How much on average do you spend per day travelling in India?

indiamike

admin note-this is Alan's poll I am just posting it for him


How much on average do you spend per day travelling in India?

I'm hoping this poll will be of use to first timers planning a trip to India. If you are posting on this, comments on how your money is spent and approximate costs of the type of hotels, meals and transportation you use would provide valuable information for first
time visitors.


Best wishes
Alan

indiawise

on budget and single i spend about 500 to 750. per day. If there r 2 of us then budget to comfortable would mean 1000 to 1500.
At this range i think one could have a damn good budget holiday in india. This includes room and food and some extras. Anything less than this is being uncomfortable. India is cheap but not that much.

Midnite Toker

When you are in a place can influence your budget.

For instance, Goa in the monsoon or the hill stations in the winter. Then you'll get price reductions that can bring a Rs.500+ room down to Rs.200. Often, if you eat local food and don't want beer, your running costs can be just Rs.100 on top of that.

This coming trip I'm going to be pampering myself on eighty €uros per week!

__________________
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Alan D

The wife and I, over the past 5 visits to India have averaged our spending at about 550R's per person per day. For this we have stayed in clean double hotel rooms with atttached bathroom (200-400 R's), eaten breakfast, light lunch and evening meal (sometimes non-veg), travelled 3AC class by train and sometimes had a couple of beers in the evening.

On the other hand we tend to stay in places for 1-2 weeks which lowers average transport costs and spend very little on visiting historical sites. We visited most of those before the price rises.

-m2-

My last few visits to India have been primarily Goa only. I have a regular place I go to near Arambol and have a nice, double room in a small guest-house set back from the beach by a sand dune and coco-nut grove. I am on the second floor and have windows on 3 sides to catch the breezes. Sunsets from my balcony are spectacular, I use the second room as a sort of kitchen and have a gaz stove, kettle and a few utensils. I don't really cook, but am particular about my coffee, (fresh-ground Peaberry Estate available in Mapusa), the breadman comes around in the morning with warm rolls and bagel-like 'rings'. Also, I often make fruit salads and as grapefruit-sized avocadoes are available in the winter and I love to make a spicy guacamole salad to go with a Kingfisher at sunset time. Lunch at a near-by 'beach shack' would be something like garlic prawns with chips and salad, (60rp) or maybe a veg pizza (10" - 70rp). Variety of places for dinner, from 'rice plates' at 20-30rp, curries, Tandoorie (chicken tikka masala around 60-70rp), Kingfisher 40rp or so for large bottle.

This 'lifestyle' averaged 430rp/day for 4 months last winter in high season. Purchases (souveniers, having a few clothes made, a hammock etc), and travel expenses on top of that, of course.

When estimating expenses, I find it is best to separate out 'living expenses' (which are a daily thing and can be fairly predictable), travel expenses -- which will depend upon how much travelling you are doing and what class of transport you will use, and the 'purchases, sightseeing trips, splurges on special treats like palace hotels etc, and even your taste for high-priced entertainment'. Doing a rough estimate before leaving on a trip is important to me as I am one of those old-fashioned types that still use traveller's checks and wouldn't even consider relying on ATM's for survival (though do bring a Visa card along in case of emergency)

mike

maree

Averaged less than Rs 500 a day - even with a few shopping binges thrown in. For most of my trip last year I was with a friend and a shared room ranged from Rs 45 each to Rs 100 each (the Rs 45 room was a damp concrete box at the Green Hotel in McLeod Ganj.... but it was the only room available when we arrived as the Dalai Lama was in town so there were loads of people.... and we made do). All our other rooms had attached bathrooms and the ones that cost Rs 100 had satellite TV. When my friend left I was paying between Rs 70 and Rs 125 for a room.

Food costs varied a lot. Thalis were cheap all over. Probably paid the most for meals in Kerala but we were eating huge fish meals.... maybe Rs 100. Any alcohol definitely adds to the expense. But you can always buy your own 'Indian made foreign liquor' cheap - had a few sessions on Bagpiper whiskey... not good.

