How Much Does a Trip to India Cost in 2026? Budget Breakdown for Foreign Travelers

India is still among the cheaper travelling destinations in the world for those travelling from abroad. If you're thinking of a 2-week backpacking excursion or an extended cultural experience, it's best to know what to expect when you arrive. This India travel guide has broken down all the primary expenditure heads, letting you plan your trip with confidence.

Exchange Rate to Keep in Mind

As of 2026, roughly ₹84 equals $1 USD, ₹107 equals €1 EUR, and ₹107 equals £1 GBP. These can be helpful markers throughout this guide.

Visa Costs

First and foremost, you will have to clear your visa. In 2026, India implemented a reciprocal visa fee system, making the cost of Indian visas significantly depend on that of the countries of origin. The e-tourist visa is valid for 30 days from the date of issuance and costs $10 for most nationalities (April to June) with a multiple-entry visa for a year starting from issuance, costing $40. The 30-day e-tourist visa is priced at $10 for most nationalities (April to June) and $25 for most nationalities (July to March), while the multiple-entry visa for a year is priced at $40. However, certain countries may charge much higher fees under the reciprocal system, so it is best to check your country on the official Indian visa website before applying for a visa.

Overall Daily Budget: What to Expect

Expect to spend anywhere between ₹1200 (approx. $14) for budget backpackers and ₹13500 (approx. $162 or more) on luxury experiences daily in India. A brief description of each tier follows:

Budget Travel: ₹1,200 to ₹3,500 per day ($14 to $42)

For budget travellers, you can plan to spend between ₹1200 and ₹3500 a day, encompassing public transport, street food, and free activities in Indian cities, as well as hostel dormitories. This is a realistic budget for backpackers who can live in simple lodging and eat at local restaurants.

Mid-Range Travel: ₹3,000 to ₹5,000 per day ($36 to $60)

Comfort in the middle range is around ₹3,000 to ₹5,000 per day, including entrance fees to the monuments, meals at restaurants, private guest house rooms, and occasionally taxis. This is the most popular for independent foreign visitors to India for the first time.

Luxury Travel: ₹6,000 and above per day ($72+)

Luxury experiences are more than ₹6000 per day and feature business-class domestic flights, private drivers, fine dining and palace hotels. The price for a complete luxury private tour is $4,000 per person and can get much more expensive depending on where you are staying and just how exclusive you are looking for.

Accommodation

The most significant part of your spending will be the place you sleep. The dorm beds in hostels typically cost between $5 and $10 per night, which is ideal for maintaining a backpacker budget, especially for solo travellers who are visiting social hot spots such as Jaipur. Guesthouses and medium-sized hotels usually charge $25 to $70 per night for private rooms. This can cost more than $150 in luxury properties and heritage palace hotels in popular tourist areas such as Rajasthan.

An important side note: prices increase 30 to 50 per cent during the peak winter season, April through September. May to August are obviously when you'll find the better rates, if you're flexible on your travel dates.

Food

Indian food is indeed one of the best budget-friendly choices for tourists abroad. People who stay in mostly dhabas and street stalls can afford to spend ₹400 - 700 for a day, while people in the middle range can afford to spend ₹1000 - 2500 for a day. On the high end, you can expect to spend ₹3,000 to ₹6,000 or more a day for comfort and luxury dining, along with alcohol.

The price of a meal on the street is about ₹50 to ₹150. The average cost of a sit-down meal for one person at a mid-range restaurant is between ₹ 400 and ₹ 800. The tipping policy is not enforced in India as it is in the United States but is appreciated and expected by tourists.

Transportation Inside India

You'll see the most difference in your travel budget when it comes to how you travel.

The cheapest method of travel over long distances is by train. Sleeper-class sleeping compartments aren't very expensive, and the night's travel provides accommodation too, which saves you the cost of a night's accommodation. Book the train 2-4 weeks in advance from the Indian Railways website.

