Travel prices in India vary widely. For example, India has world-class high-end hotels and luxury resorts that can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars a night, but it also offers very cheap options. Of course, in between, you can also find good value for money on comfortable trips.
CONTEnt PREVIEW
- Costs for 1 to 2 Weeks
- International Flights Cost
- Accommodation Cost
- Transportation Cost
- Eating and Drinking Cost
- Attractions and Activities Cost
- Tips for Saving Money
India Trip Costs for 1 to 2 Weeks
India is a country where is it very easy to save on travel.
If you seek to save money, you can spend about 30–50 USD for a day in India with street food, crowded buses, and a so-so hostel.
But for most people who travel to India for a high-quality holiday, a medium or higher budget should be plenty. (As the standard of three-star hotels in India is much lower than in the West, we do not recommend them.)
- For a medium budget, touring India typically costs around 150–200 USD per day per person (including air fares within India, 4-star hotels, attractions, guides, and transfers).
- For a higher budget of US$200–250 per day per person, more comfort can be enjoyed (including air fares within India, 5-star hotels, attractions, guides, and transfers).
For one week in India, on a first visit you would probably see the classic three cities — Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur. If you have 2 weeks, you could extend your travels to the west to see Rajasthan, to the north for Varanasi, etc.
For a couple's trip, you may want to add some special or romantic experiences to the trip, like a dinner by a lake or in a castle and an Indian dating evening. A couple's trip for 2 weeks in India may cost about 6,000 USD. See our 14-Day Romantic Honeymoon Trip in India for reference.
For a family trip, a big cost change is accommodation. If your kids are younger, maybe you can share a standard room. But if the children are older, you may have to pay a little more for an extra bed or a family suite. See our sample 12-Day Family Holiday in India for reference.
This is only a rough guide. We can give you specific prices based on an itinerary made for you. Contact us for your no-obligations quote. With us, you would enjoy our no-risk-booking, 100% refund of any payments made to China Highlights prior to 3 weeks before departure (detail⇒).
The Cost of International Flights to India
Europe has direct flights to Delhi — from London, Paris, Zurich, Munich... A one-way air ticket is around 600 to 700 GBP flying economy.
The U.S. also has direct flights to Delhi — from New York, Chicago, San Francisco... For a one-way economy trip, the ticket is around 700 to 1,000 USD.
Flying to India from Australia directly is also available. Tickets go from around 1,500–1,800 AUD for a one-way economy trip.
July, August, and September are India's low season because of the rainy season. Air ticket prices drop by around 40% during this period.
9-Day India Highlights and Food Tour Delhi - Agra - Jaipur - Varanasi
The Cost of Accommodation in India
For a 3-star hotel in India, you may need about 20–40 USD for a night. But most 3-star hotels don't match their star rating. If you expect it to match Western standards, you may be disappointed.
A better choice is 4- or 5-star hotels with well-maintained interiors, good service, and nice facilities. A 4-star hotel may cost about 80–100 USD/night and a 5-star hotel 100–150 USD. Some super-luxury hotels may cost 200 or over 300 USD a night.
During the rainy season, prices can drop by 20 to 30 percent.
When traveling in India, heritage hotels are a must-try. Some of them are ultra-luxurious real Indian palaces. They can cost 700–1,000 USD a night, while some of them are more affordable at about the same as a 4- or 5-star hotel. Staying in a Haveli (a traditional Indian mansion that often includes beautiful gardens and courtyards) is often more affordable than some of the ultra-luxurious palace hotels, but all are worth the experience.
The Cost of Transportation in India
Flying is the fastest way to travel between cities. Most flights between cities cost within 100 USD. Traveling between cities also can be done for 10 to 60 USD on trains.
For two cities that are close to each other and not reachable by plane, you should consider private transfer, which is flexible and sometimes faster than train as India's trains are often late and station transfers are time-consuming.
If you want to experience India's train travel, you can check out our 8-Day Royal Rajasthan on Wheels Tour.
India's public transportation within cities is very affordable. Taking Delhi as an example, for 0.10–0.50 USD you can take the MRT/BTS. A taxi costs about 7–12 USD for a 30-minute ride. But make sure they use their meters to avoid price disagreements.