Transport costs were cheap - travelled by train whenever we could...second class sleeper. Although once I had to upgrade to 3AC just to get on the train as my waitlisting never came up - that doubled the price, I think - maybe an extra US$10.... but they give you crisp, clean sheets.

I'm expecting the costs this year to be the same and I may even spend less of my own currency as the NZ $ has appreciated this year.

Mmm... just realised that I should qualify this post my saying I was quite literally out of money at this stage after travelling in South America and Pakistan for 8 months prior to India. So I was being pretty careful with my money as I was living on cash advances. I could have easily spent more at times but the point is I didn't need to and I still had a fantastic time and came home with a few souvenirs.

IainC

I budget on £10, about Rs 630-700, depending on exchange rate, per day. I smoke cigarettes and have the odd few beers now and then. I eat meat 3/4 times a week, travel 2AC on trains and stay in Rs150-300 hotels. On a long trip I treat myself to a nice hotel, Rs1000, for a couple of days, every 3/4 weeks. Which ever way you budget, India is very cheap for Westerners.

erosadventure

When people ask 'what does it cost to stay in XYZ?' it is
meaningless unless you know that person's
lifestyle. I am a budget traveller willing to spend a little more for
comfort. I like books and broads. I am also an unrealistic cheapsake in that I am happy to pay more for top quality horizontal entertainent but balk at spending more than I would in Pattyaya (best value accommodation in Asia) for a night's sleep.

This trip covers only two metropolises. Everything changes once one gets into the countryside - where accommodation plummets and there is frankly a whole lot less to spend one's money on.

.............................. .............................. ....................

Daily expenses Calcutta and Bombay - 2002

Before I provide my detailed dairy of expenditures some comments. My conclusion is that the following things are...

Excellent value...

Handicrafts (awesome)
Vegetarian food (best in world, except in Calcutta which has a lousy selection)
Cotton fabric (a relief after polyester mad S E Asia)
Herbal medicine (ayurvedic and Unnani not western)
Pharmaecueticals (you name it, no foreign patents honoured here!)

Good value...

Train travel (though trains could be maintained better)
Taxis
English language books (if printed in India)
Accommodation in provincial capitals (boiling hot water, marble bathrooms)

Medium value...

Buses (generally too crowded, trams not at rush hour are good)
Prostitution (incredibly poor service compared to Thailand or
Cambodia, though cheap and more ethnic variety than Bangkok or Phnom Penh)

Poor value...

Anything imported
Anything electronic, even made in India
Accommodation in Bombay and Calcutta (Bombay is the most expensive in all of India. Sudder Street in Calcutta is a dump)

I was going to make an Indian video along the lines of my 'Cambodia Eros' series on nightlife but except for the price of booze in Calcutta (high taxes in Bombay) it sucks. I will instead do one on finding a young wife and budget travel in general. India is the worst place I have been in the world for commercial sex.


Example expenses- Two major cities in India February and March 2002. Everything is in Indian rupees.

City – BOMBAY

Day – 1

VIDEO: 0
FEMALES: 0
FOOD: lunch Majestic 100+5 , H2O 1 L 12 Total 117
TRANSPORTATION: local train to Andheri station 6 +12 to Santa Cruz
station, rickshaw to airport 42+3 Total 63
ENTERTAINMENT: Total
CLOTHING: stored bags fee Train station 90+60, express laundry 80,
HEALTH:
ACCOMMODATION: Room 260 Seashore (marginally recommended)
STATIONERY: 0
COMMUNICATIONS: postage stamps to send letters 80, airmail books to
Thailand 210, 1 hr email 30 Total 320
GIFTS: tips hot water bucket 20
Total Rupees: Rs820
Total US dollars: $17


Day – 2 (later in year)

