India travel costs: How much does it really cost to explore India?

When people ask about India travel costs, the total money needed to visit India, including food, transport, accommodation, and entry fees. Also known as India trip budget, it’s not one number—it’s a range shaped by where you go, how you move, and what kind of experience you want. You can wander through ancient temples on $10 a day, or ride a luxury train across Rajasthan for $2,000 a night. There’s no single answer, but there are clear patterns.

Taj Mahal tickets, the entry fee to one of India’s most visited landmarks. Also known as Agra monument entry, it costs just $15 for foreigners, but add a guide, transport from Delhi, and a sunrise visit, and you’re looking at $50–$80 for the whole day. That’s the kind of detail that changes everything. Same with luxury train India, premium rail journeys like the Palace on Wheels or Maharajas’ Express. These aren’t just trains—they’re five-star hotels on rails, and they start at $1,500 per person for a three-night trip. For most travelers, they’re a splurge. For others, they’re the whole point of the trip. Then there’s honeymoon cost India, the average spend for couples seeking romance, privacy, and cultural depth. It’s not just resorts and candlelit dinners—it’s private guides, helicopter rides over Jaipur, and secluded beach stays in Kerala. Budgets range from $3,500 to $20,000, depending on how much you want to feel like royalty. Most travelers don’t realize how much local transport eats into budgets. A train from Delhi to Agra? $5. A private car for a full day? $40. A flight from Goa to Delhi? $100. These add up fast if you’re not planning ahead.

India’s beauty isn’t in how much you spend—it’s in how smartly you spend it. You can eat street food for $1, sleep in a family-run guesthouse for $12, and still stand in front of the Taj Mahal at sunrise without a crowd. Or you can book a luxury train, dine in five-star heritage hotels, and hire a personal photographer for your temple tour. Both are valid. Both are real. The difference? Your priorities. What you’ll find below are real, firsthand breakdowns of what people actually pay—from backpackers who slept on trains to couples who flew private to Kerala. No fluff. No guesses. Just the numbers that matter.