Domestic flights are quicker but cost more. Budget airlines can also provide competitive airfares for long-distance travellers, such as those opting for a flight from Delhi to Kerala or Mumbai to Ladakh, when they book in advance.

The cabs like Uber and Ola have made an existence in all the major cities, and these are far less expensive than metered taxi services. Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad have some good metro systems that can be used to travel around the city at very little cost.

Foreign tourists who prefer a more comfortable and guided experience choose private drivers. This is usually priced at ₹5,000 to ₹10,000 a day, and the driver can be a worthy investment for many tourists for the flexibility and local knowledge they offer.

In India, self-drive car hire is an excellent choice for those who like to travel at their own speed and cannot rely on others for transportation. Rentrip provides self-drive rental cars in major cities of India, where you can plan your own stops, routes and speed. It is ideal for a road trip in Rajasthan, the foothills of the Himalayas, and between cities on the Golden Triangle tour.

Sightseeing and Entry Fees

One expense that foreigners are often caught by surprise with is this one. Most major heritage sites in India have two-tiered pricing. In most major heritage sites in India, the price is twofold: one for Indian nationals and a much higher one for foreign visitors.

Foreigners have to pay ₹1,300 for entry to the Taj Mahal, and Jaipur forts like Amber charge between ₹700 and ₹1,000 for combination entry. The major monuments of ASI, such as the Red Fort, Qutub Minar and Humayun's Tomb, charge foreign nationals about ₹550, while the Indian nationals are charged ₹35 per person. There are also certain sites that don't charge any entry fee, such as the India Gate or the Lotus Temple.

If you are planning to visit several historical places in a two-week tour, then you need to spend at least ₹8,000 to ₹12,000 just for entry fees.

SIM Card and Data

It is easy to purchase an Indian SIM card, and it is not expensive in any way. The cost of a local SIM card with 30 days of unlimited data is approximately ₹500. At any telecom store, you'll need your passport and visa documents. Major providers include Jio and Airtel, and both have decent coverage at most tourist routes and cities. Jio and Airtel are the major providers and have decent coverage across cities and most tourist routes.

ATM and Cash Management

Cities in the less populated areas, local markets, street food stalls and tips will all require cash. For most travellers, $100-$200 in Indian Rupees for a day is enough, and they can pay for bigger items with their credit or debit cards. There are many ATMs in the cities and tourist places.

Please note that there are transaction fees involved. ATM fees have been rising from May 2025, and every cash withdrawal beyond free will cost you ₹23 and 18 per cent GST at the non-home bank ATM. It is best to make smaller withdrawals more often than larger ones. Secondly, foreign transaction fees are 2 to 3.5 per cent, unless waived, on international credit cards.

Total Trip Cost: Realistic Estimates

So, for all things combined, the total cost of travelling to India for an overseas tourist (excluding international airfares) is approximately the following:

A medium-range tour of the Golden Triangle (Delhi-Agra-Jaipur) for 10 days costs about $1800 to $2600 per person for accommodation, a private tour, entry fees, and meals.

A realistically priced vacation for 2 weeks at budget rates is about $900-$1800.

A two-week mid-range vacation package that includes comfortable transportation, a well-rated hotel, domestic travel and guided sightseeing, plus a leisurely pace, will run $2,000 to $3,500 per person.

If the trip is luxury for two weeks, expect to pay from around $4,000 per person; luxury can increase dramatically based on accommodations and exclusivity.

Hidden Costs to Watch Out For

There are a number of hidden costs that travellers from abroad may not be aware of. These include foreigner versus Indian entry fees for monuments; tipping charges for drivers and guides, which can cost $100 to $200 per day on a 10-day trip; and the 12 to 18 per cent GST taxes for hotels. They are small things but can make a difference over time.

Final Thoughts

When you book your trip in advance, you can expect India to pay you back. By understanding the realistic price of staying, eating, travelling and sightseeing, you won't be caught off guard, and you will have the time to enjoy one of the most diverse and rich travel experiences in the world. From a tight budget to a generous one, India has everything at every price range; it is all about identifying what you want with what you can afford.

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