VIDEO: 0
FEMALES: 0
FOOD: snack 26, fresh pineapple 80; soda water 10; bananas 10; H2O 5
dinner at Majestic 36, lunch at Kamat, 85 late snack Middle Eastern 80
Total Rs332
TRANSPORTATION: 61+40+20 Taxis Total 121
ENTERTAINMENT: Fifth of gin 51
CLOTHING: Punjabi suiting fabric 536
HEALTH: 0
ACCOMMODATION: Seashore Guest House shared bath, fan 260
STATIONERY: newspaper X 2, local 6
COMMUNICATIONS: email 30
GIFTS: 0
Total Rupees: Rs1336
Total US dollars: $28

City - BOMBAY

Day - 3

VIDEO: 0
FEMALES: 0
FOOD: breakfast 79+1 18+1 drink, Siddha Yoga Dham buffet 169 (not good
value and not really delicious) Total R269
TRANSPORTATION: 25+30 Taxis Total 55
ENTERTAINMENT: 0
CLOTHING: 0
HEALTH: moustache wax 35
ACCOMMODATION: N/A late night flight
STATIONERY: envelopes X 4 12, pen 35
COMMUNICATIONS: airmail small book to Thailand 115
GIFTS: Quawalli music cassette for friend 75, tip to GH staff 10
Total Rupees: Rs506
Total US dollars: $10

City - BOMBAY

Day – 4

VIDEO: 0
FEMALES: 0
FOOD: breakfast 42, H2) 15, 15 Mazza mango juice, 120+3 supper Total
R195
TRANSPORTATION: prepaid taxi from airport to Churchgate, train to
Calcutta (2nd class AC sleeper) 1963, boat to Elephanta 2-way 85,
luggage fee taxi 10 Total 2255
ENTERTAINMENT: Elephants entry 250, carrot essential oil 86,
grapefruit oil and cypress 206 Total 542
CLOTHING: Ladies suiting Punjabi 536, hold bags and shower fee at
Guesthouse 50 Total 586
HEALTH: ayurvedic herbal tea packets 94 (tasted awful)
ACCOMMODATION: N/A night train
STATIONERY: 0
COMMUNICATIONS: internet 20
GIFTS: 0
Total Rupees: Rs3692
Total US dollars: $77

City – ENROUTE (TRAIN)

Day – fasting

VIDEO: 0
FEMALES: 0
FOOD: 12+10 Total 22
TRANSPORTATION: 0
ENTERTAINMENT:
CLOTHING: 0
HEALTH: 0
ACCOMMODATION: N/A
STATIONERY: 0
COMMUNICATIONS:
GIFTS: 0
Total Rupees: Rs22
Total US dollars: under $1


City – CALCUTTA

Day – 1

VIDEO: 0
FEMALES: 0
FOOD: lunch 180, 2 veg cutlet 16, 2 tea 4, paneer tikka 12 Total 212
TRANSPORTATION: Metro 6, taxi to Nasru Manj, shared taxi and back 27
Total 51
ENTERTAINMENT: Two CDs (rabindra sangeet and a Bengali pop singer)
200+175, Two passes for all-night concerts at DoverLane festival 350
Total 725
CLOTHING: 0
HEALTH: paper face mask 7, cotton towel 85
ACCOMMODATION: Capital 300, late checkout fee 100 Total 400
STATIONERY: 15 notebook
COMMUNICATIONS:
GIFTS: sweeper tip 3
Total Rupees: Rs1498
Total US dollars: $30


City – CALCUTTA

Day – 2

VIDEO: 0
FEMALES: 0
FOOD: 6.5 +8.5 snacks at Co-op fair, 78 Zurich lunch, 30 3 Pepsis
Total 128
TRANSPORT: Metro 4, taxi 48, sharedtaxi to concert 22 Total 74
ENTERTAINMENT: Ticket for Sarod concert 100
CLOTHING: flip-flops 50, towel, thick 108, shoulder bag 80. Total 238
HEALTH: 0
ACCOMMODATION: 300 ,bathmat to make room liveable 85 Total 385
STATIONERY: 4 X Duracell batteries 79
COMMUNICATION: 0
GIFTS: 0
Total Rupees: Rs1005
Total US dollars: $21

