I am planning a trip to India in March. I usually travel on a budget and thus try to pick interesting places that are not too expensive so I am able to afford comfortable accommadations and good meals. I've been to places like Thailand, Guatamala and Prague and have always been able to travel comfortably in these countries because everyday expenses are very inexpensive. Now during my planning stage for my trip to India I am very surpised at the cost of hotels in India. I knew the airfare would be expensive but really thought that I could get good, centrally located hotels (a pool is a must) at good prices. Now I am wondering about the price of other goods and services in India. Can any of you frequent travelers to India tell me what to expect regarding costs. I am going to Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Udaipur. For example, What's the cost of an average meal at a nice restaurant? The cost of a can of coke, a cup of coffee, a bottle of water, a manicure or massage etc., etc., etc? I guess I'm just trying to get a feel for what to expect pricewise while in India. Everything that I have read seems to indicate that India is very inexpensive but so far I am not finding that at all. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Austine, India is VERY inexpensive.... honest! But there's a catch.... to really see the inexpensive side of India, you have to be prepared to live like the locals. Trust me, the locals do NOT think a pool is a must! If you do, then you are boxing yourself into the inevitable US chain hotels -- the Marriotts and the Raddisons and the Hyatts and the Hiltons -- which are just waiting for tourists who want to live like they do back at home, and who are quite happy to charge US-type prices to allow them to do so.

Similarly, there are palaces in cities like Udaipur that offer accommodation for tourists who want to live like a king, but you have to pay like a king to do it. We looked enviously at these when we were there, and often thought wistfully "Wouldn't that be nice?".... but there was no way we could have afforded to stay there.

However, that is not to say that we had lousy accommodation.... far from it! In Udaipur, for instance, we stayed in the Khumba Palace Guest House, whose back wall is actually the royal palace wall. We had air conditioning, a private bath, hot water, and a view.... but no pool. It cost us 250 rupees a night, for a double. What's that, about 5 and a half American dollars. Now that is pretty cheap, you'd have to agree. The meals (on the roof... great view) were cooked by the Indian husband of the European (Dutch?) owner, and they were about 90 or 100 rupees for a main course, and so tasty we still talk about them. The taxi to this hotel from the railway station cost 100 rupees (actually, it was an autorickshaw). The film for our cameras we bought from a small barber shop in a back alley -- it was freshly dated and perfectly good, and it cost us about a quarter of the price for the same brand in Australia. But I'll bet the US hotels would be charging top prices for this, and their meals, too! And expecting you to tip!

Our cheapest accommodation? Hampi. We had a bungalow with a double bed and mosquito net, private bath, our own patio with a hammock, and a view of the river. Paradise. 100 rupees for the two of us. The bungalow next door was being shared by three English tourists; it didn't have its own bathroom, but other than that it was the equal of ours. They were paying 40 rupees a night.... splitting it three ways, that was about 30c each.

India is a VERY inexpensive country.... but not if a pool is a must!

hi there,
agrees with above. India is very cheap. Even the tourist pay double of more of the price the locals pay. But a dinner in a nice (tourist) restaurant at a tourist place is not more than 3 US $. But a beer is about 1.5. Soft drinks are about 1. If You go to smaller restaurants where not only locals go and have a Thali plate (mixed veggies and fiesh/chicken... ) You will have a perfect dinner for less than 1 US $.
Hotel where tourist go are never worth the price they cost. When they are listet in Lonely Planet or something like that, the price rises up fast. We payed about 10 to 30 US $, Dehli was a little bit expensive. But we were trevelling with a car and driver, so we had his room on our bill ;-)
Dont collapse when seeing the entrees fees. Not so sure how much the Taj Mahal is right now, but I guess 30 US $, other things are seldom found under 5.
have fun
Gar

Austine, you, Alan and others have hit upon the anomaly that is travel in India! India does not - yet - have mid market acco. You can stay very expensive - which seems to be what you have enocuntered - or stay very cheap as Alan has done if you are willing to forego stuff like pools. Take a look at www.heritagehotels.com to get an idea of various ranges of hotels. I think a good travel agent may be able to find you hotels in your budget with a pool - bear in mind that as in Latin America and elsewhere good travel agents get you better deals than booking direct with hotel websites.

Some of the costs you asked. Can of coke - less than US$1. Manicure at premium hotel US$10-15, at mid market place US$5-8. Bottled water US$1-3. A meal anywhere between US$5-50 per head!

You can buy a liter of bottled water on the street for between 10-20 Rupies.

