How much should I pay for...??

villavic · Jan 16th, 2004, 03:57

Since tourists are typical victims when buying stuff (I've read several threas and I'm finding out India is very similar to Peru)

I'd like to know when it's fair and when it's expensive price, for example...

Cybercafes, how much should be one hour, half hour, and 15 minutes?

Photo films (I'll bring lot of films but I'm a photoholic so you never know). For example Disney World is REALLY expensive.

rickshaws, taxis, well I know it depends on distances, but if you can give me an idea, about going from hotel to a shopping center for example, a 5minutes ride, or 10 minutes ride, how much should I pay? Do they use taximeter? (In Peru you make a deal with the driver).

Any examples of souvenirs prices: clothes, batik shirts, t-shirts, simple jewels, postcards, when it's a fair price and when it's expensive (or when they are swindling?)

SHIMLA · Jan 16th, 2004, 08:14

Cybercafes - Rs. 15 to Rs. 30 per hour, depending on the city. The larger towns are generally cheaper. Ask before you use !

36 exp. print films - Rs.90 to Rs.110 per roll, depending on the brand.

Rickshaws, taxis are metered in the larger cities(except Delhi, where you have to fix beforehand), pay by tariff card. Min. charge(for a distance of 1.6kms.) for a rickshaw is Rs.8, an unmetered one will ask for Rs.10. For a Taxi it is Rs.13 and Rs. 20, correspondingly.

Shopping : Govt. emporia and the larger stores have labelled and generally fixed prices. At the smaller shops bargaining is always on.

Packaged goods have the MRP(Maximum Retail Price) printed on them. Even then, it is not uncommon to find a bar of chocolate with the MRP of Rs.15 printed on it, being sold for Rs.17-18 at Railway stations, bus stands and at the remote shops on the way !! The seller's logic being he has to go to the distributor to buy it !!!

Good luck !

UltraViolet · Jan 16th, 2004, 14:51

I wouldn't worry about it...I mean, it won't take you long to figure out what is the fair price for things...and its so blinking cheap there that the learning curve of discovering the cost of things is gonna cost bog all. I got ripped off all the time and i still spent very little. I like to think i made someone happy just by being dumb.

wonderwomanusa · Jan 16th, 2004, 22:20

Price of cybercafes depends on where you are. In Puri, the charge is Rs 50/hour (and the connections are better after 5pm) while in other places, I paid much less.

Hyderabad was the only place the autorickshas consistently used the meter. In most other places, haggling is the key.

As for the costs of souvenirs -- if you are landing in Delhi, go to the Central Cottage Industries Emporium (Tolstoy Lane opposite the Scindia House McDonald's) and check the prices. It is a fixed-price government-run store.

BEWARE of other places calling themselves "Cottage Industries" or "Handicraft Emporium" -- those are stores run by Kashmiris and they are extremely high priced...no bargains.

polaris · Mar 27th, 2004, 22:05

Hyderabad, Bangalore : By meter, and usually very cheap.

Chennai : nightmare prices.. no meter. There are pre-paid autos available in select places (like the train station).. expensive nevertheless

Delhi : Meter + Surcharge Card - you take the price from the meter: pay the corresponding amount as in the card. Watch out for Day/Night rates.

Mumbai : I've never really taken an auto here.. Taxis are metered though.. Again watch out for Day/Night rates..

If there's no meter system, I'd recommend that you ask a passing (the more educated the better :) Indian to help you out :) They will usually be happy to..

shere · Mar 27th, 2004, 23:12

Make sure you are not sold a fake film. I have seen fake Kodak branded boxes of film. Look at the printing etc on the box, its usually blurry on fake films. You are usually better off getting a indian make of film. Forgot what the top indian brand is called.

Shannon · Mar 28th, 2004, 03:47

Cyber cafes frequently charge the same amount whether you are there 15 mins or one hour. If only the hourly rate is posted, don't assume they will proportion that based on your time spent on the computer. Ask beforehand, and it is somtimes possible to negotiate a smaller fee for a smaller amount of time.

Shannon

krazybalkan · Jan 5th, 2005, 14:03

Generally my impression is that riksha drivers in Mumbai are more honest that the ones in Delhi who try to rip you off virtually everywhere. There was only one case in Delhi when I said (because I was trying to establish the price from the beginning so I don't ask them how much is to vasant kunj sector A, I say - Vasant Kunj 20 Rps. Then they say - Nahin, 40 rps...Then we argue for 15 minutes and in the end we end up on 25) In Mumbai all the rikshas use their meters and sometimes if they think you are going on a shorter distance they just refuse to take u...which is fair enough...there r plenty of them to go home.

In Delhi I had a case of settling a prize with a riksha driver with the night rate but just because he could not find the place he wanted to charge me 50 rps more which I didn't give him...because (believe me or not) I didn't have them in my pocket that night.

As far as souvenirs are concerned. Goa is the most expensive (even tough when other things such as night life, taxis etc are concerned..it is rather cheap). I happened to know how much the things (same things can be bought everywhere else in India) cost after spendin some 5 months travelling and working around the country...so I think I was not ripped off a lot...But even when you think you are smart and experienced enough when you think twice about how much money have you spenton things that you never really needed ...then oh boy...you are being ripped off

I try to buy things in small towns in India. After meeting some honest locals it's quite easy to buy beautiful things for reasonable prizes...

skell · Jan 5th, 2005, 23:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by krazybalkan

In Delhi I had a case of settling a prize with a riksha driver with the night rate but just because he could not find the place he wanted to charge me 50 rps more which I didn't give him...because (believe me or not) I didn't have them in my pocket that night.
...

That happened to me a lot, and not just in Delhi.

