were just annoying, trying to sell me garnets they said were rubies etc, but I did find a guy who had another shop in town with his family.
bur his shop was very cheap, and quite beautiful.
A lot of shop owners in Jaipur are a pleasure to deal with. Not a lot of hype, and good service.
The only bad experience was getting new lenses in my glasses. We Had Words.
It got to the point where he was calling me names in Hindi, Bad Names, and I was casting aspersions on his Brahmin credentials.

May 17th, 2009, 23:14	#1
EmpressGinger Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: North Carolina, USA Posts: 104	daily budget for 4 somewhat fancy ladies? I wondered if any of y'all might have a rough idea of what me and my 3 young daughters (myself, 2 teens and one 8 year old) would need to budget for daily spending cash for the 4 of us...Our hotel and flights not included as we'll have prepaid that. So just for hiring a car and driver, (most days, we may just take taxis some times when not going out of Delhi..we aren't much into walking though, and we prefer to have a car and driver when possible...we may take a train to one of the other cities or may use a driver for those day-trips,) entrance fees, meals, light shopping...tips..whatever expenses we'll have daily. We aren't the 'roughing it backpapcking' type, but we won't be just eating at fancy upscale places or shopping for 'big ticket' items, just ya know fabric, nick nacks, tee shirts...likely some jewelry but silver not gold and not real high end stuff. So I suppose like 3 star trip like not backpacking level or 5 star level budget. So I'm just trying to get a rough idea what we need to budget daily for spending money....not the 'least' one can get by on daily there...or how much someone with money to burn would spend there... but a mid-range of pampered tourist type traveling budget Thanks for your help, Blessings, Ginger

May 19th, 2009, 03:14	#3
camelgirl 10 year Visa okee dokee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Swannanoa NC usa Posts: 2,039	This is always a difficult question. Every traveler has a different idea of what a budget should include and what a moderately priced meal is! The only expensive entrance fees (about $15 or 750 rupees) are at the Taj Mahal in Agra (which I think also includes the wonderful, not-to-be-missed, Fatipur Sikri, which isn't too far from the Taj.) A day trip from Delhi by train or taxi. If you plan on spending your entire time in Delhi with day trips away, you will be in one of the more expensive cities in India. It's also a very huge city with many areas/sections. Old Delhi, has the Red Fort & Chandi Chowk--a crowded but interesting market & the oldest part of the city & also some excellent restaurants like Karim's, which was written up somewhere recently (NY Times?) I think you should be able to budget far less than $100 a day for 4 people but you will probably spend more your first week as you figure things out and discover less expensive but good places to eat & shop. I think you should go to the Government Tourist office (the real one, there are many called that but that are private) at The Government of India Tourist Office 88 , Janpath , Connaught Place, New Delhi 110 001, India Phone : +(91)-(11)-332 0005 The Government of India Tourist Office is open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 6 pm and on Saturday from 9 am to 2 pm. You can set up some nice tours & trips with them. We always like to take one of their city bus tours, which give a good overview. On the same street is a wonderful Raj era hotel called The Imperial Hotel. It's 5 star and ridiculously expensive but you might want to treat yourself to a meal there. I think they still have an nice afternoon lunch buffet which overlooks the garden. Also on Janpath is the Cottage Industries Emporium which is excellent and all of you will enjoy it. It's multi-storied and has arts & crafts & clothes from all over India. It has a nice little cafe also. http://www.cottageemporiumindia.com/ __________________ My selected India photos http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...r/7030/cat/500

May 19th, 2009, 05:51	#8
palerider this is Brad. He's cute Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Armidale, N.S.W., Australia Posts: 2,226	That's about 16,000 to 18,000 rupees per day?. Sounds like you might scrape through, with a few nick nacks. Can I come too?. 18,000 is my monthly budget. but I do go a bit down market sometimes. __________________ I always wanted to be someone when I grew up, I realise now that I should have been more specific.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Daily budget - Goa and Kerala	Maloneperry	Money Issues and India Travel	3	Mar 13th, 2009 14:21
Fancy a chat?	Shiver me Timbers	Chai and Chat	3	Feb 22nd, 2005 03:10
whats a reasonable daily budget?	abighellofromme	Chai and Chat	10	Jul 9th, 2004 01:03
daily budget survey	DianeShen	India For Beginners	12	Jun 15th, 2004 19:29
Trying to Plan a Daily Budget	canadatraveller	Chai and Chat	19	Jan 16th, 2003 14:20

May 19th, 2009, 02:41	#2
namaste_cat Kashmiri-Punjabi Sherni Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Amreeka Posts: 941	Hard to say because there's quite a range for the things you mention - "fabric, nick nacks, tee shirts...likely some jewelry but silver" as one can get t-shirts from Rs 50 to 5,000 and up. Even in the same city, prices vary greatly e.g. in Delhi what you'll pay in Sarojini Nagar will be quite different from more touristy areas even for similar type and quality items. Also just how much shopping y'all will be doing. Silver jewelry pieces are usually at least Rs 250-300 and up to several 1000 rupees depending on type, stones, etc. Will all your meals be eaten out or is there complimentary breakfast? My 15-yr old daughter has grown up thinking India's inexpensive (she's visited every yr since she was a baby), but even she noticed that in the last 4-5 yrs, prices have gone up a lot. No longer are things cheap even when we convert to $. My son doesn't find much of interest in terms of shopping. So just for my daughter and I, I'd say if I didn't rein her in, she'd easily spend $300-400 a day. Of course she doesn't but you know what I mean Meal prices are quite high in my opinion for even so-so restaurants so I'd count on at least $100 a day for all your meals. Maybe that's low considering 4 people...