14-Day Family Holiday in India Delhi - Agra - Ranthambore National Park - Jaipur - Mumbai - Goa
The Cost of Eating and Drinking in India
India is not an expensive country when it comes to food. A decent restaurant costs about 10–15 USD per person. And fine dining may cost as little as 20–30 USD per person. Luxury restaurants cost 50–60 USD per person and upwards.
There are also many food stalls by the roadside for 1–2 USD, selling sandwiches, curry rice, and roti (wraps). However, if you have a weak stomach, it's best not to try street food.
You can buy a soda or juice for 30 INR (0.4 USD), so soft drinks are very affordable too. It could be a little difficult to buy wine in India though. Some restaurants or supermarkets in India do not sell alcohol. There are 'wine shops' in India that specialize in selling alcohol. Alcohol is expensive in India because of higher taxes. A beer sells for about 2–6 USD. Stronger drinks (whiskey, gin, vodka, etc.) usually cost from 2–13 USD per measure.
14-Day Romantic Honeymoon Trip in India Delhi - Agra - Jaipur - Bikaner - Jaisalmer - Jodhpur - Udaipur
The Cost of Attractions and Activities in India
Sightseeing in India is very affordable. Tickets for most tourist attractions in India range from 1 to 9 USD. There are also many temples and museums that are free of charge, like Agra Fort.
Some entertainments like a night show, watching a movie, etc. cost about 5–10 USD.
10-Day North India Tour (Delhi to Shimla) Delhi - Agra - Jaipur - Amritsar - Shimla
Tips for Saving Money
India's rainy season sees some big discounts. July, August, and September offer 30–40% off many travel expenses.
You can also choose budget airlines when traveling around India, like IndiGo and SpiceJet Airlines. See The 8 Best Domestic Airlines in India.
Some travel agencies offer good value in money too. In India, the cost of a private tour is much more affordable than in Western countries. In peak season, travel agencies can even help you get a better price, as they work in cooperation with some hotels. They are also more aware of the promotional activities of tourist attractions.
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Alisa was a great listener to all the things we wanted to incorporate into our trip. We discussed everything throughly, and when I had questions, she had answers the next day. I really appreciate her responsiveness and detail with me. I feel like we are in the best hands with Alisa and Asia Highlights. , Mar 2024 | Very great experience our driver D was…
Very great experience our driver D was never late and always had waters and a cold towel for us and our tour guide Som was very informative and had amazing English I recommend them both highly for anyone else traveling Rylan Coache, Feb 2024 | Excellent guide in Siem Reap
Our recent time spent in Siem Reap was made even more memorable by our expert guide, Som Piseth. Som was knowledgeable, attentive, flexible and super helpful - we learnt so much about Siem Reap and Cambodia in our 3 days with him. His English was excellent and his knowledge of, and pride in, his country was outstanding. We would highly recommend Som for anyone wanting an excellent guide in Siem Reap! Sharon Townshend, Feb 2024 | Asia Highlights trip to Thailand
Our first tour guide in Bangkok, Marie, was great to tour around with. She was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. Our next stop in Chang Mai we were greeted by our new tour guide, Rafael. He too was extremely friendly and knowledgeable and spoke wonderful English. He made it feel as if we were traveling around with a long time friend. Every time we arrived at a new destination, we were greeted at the airport by someone with a sign with our name making our travels easy. I would definitely recommend Asia Highlights to anyone looking for a well planned trip of a lifetime! Tricia, Feb 2024 | Amazing Thailand experience
The tour guides were all knowledgeable and accommodating, especially Mayuree in Bangkok- absolutely wonderful. We felt taken care of and every step of the way was catered to our needs. Ashley White, Feb 2024 | Private tour perfect for our times
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We loved Chiang Mai and Susie did a great job showing us several temples, taking many pictures of us with the elephants at the sanctuary (a definite highlight of the entire trip!), and making sure we were well fed, which became a running joke between us.We had a very relaxing few days in phu*ket enjoying the beautiful beaches. Kai was great, answering all of our questions and giving us a nice tour of the old town. The all-day speedboat tour of the Phi Phi islands started off a little shaky as the sea was quite rough so if you’re at all uncomfortable bouncing around in a speedboat, you might want to skip that tour. Things did calm down as the day went on and some of the areas they took us to for swimming, snorkeling, etc were really beautiful. A couple of the islands were too crowded with people. Andrea Roberts, Feb 2024 | What a Wonderful Trip
What a Wonderful Trip! We booked with Sharon and our trip was great - guides were waiting for us at each stop, and they were all very nice and helpful. I cannot stress how amazing the guides were - they made the trip. Rachel, Feb 2024 | Ask for Victor!
