When you think about India trip expenses, the total amount you’ll spend on food, transport, accommodation, and activities while traveling across India, most people guess too high—or too low. The truth? You can travel India for as little as $15 a day, or spend $500+ on a luxury train ride. It all depends on how you move, where you sleep, and what you want to see. South India trip cost, the price of exploring Kerala’s backwaters, Tamil Nadu’s temples, and Goa’s beaches runs differently than a travel budget India, a planned spending limit for a full-country journey that includes Ladakh’s high-altitude roads or Rajasthan’s desert forts.
There’s no single answer because India isn’t one place—it’s dozens of economies in one country. A meal in a roadside dhaba in Punjab costs less than a bottle of water in a tourist café in Goa. A night in a heritage hotel in Jaipur might run you $80, while a clean guesthouse in Mysore is $12. Public buses cost pennies; private taxis add up fast. And if you’re thinking about luxury, the world’s longest train journeys in India can cost more than a flight to Europe. India travel costs, the real-world numbers behind accommodation, food, transport, and entry fees for tourists vary wildly by region, season, and style. A couple on a tight budget might spend $300 for two weeks in South India, while a luxury traveler could easily hit $3,000 for the same time frame. It’s not about how much you have—it’s about how you spend it.
What you’ll find below are real, tested breakdowns from travelers who’ve done it. No guesswork. No inflated resort prices. Just what people actually paid for food, bikes, trains, temples, and homestays across India. You’ll see how much a weekend getaway costs, how far $500 stretches in South India, and why some places are surprisingly cheap while others eat your budget fast. Whether you’re planning a solo backpacking trip, a romantic honeymoon, or a luxury rail adventure, the posts here give you the numbers you need to plan without surprises.
Find out exactly how much money you need to travel to South India for two weeks, from budget backpacking to luxury stays. Real costs for food, transport, hotels, and tours.