May 19th, 2009, 03:15	#4
EmpressGinger Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: North Carolina, USA Posts: 104	thanks Namaste cat, that is all helpful info. I was thinking on 300ish a day for all 4 of us, so maybe I need to save enough to be able to up that to 400ish at least sounds like... LOL of course I'd love to allow for us to all spend 500 of 600 dollars a day shopping and then 300 for meals and taxis, and all...but I'll have to rein us in too. Blessings Ginger

May 19th, 2009, 04:00	#5
Hal . . . _ _ _ . . . Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,302	$300 to $400 a day not including hotels? Pure luxury. Breakfast is usually included in the hotel price. If not, it might be Rs 100-150 each, tops. A very good meal for 4 in a better-than average restaurant will be Rs 1000-1500. Car and driver for a day - Rs 1200 in Delhi, maybe Rs 2000 if you go outside the city. Water, snacks and admissions may be Rs 250 each a day except for the Taj. Trains are a real bargain, even in the second A/C classes may cost Rs 1000 each for an overnight, 12 hour trip.

May 19th, 2009, 04:14	#7
Hal . . . _ _ _ . . . Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,302	Yes, but I get the sense that they're not planning on spending $200-300 a day on souvenirs and clothing though. That's what they'd have left over from $300-400 if they travel as described.

May 19th, 2009, 07:02	#9
EmpressGinger Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: North Carolina, USA Posts: 104	Well I doubt we'll do 200 dollars a day just in shopping, but a couple of the days we'll likely hit that mark between the 4 of us. I know when we were in Egypt we had 2 or 3 days where we spent that much, actually a bit more, in jewelry and perfume oil and pricey fancy stuff...then other days we just got tee shirts and post cards and fridge magnets it was more like $50 shopping costs that day. I suppose I should say a 'mid-range daily budget' WITHOUT shopping is what I am wondering about...as clearly there is shopping and there is SHOPPING...and We'll likely do a bit of both kinds. As I said we travel like 'somewhat fancy ladies' because it is our once a year splurge trip...so I assume we will spend more than a single person could live a month on there, in our 9 days. So what I really want to know is daily budget for: taxis or more likely hiring a car and driver...meals...entrance fees (sounds minimum thanks for that info)....tips...that sort of daily costs. Thanks for all the info... Blessings, Ginger

May 19th, 2009, 10:48	#10
palerider this is Brad. He's cute Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Armidale, N.S.W., Australia Posts: 2,226	Yeah, I wasn't having a dig at you. I just wish i had the funds to go crazy in India, all that silk in Kanchipuram, all the jewellery in Jaipur. You really should go to Jaipur, the jewellery capital of India. I bought some incredible Bling there for really low prices. A large amethyst ring for a friend in a silver setting, very plain and chunky, for 12 dollars US?. Bloody bargain.

May 19th, 2009, 19:30	#11
Nereid Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 5	Hi Ginger, I know exactly what you mean when you describe how you like to travel. In the US, I think of my style as "Holiday Inn" travel -- no roach motels, no hostels but not quite the Grand Hyatt either! Anyway, I think for $100 to $125 a day (for all four of you), you can comfortably cover the expenses you are talking about, eat at decent places and occasionally eat somewhere super-nice. Another $500 to $1000 (for all four of you) for the whole trip should cover shopping and a little bit of SHOPPING too. For that money, you can get a splurge item or two each (say, nice silver jewelry) and a whole bunch of souvenirs, handicrafts, Indian clothing but you probably won't be able to get the highest quality custom-made clothing or higher-end gold jewelry. By the way, Mumbai is like New York City -- you can spend a TON of money very easily or you can get the best bargains. And even the Holiday Inn-type hotels in Mumbai cost about 4 times what they do anywhere else! Hope you and your young ladies have a wonderful time splurging!

May 19th, 2009, 23:49	#14
camelgirl 10 year Visa okee dokee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Swannanoa NC usa Posts: 2,039	Jaipur is too far from from Delhi to do as a day trip. I'm guessing it's about 5 hours drive each way. It's also a large city (it's the capital of the state of Rajasthan) and even if you decide to spend one night, it would be hard to do very much of anything. The shopping is fantastic but I don't think you'll enjoy Jaipur without giving it a minimum of 2 days. I have a short video of a Jaipur Intersection in my IM pictures which is my signature if you want to see a bit of Jaipur & a bit of India traffic.

May 20th, 2009, 05:36	#15
palerider this is Brad. He's cute Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Armidale, N.S.W., Australia Posts: 2,226	I stayed in a hotel in chameliwala Market, which is the jewellery market. A lot of them were just annoying, trying to sell me garnets they said were rubies etc, but I did find a guy who had another shop in town with his family. bur his shop was very cheap, and quite beautiful. A lot of shop owners in Jaipur are a pleasure to deal with. Not a lot of hype, and good service. The only bad experience was getting new lenses in my glasses. We Had Words. It got to the point where he was calling me names in Hindi, Bad Names, and I was casting aspersions on his Brahmin credentials.