If you are traveling to Bangkhok you need to request Victor. He made our trip amazing! My family completed bucket list items with his guidance. He knew exactly how to get us places, kept us on time, made us feel safe, educated us on history, spoke excellent English and was genuinely a nice man! Everyone we encountered was awesome- but Victor is the reason for my 5 star review! Sandy, Jan 2024 | Thank you Alisa for helping us plan a…
Thank you Alisa for helping us plan a wonderful trip to Thailand. We had a great time. The tour guides were wonderful as were the hotels you booked for us. We will definitely contact you to plan our next trip Carol Yeung, Jan 2024 | Ying was the best
Ying was the best. She was really knowledgeable and kind. Thank you Ying for wonderful experience in Thailand! Sylvester Yeung, Jan 2024 | Very well organized
Very well organized. Our tour guide, Ying, was amazing! She had full knowledge of every location we visited and made sure our itinerary was fulfilled as expected. She was extremely helpful for our airport experiences, and made sure we arrived at an appropriate time. David M. Kang, Jan 2024 | Family trip to Thailand
We were lucky to be greeted by Marie and her driver.In Marie, we have made a friend for life. She is incredibly smart and knowledgeable about her home country. From the vast number of temples to safely traversing Chinatown.She helped give us tips on our free days, locate left behind lost clothing and arrange for pickup. She even helped check us in for our flight to Chiang Mai.She prepared us ahead of time for every event we had scheduled and bonded with our kids, 3x 13 year olds. Justin Levenbrook, Jan 2024 | Thailand with and amazing tour guide Ying
I highly recommend Ying as a tour guide in Thailand. Her expertise in Thai culture, combined with her passion for food and genuine love for her country, made the tour an exceptional experience. If you're looking for a guide who will not only show you the sights but also immerse you in the local culture and help you discover delicious Thai cuisine, Ying is the perfect choice. Diana Irizarry, Jan 2024 | Asia Highlights Thailand trip
Asia Highlights provided us with a great travel trip. They made it very easy to navigate through Thailand with everything going very smoothly. From the easy transportation to the great day itinerary everything was awesome. Will definitely look to use this agency again in the future. Taylor Jones, Jan 2024 | Perfect 2 WK Thailand Trip for a Solo Female Traveler
Bank was our guide in Bangkok and he showed us around the city with ease and we were able to see and try things I never would have planned on my own. After Bangkok, our small group flew to Chiang Mai for Yi Peng lantern festival and that was a breathtaking experience that I will never forget! Pop was our guide in this city and she was knowledgeable, kind and caring which made our experience even more memorable. Tia, Dec 2023 | We recently have just returned from Thailand
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On our 5th day of our trip with Asiahighlights. We felt well taken care of before and it hasn’t changed since we started from Bangkok to Hanoi (guide Kim was verrry knowledgeable!) to Halong Bay (spectacular scenery) to Hoi An (guide Nhieu Tran, giving great local (shopping) tips and insights). Stefan Eisenhut, Dec 2023 |
Tour India with Us
You are warmly welcomed to have us customize your trip based on your group size, interests, and other needs. Sit back and use our Create My Trip service.
Or start from a recommended fully-modifiable itinerary:
- 14-Day Romantic Honeymoon Trip in India
- 9-Day India Golden Triangle with Tiger Safari
- 12-Day Family Holiday in India
- 11-Day India and Nepal Tour
Cancellation Policy: With Asia Highlights, you enjoy 100% refund of any payments made to China Highlights prior to 3 weeks before departure (detail⇒).
