India is one of the world's most flexible travel destinations in terms of budget. The same city that houses a ₹200-a-night hostel dorm also contains a palace hotel charging ₹50,000 a night. You can eat magnificently at a street stall for ₹80 or spend ₹4,000 on a tasting menu at an award-winning restaurant. Here is what each level of budget genuinely looks like on the ground.
Backpacker Budget: Under £30 / Under $38 per Day
India remains one of the world's great backpacker destinations. Your rupee stretches extraordinarily far at this level.
Accommodation: Hostel dorms in well-located party hostels (Zostel, Moustache, and Backpacker Panda are the three main chains with consistent quality) cost ₹400–700 (£4–7) per night. Budget guesthouses with private rooms start around ₹800–1,200 (£8–12).
Food: Street food and local dhabas (roadside canteens) are your territory — and this is where some of India's best food lives. A full thali meal at a local restaurant costs ₹100–200. Chai from a street wallah costs ₹10–20. Budget realistically ₹400–600 per day for excellent, varied eating.
Transport: Local trains, state buses, and Sleeper class on overnight trains. The Indian Railways Sleeper class at ₹300–600 for an overnight journey is extraordinary value. Local city buses and Metro systems are well-priced.
Extras: Entry to most archaeological sites costs more for foreign nationals than locals (this is policy, not a scam). Budget ₹300–600 per day for major sites like the Taj Mahal (₹1,100 for foreign visitors).
Total realistic daily budget: ₹2,500–3,500 — approximately £25–35 / $30–45.
Mid-Range: £60–120 / $75–150 per Day
This is perhaps India's most rewarding travel tier — you unlock genuine comfort, private transport, and access to India's extraordinary heritage hotel scene, without the excessive spend of full luxury.
Accommodation: 3-star business hotels and boutique guesthouses — clean, reliable, often with swimming pools and good breakfast included. Expect to pay ₹3,000–7,000 (£30–70) per night. India's haveli (heritage mansion) guesthouses in Rajasthan and Kerala's homestays are superb value at this tier.
Food: Restaurant meals at mid-range Indian restaurants (₹500–1,200 per meal), occasional Western food, craft beers, and good filter coffee in Bengaluru. Street food remains genuinely good and safe at any budget level — it is not something you outgrow.
Transport: 2AC or 3AC train class overnight, private taxis for day trips, Ola/Uber in cities. Occasional domestic flights when the time saving justifies the cost.
Extras: Private guided tours of major monuments (₹1,500–2,500 for a half-day with a qualified guide), cooking classes, yoga workshops.
Total realistic daily budget: ₹6,000–12,000 — approximately £60–120 / $75–150.
Luxury: £200+ / $250+ per Day
India's luxury hotel scene is arguably the world's finest for value — the same standards that cost £600+ per night in London or New York cost £150–250 at India's finest properties, and the service is extraordinary.
Accommodation: The Oberoi collection, AMAN resorts, Taj Hotels (the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai and Rambagh Palace in Jaipur are among the world's great hotels), and the extraordinary heritage palace hotels of Rajasthan (Sujan Jawai, Raas Devigarh). Expect ₹20,000–70,000+ (£200–700+) per night.
Food: Fine dining at restaurants like Indian Accent (Delhi/New York/London), Bukhara at ITC Maurya Delhi, and the Taj's restaurants — modern Indian cuisine at world-class level. A fine dining dinner for two with wine: ₹8,000–15,000.
Transport: Private car and driver for the duration of your trip (₹5,000–8,000 per day), First Class (1AC) train travel, private charter flights for remote destinations (Leh, Corbett).
Experiences: Private sunset at the Taj Mahal (possible through certain operators), tiger safaris in premium jeep-exclusive zones, cooking classes with starred chefs, helicopter rides over Varanasi.
Total realistic daily budget: ₹20,000–80,000+ — approximately £200–800+ / $250–1,000+.
Hybrid Strategies
Most experienced India travellers mix tiers intelligently. Splurge on one or two nights in a genuinely special palace hotel, and balance it with budget guesthouses either side. Eat street food at lunch and go to a good restaurant for dinner. Travel 2AC on the train but hire a private driver for a day trip. India rewards this kind of flexible thinking.