India travel costs: What you really pay for flights, food, stays, and more

When people ask India travel costs, the total amount a visitor spends on flights, accommodation, food, visas, and activities while traveling in India. Also known as India trip budget, it’s not about how cheap the country is—it’s about how wisely you spend. Many assume India is always cheap, but that’s only true if you know where to look. A $160 Indian visa cost, the fee US citizens pay for a 10-year multiple-entry tourist visa to India alone can throw off your plan if you forget it’s non-refundable and takes time to process. And while a street-side meal might cost ₹80, a luxury train ride on Route 1 or a skydive in Goa can easily run ₹15,000 or more.

Where you go changes everything. A beach trip to Goa needs a different budget than a trek in the Himalayas or a temple tour in Uttar Pradesh. Flying into the right airport—like Goa’s Dabolim instead of a distant city—can save you hours and ₹2,000 in ground transport. Safety matters too: staying in Indore, India’s safest city for tourists, means fewer scams and less stress, which translates to fewer hidden costs. Even something as simple as choosing the right season cuts your flight and hotel prices by half. Monsoon season isn’t just wet—it’s wallet-friendly.

You’ll find posts here that break down exactly what you pay for skydiving in Bangalore, how much a temple pilgrimage to Tirupati really costs, and whether a 5-day honeymoon in India can fit under ₹50,000. We’ve pulled real numbers from travelers who’ve done it—no guesses, no fluff. You’ll see how a family of four can spend under ₹2,000 a day in South India, or how a solo traveler stretched ₹15,000 for 10 days in Rajasthan. We cover visa fees, airport transfers, food in cities versus villages, and why some "budget" hotels charge extra for AC or hot water. This isn’t about being cheap. It’s about being smart. What you’ll read below isn’t a list of prices—it’s a map to spending less without missing out.