Can you travel in Feb? India could be pretty hot by then. As for costs a meal at Nirulas, a tourist testaurant in delhi was around $5.00 if memory serves me well. We had a grat meal at the Sheraton in Agra and I think it can to around $50.00 for 5 people. The costs are cheap. Don't worry. Do be careful about what you eat as sanitation there is not up to Western standards. As appetizing as they are avoid street vendors. Eat at good restaurants only and be careful of where you buy bottled water. Some use tap water and sell it as bottled.

Always check the seal on bottled water.

austine-Jasvilas in Jaipur has a great pool and rooms in Dec 2004 were around 1800 r's per night(US40) for 2.

Mahendra Prakash hotel(nice pool and lovely rooms)in Udaipur was cheaper at around US35 for two people. The Taj Mahal entrance fee is 750 r's or US17. "Must have" Thalis at a BUSY street vendor(one with a queue so food is FRESH) 10 r's(US.22c). A hand of bananas at a fruit vendor US.60c. Two chais, naan bread, rice & curry & desert at a clean sit down lunch place in Jaipur (Handi) US7 for two. I could go on. Good Coffee is expensive. Most people drink Chai for 5 r's. City (Delhi)hire car & driver for one day US18. Xmas Lunch at Rambagh Palace in Jaipur with wine & 3 courses US120. Manicure or pedicure 350 r's (US9)at Marriott Resort in Goa.

I gotta say, I agree with Alan and I might add if you really want to see some of the magic of India then maybe you need to get out of your "comfort zone"! A pool is often the breeding place of germs etc. if it is not properly maintained. I saw plenty of pools at lovely hotels and I would never swim in them. YUK!

A tip for great food-Ask a rickshaw driver to take you to a local office worker's lunch or dinner restaurant. Some of the cheapest & best food around! I think I advised you previously to buy a Footprint guidebook and phone, email or fax and book direct. You will save a lot and be dealing with the owners, in most cases. India is very cheap and for US50-70 per day for 2, it's possible to travel (rail) in class 2A and air cond bus & live very comfortably. We stayed at cheapies 4-5 nights (500-1200 r's US12-US25) then had 2-3 nights a week at mid-high priced hotels US40-US120.

These experienced India travelers are giving you good advice, Austine. One of the worst economies you can make is to take chances on your health. Hobbes hit the nail on the head when he observed that India has not developed middle-range tourist facilities to the extent that it should, considering the increased interest in visiting that fascinating country.

So be prepared for lack of sanitation, lack of cleanliness of the type you are used to, and a general disregard for tidiness. It's part of India's "charm" -- it's no place like home.

Just wash your hands with soap and water frequently, drink only bottled water from sealed bottles, and keep your fingers away from your hands and eyes. Do everything in your power to stay healthy -- and enjoy yourself. But don't think you are going to have a pool, a manicure, or whatever you take for granted in your homeland. India is India, always has been, always will be, and you are not going to change anything. Observe, but do not judge.

Thanks for all the great info. I really appreciate the great advice. The only reason I feel that a pool is a must while in India is because I know it will be very hot while I'm there (March) and would like a place to cool off at the end of the day. Also, I am not going to India for the sole purpose of experiencing luxury. It's just that, for me ,it is fun when I travel to some of these fantastic places that I am able to afford some luxuries that I normally wouldn't pay for while at home in New York i.e. daily massages, pedicures, manicures, exotic jewlery or a "soup to nuts meal" at a fabulous restaurant. Experiencing luxury is not why I am traveling to India but I was wondering what the price of some of these things would be to see if I could take advantage if the price is right. I don't have to count every penny but for me it is also helpful to know what the average prices are in the country that I am traveling to. Thanks again for your advice.

Hi again austine. We were in Sthn India (Goa, Bangalore, Mumbai,Mysore, Hampi,Kerala) in March 2005 and the weather was warm (Up to 32C) but not uncomfortable except for Kerala. The humidity in Kerala knocked us around. It is only towards the end of March that the heat really starts, at least that's what we experienced. Have fun!

Austine, you said you were going to Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, and Udaipur. It is not warm in March whatsoever in these places. March is the end of the cold season in these places so it will actually be Spring like weather. You don't need a pool.

Thank you everyone for the great info.

I recall seeing the temp in Udaipur at 119 in March of 2004. Not May, March. Some of my in-laws live in Ajmer, the same state as Udaipur and Jaipur. They said it started to get really hot this yr. by late Feb. When we left Delhi this yr, on Feb. 11 it was already in the low 80's.

We left Delhi on March 1st this year - temps reached into the high 70's/low 80's the week prior. I checked weather.com in early March - the temps were in the low 90's.