City – CALCUTTA

Day – 3

VIDEO: 0
FEMALES: 0
FOOD: breakfast 13,H2O 1 litre 10, tea 20, dinner 28, veg cutlets 16,
tea X 3 9, fish dinner 50 Total 146
TRANSPORTATION 16, taxi MG Rd to Suder 25, 20+30 more taxis Total 91
ENTERTAINMENT: Lighter for incense10, two packets incense (both are
crap quality – nothing comparable to Tibetan or Japanese) Total 105
CLOTHING: 0
HEALTH: foot lotion 45, 3 shampoo packets 6
ACCOMMODATION: 300
STATIONERY: plug adapter for India 38
GIFTS: 0
Total Rupees: Rs731
Total US dollars: $15


City – CALCUTTA

Day – 4

VIDEO: 0
FEMALES: 0
FOOD: 108 dinner, biscuits 8, H2O 10 Total 126
TRANSPORTATION: Metro 6 +4, taxi 35
ENTERTAINMENT: 0
CLOTHING: 0
HEALTH: Indian Viagra 100 mg X 4packets 150
ACCOMMODATION: Capital 300
STATIONERY: 0
COMMUNICATIONS:
GIFTS: 0
Total Rupees: Rs456
Total US dollars: $9

City – CALCUTTA

Day – 5

VIDEO: 0
FEMALES: 0
FOOD: pepsi 10, lunch Garnish 196
TRANSPORTATION: Taxi back from Planetraium 20, 18 , 48 Total 86
ENTERTAINMENT: 0
CLOTHING: tribal blanket cotton 300, kilo salt 8
HEALTH: lotion 18
ACCOMMODATION: Capital 300
STATIONERY: 0
COMMUNICATIONS: 0
GIFTS: 10 +10 poor
Total Rupees: Rs938
Total US dollars: $21

City – CALCUTTA

Day – 6

VIDEO: photopps - Mehindi for girl 50, jute bag for batteries 10
herbal digestive 24, fair entrance 2, handfan 15 Total 100
FEMALES: 0
FOOD: lunch 106, dinner 28, H2O15, ten bananas 20, lassi 12 Total 182
TRANSPORTATION: Metro 4 +4, taxis 23 +20 Total 51
ENTERTAINMENT: Two hand painted cards 40
CLOTHING: 0
HEALTH: 0
ACCOMMODATION: Capital 300
STATIONERY: 0
COMMUNICATIONS:
GIFTS: 0
Total Rupees: Rs733
Total US dollars: $15

City – CALCUTTA

Day – 7

VIDEO: 0
FOOD: 180+10 Trianca lunch, 13 curd, JoJo dinner 57 Total 260
TRANSPORTATION: Metro 4 +4, taxis 23 +20 Total 51
ENTERTAINMENT: Souvenir puja articles, bronze reproductions 412
CLOTHING: 0
HEALTH: H2O heater coil, big, second hand 140
ACCOMMODATION: Capital 300, Galaxy 400
STATIONERY: pen 50
COMMUNICATIONS: alarm clock 100 (will fail, don't buy Indian made
electronics)
GIFTS: extra blanket Capital 5
Total Rupees: Rs1667
Total US dollars: $35

City – CALCUTTA

Day – 8

VIDEO: Millenuem Park entry 5, Church donation 10
FEMALES: 0
FOOD: Madras lunch, drinks 27, dinenr JoJos 77 Total 126
TRANSPORTATION: Taxi 13
ENTERTAINMENT: Old Monk rum 85 + 2 sodas 20
CLOTHING: 0
HEALTH: 0
ACCOMMODATION: Galaxy 400
STATIONERY: Book 'Dangerous Outcastes: Prostitutes in 18th Century Bengal' 400
COMMUNICATIONS: 0
GIFTS: 0
Total Rupees: Rs1059
Total US dollars: $22