Jan 16th, 2004, 03:57	#1
villavic Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Peru Posts: 70	How much should I pay for...?? Since tourists are typical victims when buying stuff (I've read several threas and I'm finding out India is very similar to Peru) I'd like to know when it's fair and when it's expensive price, for example... Cybercafes, how much should be one hour, half hour, and 15 minutes? Photo films (I'll bring lot of films but I'm a photoholic so you never know). For example Disney World is REALLY expensive. rickshaws, taxis, well I know it depends on distances, but if you can give me an idea, about going from hotel to a shopping center for example, a 5minutes ride, or 10 minutes ride, how much should I pay? Do they use taximeter? (In Peru you make a deal with the driver). Any examples of souvenirs prices: clothes, batik shirts, t-shirts, simple jewels, postcards, when it's a fair price and when it's expensive (or when they are swindling?)

Jan 16th, 2004, 08:14	#2
SHIMLA Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Yangon, MYANMAR Posts: 4,125	Cybercafes - Rs. 15 to Rs. 30 per hour, depending on the city. The larger towns are generally cheaper. Ask before you use ! 36 exp. print films - Rs.90 to Rs.110 per roll, depending on the brand. Rickshaws, taxis are metered in the larger cities(except Delhi, where you have to fix beforehand), pay by tariff card. Min. charge(for a distance of 1.6kms.) for a rickshaw is Rs.8, an unmetered one will ask for Rs.10. For a Taxi it is Rs.13 and Rs. 20, correspondingly. Shopping : Govt. emporia and the larger stores have labelled and generally fixed prices. At the smaller shops bargaining is always on. Packaged goods have the MRP(Maximum Retail Price) printed on them. Even then, it is not uncommon to find a bar of chocolate with the MRP of Rs.15 printed on it, being sold for Rs.17-18 at Railway stations, bus stands and at the remote shops on the way !! The seller's logic being he has to go to the distributor to buy it !!! Good luck ! __________________ Whoever said money can't buy happiness didn't know where to shop !

Mar 27th, 2004, 22:05	#5
polaris Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: 13° 05' North; 80° 18' East Posts: 8	Hyderabad, Bangalore : By meter, and usually very cheap. Chennai : nightmare prices.. no meter. There are pre-paid autos available in select places (like the train station).. expensive nevertheless Delhi : Meter + Surcharge Card - you take the price from the meter: pay the corresponding amount as in the card. Watch out for Day/Night rates. Mumbai : I've never really taken an auto here.. Taxis are metered though.. Again watch out for Day/Night rates.. If there's no meter system, I'd recommend that you ask a passing (the more educated the better :) Indian to help you out :) They will usually be happy to.. __________________ Quillem

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Jan 16th, 2004, 14:51	#3
UltraViolet Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: UK Posts: 104	I wouldn't worry about it...I mean, it won't take you long to figure out what is the fair price for things...and its so blinking cheap there that the learning curve of discovering the cost of things is gonna cost bog all. I got ripped off all the time and i still spent very little. I like to think i made someone happy just by being dumb.

Jan 16th, 2004, 22:20	#4
wonderwomanusa Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Dhaka Posts: 3,568	Price of cybercafes depends on where you are. In Puri, the charge is Rs 50/hour (and the connections are better after 5pm) while in other places, I paid much less. Hyderabad was the only place the autorickshas consistently used the meter. In most other places, haggling is the key. As for the costs of souvenirs -- if you are landing in Delhi, go to the Central Cottage Industries Emporium (Tolstoy Lane opposite the Scindia House McDonald's) and check the prices. It is a fixed-price government-run store. BEWARE of other places calling themselves "Cottage Industries" or "Handicraft Emporium" -- those are stores run by Kashmiris and they are extremely high priced...no bargains.

Mar 27th, 2004, 23:12	#6
shere Maha Guru Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: England Posts: 1,122	Make sure you are not sold a fake film. I have seen fake Kodak branded boxes of film. Look at the printing etc on the box, its usually blurry on fake films. You are usually better off getting a indian make of film. Forgot what the top indian brand is called.

Mar 28th, 2004, 03:47	#7
Shannon bunder Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Minneapolis, MN, US Posts: 152	Cyber cafes frequently charge the same amount whether you are there 15 mins or one hour. If only the hourly rate is posted, don't assume they will proportion that based on your time spent on the computer. Ask beforehand, and it is somtimes possible to negotiate a smaller fee for a smaller amount of time. Shannon

Jan 5th, 2005, 14:03	#8
krazybalkan Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: wroclaw, Poland Posts: 6	Generally my impression is that riksha drivers in Mumbai are more honest that the ones in Delhi who try to rip you off virtually everywhere. There was only one case in Delhi when I said (because I was trying to establish the price from the beginning so I don't ask them how much is to vasant kunj sector A, I say - Vasant Kunj 20 Rps. Then they say - Nahin, 40 rps...Then we argue for 15 minutes and in the end we end up on 25) In Mumbai all the rikshas use their meters and sometimes if they think you are going on a shorter distance they just refuse to take u...which is fair enough...there r plenty of them to go home. In Delhi I had a case of settling a prize with a riksha driver with the night rate but just because he could not find the place he wanted to charge me 50 rps more which I didn't give him...because (believe me or not) I didn't have them in my pocket that night. As far as souvenirs are concerned. Goa is the most expensive (even tough when other things such as night life, taxis etc are concerned..it is rather cheap). I happened to know how much the things (same things can be bought everywhere else in India) cost after spendin some 5 months travelling and working around the country...so I think I was not ripped off a lot...But even when you think you are smart and experienced enough when you think twice about how much money have you spenton things that you never really needed ...then oh boy...you are being ripped off I try to buy things in small towns in India. After meeting some honest locals it's quite easy to buy beautiful things for reasonable prizes...

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