Is $20 / day enough for a solo female?

oceanfloater

Hello,
Considering that I'd like to provide safe options for myself as I travel solo through India (safe budget guesthouse, taxi rides at dusk/dawn, secure train carriage, hired guides for treks) would $20 US dollars a day be ok?

I plan on traveling around North & South for 5 months -- beginning this Jan.

I don't really spend money on beer/cigs, magazines, shopping...just want to spend my money on accomodations, bottled water, b-fast/lunch, entry fees, train travel and a couple of Salwar Kameez.

Any advice is appreciated -- especially if you are a solo female traveler yourself. Seen some great posts by wonderwomanusa, YogaGal.

I guess I'm just looking for a little support from sisters who have been there before -- I'm kind of scared.

Diana

Hi Oceanfloater,

$20 a day should do you just fine.

That's almost 800 rupees a day at current exchange rates and you don't look to have outlandish habbits. I spent almost 3 months in Kerala on my own this summer and wasn't tight at all on less than 500/day. Then again, I mostly stayed in a flat and didn't travel as much as you sound like you plan to.

Daily expenses were:
40 for auto taxi to morning/evening and maybe 30 more if I went out (typically split that with friends)
About 100/day for the flat (including utilities and food at home)
Another 100/day for outside meals (and I ate quite well! Folks LOVE to feed you in India!)
Toss in 200 for what-nots (i.e. cloths, souvenirs, my daily fresh lime soda) and it's more than doable on 500 rupees a day.

So, at 800 you should be able to cover the added costs of trains and such.

As for being scared...that understandable. But I felt quite safe most all the time. Then again, I was careful, didn't flash money around (not that it matters as being white, having cash is assumed) and didn't go out at night alone. I found the men especially protective (if not overly so) and the women all wanted to mother me (even the ones 20 years younger!)

Relax...you will have a blast!

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oceanfloater

You're great Diana. Thank you for the warm and practical advise. I feel better already.

Oceanfloater

wonderwomanusa

$20/day will be fine in all but the biggest cities. Hotels in Mumbai and Kolkata can be expensive, and it's nice to splurge on a place with hot water and real furniture once in a while.

Three years ago (last visit), I averaged about $12/day in small places and that's including train travel. Well, I'm old enough to get the seniior discount on the trains, but AC is still pricey compared to sleeper class.

The best and often less-expensive salwar kameez are obtained by buying cloth and going to a tailor in a small town ... unless you are small enough to wear them off the rack.

Let us know if you have specific questions.

double-dolphin

I assume we're talking about U.S. Dollars? In that case 20 is absolutely fine. That's like 900 bucks a day, which is a lot of money even for me, and I smoke and drink. The salwar Kameez maybe a little expensive though.

However I wonder if you're aware that most things in India come with an MRP written on it? Not clothes unless they are brands like Lee or Wrangler. But things like bottled water, Cigarettes, Biscuits all have this MRP written on the pack. I mention this because I once saved a couple of American ladies from getting cheated. The shop guy was asking for 150 bucks for a pack of cigarettes when the MRP written clearly was 70.

MRP = maximum retail price. You can't legally sell anything at more than it's MRP.

But for your Salwar Kameez, I suggest you go ahead and bargain

capt_mahajan

Being a little bit of a wet blanket here.

As wonderwomanusa says, except the big cities.

Also, if you travel a lot, train travel and trek guides can eat into the 800 rupees substantially.

Other than that, I would say it is manageable, though it may be basic at times.

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Nick-H

MRP...

You'll still pay at least double for your bottle of water if you buy it from the hotel. Be brave: buy outside

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double-dolphin

Anything inside a hotel is over-priced. Be brave, be strong, and do not touch anything in the mini-bar. But this rule I think applies internationally? The over-pricing thing I mean?

Nick-H

I have stayed in hotels that give one bottle a day free.

That's nice.

But to charge Rs40 for a MRP Rs17 bottle of water is a bit much. Still; it is convenient (coughed up myself in Pondicherry last week) when you are not about to go out.

But I am still annoyed by the fact that these places take advantage of the fact that the foreign tourist is nervous to buy outside and isn't too fussed by Rs23 anyway.

double-dolphin

opportunism. well, a safe plac to get water is a drug store. and make sure you get bottles with major brands, such as Kinley or Aquafina. Check the seal.

Khandoma

Hi Oceanfloater, hi all. On top of the excellent advice above, here's my 2 rupees on the subject ( as a solo female traveller).

My answer to the water issue was to bring plenty of purifying tablets and a hard water bottle, the kind sold in sports stores. It keeps the water cool for a little while, and allows you to always have water at the ready. You quickly get used to "preparing" your water in advance. Also, the hard bottle doesn't spill in your bag. Cut my water budget by 2/3rds.

I love auto-rickshaws, usually much cheaper than taxis. And they will carry your 14 suitcases, bags and goldfish - you'll be amazed.

I'd suggest you bring only a couple of books. (Am an avid reader, so it's heavy on my suitcase, too.) You'll exchange them for unread ones at 2nd-hand bookstores for a ridiculous price. And if you hate the guidebook you brought, sell it, they sell really well if recent.

Clothes : had this nice experience once in Udaipur. The owner of a (touristic) clothes shop remarked that he liked my shirt. It was one of those long-sleeved Thaï tunics, apparently you don't find them around India. So he asked if he could borrow my shirt to copy it for his store. I asked what I'd get in return, and we agreed on two free shirts for me. Be ready for opportunities.

Communications : depending on your needs, the phone booths are cheap for a phone call once in a while ; but if you're to call home regularly, buy a prepaid card locally or open a Skype account from home. I found cybercafes usually cheap (but slooow) ; I would advise against using internet connexions in hotels. As DoubleDolphin pointed out, hotels around the world do overcharge.

When planning your budget, I'd suggest you research the entrance fees for monuments and sites. (Lots of info on this website). That's a major chunk out of your daily allowance. Also, allow for tips, and remember there's a 10% tax (usually, depending on States I think ?) on hotel rooms. Not sure it applies to all guest houses.

Generally, you'll be fine if you remember that "time is money" : if you don't have a lot of money, then you should have a lot of time. You take slower transportation such as buses, allow plenty of time to bargain with rickshaws and taxi-wallahs, etc. Being in a hurry costs money.

You're up for a great trip ! Enjoy !

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shashank.aggarwal

My take is that if you plan to spend long durations in a particular place then Rs.800 a day will solve the purpose, however if you intend to travel a lot, specially in anything other than sleeper class of train and you intent to hire guides then you might have to increase the amount...

but as someone said earlier, if you stay in cities then the amount would not in enough...however in tourist places like Goa and Kerela you might manage just fine..

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Nick-H

Is $20 / day enough for a solo female?

It is so tempting to answer: That depends on what sort of solo female you expect to get...

But I don't want to be the first IMer to be stoned to death by the rest of the membership

Diana

"Let she who is without sin cast the first stone."

Oh bother. *drops stone* saunters off.

Nick-H

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