City – CALCUTTA

Day – 9

VIDEO: 0
FEMALES: 0
FOOD: Aborted meal Prince (so bad I paid and left), Don Giovanni pizza
200, pepsi 14, dinner Simply Veg 80+25, icecream 25 Total 401
TRANSPORTATION: 12 +12 taxis to/from dinner.
ENTERTAINMENT: 0
CLOTHING: laundry 4 pieces 50
HEALTH: 0
ACCOMMODATION: Galaxy 400
STATIONERY: Restaurant guide 125
COMMUNICATIONS: 30 email
GIFTS: sweeper 10
Total Rupees: Rs1040
Total US dollars: $22

Day – 10

VIDEO: 0
FEMALES: 100 disaster with Sona Gachi hooker, 2nd try better but still unsatisfactory compared to any service in S E Asia 100+10+20+20+5 =Total 255. I also had a third but seem to have lost those records. She was Bangladeshi and pleasant -albeit a mother
FOOD: 2 limes, Suruchi fish lunch 59, pomegranate 30, cashews 15,
water 12, dinner 150 Total 268
TRANSPORTATION: Tram 1.75, taxi to lunch 22, Metro passes 110 Total
134
ENTERTAINMENT: 0
CLOTHING: 6 M handloom 375
HEALTH: 0
ACCOMMODATION: Galaxy 400
STATIONERY: two notebooks 45
COMMUNICATIONS:
GIFTS: Generious tip to waiter for getting order right for first time
in India (usually Chinese food is not really Cantonese but rather a
mushy Indian version) 50
Total Rupees: Rs 1127
Total US dollars: $23


City – CALCUTTA

Day – 11

VIDEO: 0
FEMALES: 0
FOOD: lunch Simply Veg 92, dinner JoJo's 77 Total 169
TRANSPORTATION: Taxis 35 +40 Total 75
ENTERTAINMENT: Gin and 2 sodas Oly'sBar 50
CLOTHING: 0
HEALTH: 0
ACCOMMODATION: Galaxy 400
STATIONERY: Outlook Travel mag 50
COMMUNICATIONS: 20 2 hrs internet +30 Total 50
GIFTS: 0
Total Rupees: Rs694
Total US dollars: $15

City – CALCUTTA

Day – 12

VIDEO: 0
FEMALES: 0
FOOD: lunch Annanda, late snack and soda 62+20+5 Total 196
TRANSPORTATION: Taxis 35 +28 Total 62
ENTERTAINMENT: Gin 30
CLOTHING: 0
HEALTH: laundry 50
ACCOMMODATION: Galaxy 400
STATIONERY: 0
COMMUNICATIONS: email 25
GIFTS: 0
Total Rupees: Rs762
Total US dollars: $16

Day – 13

VIDEO: 0
FEMALES: 0
FOOD: lunch Gaurang (not recommended) 170, curd 7, dinner JoJo's77
Total 254
TRANSPORTATION: 0
ENTERTAINMENT: Entry X 2Book Fair
CLOTHING: 0
HEALTH: 0
ACCOMMODATION: Galaxy 400
STATIONERY: Tribal map 56, Anthro catalog 14, Osho book 90 Total 160
COMMUNICATIONS: Call Bombay 22, email 80- minutes 50
GIFTS: 0
Total Rupees: Rs888
Total US dollars: $18

Day – 14

VIDEO: 0
FEMALES: 0
FOOD: 108+2 lunch, 53 sweets, 100 snacks at Oly's Bar, 10 ice cream
Total 271
TRANSPORTATION: 13 taxi Ananda to Book Fair
ENTERTAINMENT: Gin and soda 30
CLOTHING: 0
HEALTH: 0
ACCOMMODATION: Galaxy 400
STATIONERY: Medieval European art 200 and Call girls Socio study, yoga
book 155, Gender differences pop socio 175, maps 25 Total 605
COMMUNICATIONS: email 3 hrs 30,23 fax to travel agent Bombay 53
GIFTS: 0
Total Rupees: Rs1372
Total US dollars: $28

