India Trip Cost Calculator
Estimate what an India trip costs from Australia in 2026, including flights to Delhi or Mumbai, the e-visa fee, the foreigner ticket prices at major monuments, and whether to fly or take the train between cities.
Mid-range daily spend: good three or four-star hotel, restaurant meals, drivers, guides and monument entries.
India uses the rupee, at roughly 55 to 58 rupees per Australian dollar. A 400 rupee restaurant meal is about $7 and a 6,000 rupee hotel night about $105. India remains the cheapest destination in this comparison for daily living costs, with the caveat that transport over long distances and private guiding add up faster than people expect.
Book AC class rather than sleeper class on long train journeys, and book early. IRCTC releases most tickets 60 days ahead and popular routes such as Delhi to Agra, Jaipur and Varanasi sell out well before departure, after which you are into the waitlist and Tatkal systems. Foreign tourists can also access a small dedicated quota on some routes.
💰 Ways to save
- Choose trains for the classic corridors and flights for the long ones. Delhi to Agra on the Gatimaan or Shatabdi takes under two hours and costs around $20 in chair car, which is faster and cheaper than flying once you include airport transfers. But Delhi to Kerala or Goa is a two-day train journey against a two hour flight for $60 to $130 on IndiGo, so paying for the flight buys back days of your holiday.
- Hire the car and driver by the multi-day itinerary rather than city to city. A Rajasthan loop covering Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur booked as one arrangement typically runs $70 to $110 a day all-in, while stringing together individual intercity transfers costs considerably more and leaves you renegotiating constantly. Confirm in writing that the price includes fuel, tolls, parking and the driver's accommodation.
- Stay in heritage havelis rather than international hotel chains. Rajasthan in particular has hundreds of converted family properties charging $70 to $160 a night for rooms with far more character than a $250 chain room in the same city, usually including breakfast and often the best food in town. They are also generally far better sources of local advice than a hotel concierge desk.
- Budget monument entries as a separate line and buy tickets online in advance where offered. Foreigner ticket prices are published and non-negotiable, and across a Golden Triangle trip they total $100 to $160 per person. Buying online for the Taj Mahal, Amber Fort and the Delhi sites avoids both the queue and the guides who attach themselves to visitors at the ticket window and then negotiate a fee afterwards.
or from $14/week over 5 years , indicative finance
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## What an India trip costs from Australia in 2026
Pricing reviewed: June 2026.
Pricing reviewed June 2026. Indicative Australian costs, not a quote.
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Understanding india trip costs in Australia
What an India trip costs from Australia in 2026
India has the widest cost range of any destination covered here, because the same route can be travelled for $40 a day or $500 a day with equal ease. A backpacker in guesthouses eating thalis and travelling by sleeper train genuinely manages on around $40 a day. A mid-range traveller in good three and four-star hotels with a private driver on the Rajasthan legs, restaurant meals, guides and monument entries spends about $95 a day. A comfortable trip through heritage palace hotels with a car, driver and guide throughout runs $220 a day and can go much higher at the top end. Over sixteen nights, that produces totals from roughly $2,400 to well past $8,000 including the flight.
Flights from Australia
Air India and Qantas operate direct services from Sydney and Melbourne to Delhi, with Bengaluru also served direct, and a wide range of one-stop options through Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and the Gulf carriers. Return economy fares typically run $900 to $1,300 in the shoulder months and $1,500 to $2,000 across the December to January peak and the July school holidays. Perth is often the cheapest departure point given its geography. Because India is so large, an open-jaw itinerary is frequently the smart structure, for example flying into Delhi for the north and out of Kochi or Mumbai after a southern leg, which avoids a long and expensive backtrack at the end of the trip.
The e-visa for Australian passport holders
Australian passport holders need a visa for India, and the practical route is the official e-visa. As at time of writing the 30 day tourist e-visa costs about USD 25, roughly $42, with one year and five year multiple entry options available at higher fees that are often better value if you expect to return. Applications go through the Indian government's official e-visa portal, require a passport scan and a photograph, and are normally processed within a few business days, though it is sensible to apply at least two weeks ahead. As with Vietnam, numerous commercial lookalike sites charge several times the official fee for the same document. Confirm the current fee structure and eligibility with Smartraveller and the Indian High Commission before booking.
Seasons, heat and monsoon
India's travel calendar is dominated by heat and monsoon rather than school holidays. October to March is the main season for the north, with pleasant days and cool nights, and December to January is both the most comfortable and the most expensive, with Delhi fog occasionally disrupting flights. April to June brings extreme heat across the northern plains and Rajasthan, regularly above 42 degrees, which is a health consideration rather than merely uncomfortable. The southwest monsoon arrives in Kerala around June and moves north, bringing heavy rain through September that disrupts road and rail travel. The exceptions worth knowing are that Ladakh and the Himalayan regions are only accessible in summer, and Kerala's monsoon has its own following for Ayurvedic retreats at heavily discounted rates.
Trains versus domestic flights
India's rail network is one of the world's great travel experiences and also its main source of itinerary frustration. Short corridor journeys are excellent value, with Delhi to Agra on a fast train taking under two hours for around $20 in chair car, and overnight AC sleeper legs on routes like Delhi to Varanasi or Jaipur to Jodhpur costing $20 to $45. The difficulty is booking. IRCTC releases most tickets 60 days ahead, popular trains sell out quickly, and the waitlist and Tatkal systems are confusing for visitors. Domestic aviation is the alternative and is genuinely cheap, with IndiGo and Air India fares of $60 to $130 for legs that would take a day and a half by rail. The sensible approach is rail for the classic short corridors and flights for anything crossing the country.
Where Indian budgets actually go
The daily costs are low, so the budget is shaped by four discrete items. First, monument entries, where foreigner pricing is published and substantially higher than resident pricing, totalling $100 to $160 per person across a Golden Triangle route. Second, private car and driver arrangements, at $70 to $110 a day, which most mid-range travellers use for Rajasthan and which is genuinely worth the money given road conditions. Third, domestic transport across long distances. Fourth, the set-piece experiences such as a Kerala backwaters houseboat at around $200 to $300 for an overnight, or a tiger safari at $100 to $180 per drive at parks like Ranthambore and Kanha. Everything else, food, local transport and mid-range accommodation, is inexpensive by Australian standards.
Building an estimate you can trust
Decide your regions first and resist trying to combine the north and the far south in under three weeks. Set the flight as an open jaw if your route allows. Then build three separate lines: accommodation by city, ground transport including drivers and flights, and a fixed allowance for monument entries and set-piece experiences. Allow $20 to $35 a day for food and incidentals at the mid-range, which is comfortable almost everywhere. Add good travel insurance with medical evacuation cover, which matters more here than in most destinations on this list. The resulting number is usually far lower than people expect for the amount of travel involved, which is exactly why India rewards a longer trip rather than a shorter one.
Frequently asked questions
How much spending money do I need for two weeks in India?
Excluding flights and accommodation, budget around $450 for two weeks as a backpacker eating locally and using trains, about $1,100 to $1,400 mid-range including a private driver for part of the route, guides, monument entries and restaurant meals, and $2,800 or more for a comfortable trip with a car and guide throughout. Set aside $100 to $160 separately for foreigner monument tickets on a Golden Triangle itinerary.
Do Australians need a visa for India?
Yes. Australian passport holders use the official Indian e-visa, which at time of writing costs about USD 25, roughly $42, for a 30 day tourist visa, with one year and five year multiple entry options at higher fees. Apply through the Indian government's own e-visa portal, since many commercial sites charge several times the official fee. Allow at least two weeks before departure and confirm the current position with Smartraveller and the Indian High Commission.
Is it better to fly or take the train in India?
Trains win on short classic corridors and flights win on long ones. Delhi to Agra takes under two hours for about $20 in chair car and beats flying door to door. Delhi to Kerala or Goa is a two-day rail journey against a two hour IndiGo flight at $60 to $130, so flying buys back days of holiday. Book rail through IRCTC as early as possible, since most tickets release 60 days out and popular routes sell out.
How much is the Taj Mahal entry fee for foreigners?
Around 1,300 rupees including the mausoleum surcharge, roughly $23, and prices for foreign visitors are published and openly higher than resident rates across Indian monuments. Amber Fort, Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb and the Red Fort each carry foreigner rates of about $8 to $20. Buy online in advance where offered to avoid both the queue and the unofficial guides who attach themselves at ticket windows.
What is the best time of year to visit India?
October to March for the north and Rajasthan, with December and January the most comfortable and most expensive. Avoid April to June in the northern plains, when temperatures regularly exceed 42 degrees, and July to September when the monsoon disrupts road and rail travel. Summer is the only time Ladakh and the high Himalaya are accessible, and Kerala's monsoon season brings heavily discounted rates for Ayurvedic retreats.
How much does a car and driver cost in India?
Roughly $70 to $110 a day for a Rajasthan or Golden Triangle itinerary, typically including fuel, tolls and the driver's own accommodation, though you should confirm all of that in writing. Booking the whole loop as one arrangement is cheaper than stringing together individual city-to-city transfers, and it is worth agreeing upfront that the route excludes commission-driven shopping stops at emporiums, which is the most common source of friction.
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