Day – 15

VIDEO: 0
FEMALES: 0
FOOD: lunch 230, kulfi 20, dinner 112+3, biscuits 8,H2O15 Total 388
TRANSPORTATION: Taxi to Munna's (Not recommended resto)
ENTERTAINMENT: 0
CLOTHING: 3 meters cotton seersucker 185, same 150 Total 335
HEALTH: 0
ACCOMMODATION: Galaxy 400
STATIONERY: Books – Kushwant Singh anthology and STDs illustrated
atlas Total 120
COMMUNICATIONS: email 25+10
GIFTS: 0
Total Rupees: Rs1298
Total US dollars: $27

Day – 16

VIDEO: 0
FEMALES: 0
FOOD: lunch Ananda, 16 curd w/banana, dinner 79, H2O & biscuits39
Total 218
TRANSPORTATION: 2nd fan train sleeper to Bombay 1953, taxi 12
ENTERTAINMENT: 0
CLOTHING: two custom tailored shirts 400 +50
HEALTH: 0
ACCOMMODATION: Galaxy 400
STATIONERY: two Lonely Planet guidebooks 1839 (imported books are not
good value)
COMMUNICATIONS:
GIFTS: 0
Total Rupees: Too lazy to figure it out
Total US dollars:

City – CALCUTTA

Day – 17 (another month)

VIDEO: 0
FEMALES: 0
FOOD: Khalsa meal 32, curd w/ papaya 16, soda 1.5 L, Mazza 10 Total
83
TRANSPORTATION: Taxi 22
ENTERTAINMENT: mickey of Old Monk rum, Museum at Academy of Fine Arts
5 Total 50
CLOTHING: Laundry 80
HEALTH: foot cream ‘Crack' 27
ACCOMMODATION: Paramount International 350
STATIONERY: 0
COMMUNICATIONS: email 1 hour 25
GIFTS: tips hot water bucket 20
Total Rupees: Rs658
Total US dollars: $14

steven_ber

Great post, keep up the 'research' erosadventure

Warning !! do not take a big gulp of coffee and then start reading post 9 in this thread, I did and have just finished cleaning up the mess.

That line alone was worth bumping the thread up for.

cobra

Hi I was going to take 95,000,00rp for a 4-week trip to north India, this now looks a bit excessive should I keep some at home

wonderwomanusa

You could leave it all in the bank, take your ATM card with you and see in the end how much you've spent!

MeCasa

What's the feelings on bumping interesting threads?

It seems like you ferners where spending around 1,000 rups a day in 2002, have prices changed?

How much do you spend now?

-m2-

My daily average in Goa has gone from 430 to 550Rp on the same basis as 3 years ago. Improvements to my living space acounts for most of the increase, however, and it doesn't count the motorcycle that I rented for the winter.

freemanx

i traveled around india last year for 5 month. did a lot of traveling from mumbai to the north than down south, back to the north, on to the east and back to mumbai. treated myself with 500r rooms from time to time, ate in nice restaurantes once in awhile, smoked a lot, enjoyed old monk, made extensively use of taxis and autos and didn´t watch every rupie i spent. in the end i averaged 1000r a day. that includes everything apart from the flight.
you can get away with half of it if you are a bit more careful with your spending habits.
hope that helps.

guerik

I spent about 5 months in India and probably averaged 1000 rupees too - this included a lot of shopping though (some expensive things to take home, a lot of books and a few new sets of clothes along the way)

The following is without any real shopping
In smaller towns you could get by very comfortably on 300 rupees per day (I definitely did this in Pushkar and Hampi)
In Delhi I would spend 500-800 rupees per day, including rickshaws all over town, entry fees and eating in some fancier places)
In Mumbai by myself it might have been 1000 - accomodation is a lot more expensive and there are only cabs in the main city centre

You could do it cheaper than this but I'd probably budget around these amounts and if I have cash left over it would just be a bonus (or a really nice souvenir, more likely)