Budget Travel Tips for Students and First-Time Travelers

Summary:

• A full day of travel, food, and sightseeing in India costs around Rs. 1,100 if done smartly.
• Recommends trains/rentals over flights/cabs, eating where locals eat, and timing trips.
• Covers accommodation (hostels/guesthouses), food costs, and safety tips for budget travelers.

Regarding budget travel, a key distinction we need to acknowledge first is that most of the online budget travel guides are written by individuals who haven't budget traveled for at least 3 years. For example, the previously Rs.80 thali meal that we were all excited to find that was previously Rs.80 has now crossed Rs.250. Similarly, the 'hidden gem' guesthouse that is fully booked, 2 months in advance, is probably the guesthouse people are writing about. The guesthouse has over 200 five-star reviews. Costs are always changing and so is the availability of budget travel. If you are looking for a good money-saving travel strategy for the years 2025-2026, you are in the right place.

The money-saving strategies outlined for the years 2025-2026 are strategies that will continue working for years to come. This is a budget traveling guide to India, so look at this guide to learn how to budget travel in India. The good news is, if you want to budget travel, India is one of the best places to travel on a budget.

Pack lightly and use the trains. Avoid excessive budget flights and use local taxis over hired cars. For the truly budget friendly, use public transportation over all. With all this in mind, the cost for travel, accommodations, and food to sightsee for a day throughout India comes to about Rs.1,100.

Cost outweighs all other factors and is the most important in budget travel.

Traveling in Goa in December, for example, vs traveling in June, will end up costing about 3 times as much. To keep costs low, use budget travel recommendations to be considerate of travel times. To reach Manali at peak travel time is frustrating due to the one lane road that ends up over congested and is no fun if you hit traffic.

To get better travel deals try to book trips during the shoulder seasons. For Ladakh visit in June. For Goa, travel in late October, and in Coorg travel in August while avoiding the weekend. North India travel is more expensive from October to January. It is more expensive to travel during the monsoon (June to August), however, there is less travel chaos and the views and waterfalls are nice and will help give you a better price. Even in a country as big and bustling as India, travel on the weekdays to score the best prices.

Rental bikes offer great freedom and flexibility over taking a cab. Travel expense wise, it's the best and most underutilized travel tip. To put it in the perspective of Nandi Hills, Bangalore, a bike rental costs about Rs.300-400, while the cab fare is upwards of Rs.1,800-2,500. Go for a ride, make a few stops, and skip Nandi. Enjoy a two hour view. Do you want to pay Rs.1,500-3,000 for a cab to sightsee or Rs.300 for a scooter? The choice is pretty simple and saves you money on accommodation in the long run.

Flights vs. Trains - Why the True Cost of the Bargain Flight Is Rarely Rs.999

While budget airlines price flights at Rs.999, the actual ticket price is statistically found at Rs.3500 to Rs.4200, after taxes, fees, and the cost of a checked bag. Add on the cost of a Rs.400 taxi to the airport, which is around a 40 minute drive away from the city. Alternatively, a sleeper or 3AC class train, which does the journey in a more comfortable fashion, costs less and has the added benefit of dropping you in the city center.

• Book more than 2 weeks in advance on the IRCTC to avoid limited seat availability
• Going with the overnight sleeper class is a good option. Bring along a thin bedsheet and some food to last you.
• The cost of a Tatkal ticket is still cheaper than a plane ticket, even while the cost goes up by 30 to 50 percent.
• Travelling with four or more people makes it possible to rent a cab for the journey at a cheaper cost than the train.

Accommodation

The cheapest option for accommodation in India will always be a hostel, and they are even cheaper if they are within five walking minutes of the tourist spots. Staying at a hostel will help you avoid the increasing costs of each meal, auto, and convenience purchase that add up for the accommodation located right next to the tourist spots.

• A stay at a hostel in India will cost around Rs.300-600 per night in a dorm, or Rs.900-1200 per night for a private room. Good options to search are GoStops and Zostel, or better rated ones.
• Private hostel rooms should cost between Rs.700-1,200. If you're traveling with a partner you should definitely consider getting a private room. Otherwise it may be worth it if you get a better sleep than the money you save.
• For a stay of three nights or more it's worth staying at local guesthouses. If you're in a small town or Tier 2 city you'll find they usually have a better price, are quieter and cleaner than the local hostel.
• One rule worth remembering is that accommodation that has 'resort', 'view', 'plaza' or 'international' in the name will usually be overpriced.

Eating

You should always look for the places local people eat if you want the best value for your money. There is a popular place in every main street of the tourist areas that serves a good meal, but if you go a few streets back you should be able to get that same meal at less than half the price.

• Local dhaba thali: Rs.80-150. You may even be able to skip the afternoon snack.
• Street breakfast - poha, idli-sambar, vada, chai: Rs.30-60. This breakfast option is usually better than what you'll find at your hotel.
• Bring a refillable water bottle instead of buying water. You should be able to spend Rs.50-100 a day on water instead of the Rs.350-700 a week you'll spend on packaged water.

What Things Should Actually Cost

Travel in India costs Rs.1,100 for a full day of travel, eating, and sightseeing. This cost isn't for camping, but for being frugal and not choosing the most convenient option.

Working out a plan and route that requires your own wheels? ONNBikes offers scooters starting at Rs.300/day and bikes for Rs.500/day in Bangalore, Jaipur, Udaipur and more. No need for deposits, or wasting time with paperwork - just book and go.

You don't need to sacrifice safety or comfort for any of these deals - just smart spending. You need the right day and season for the right transport. If you get the timing right and use local transport, the rest of your budget will be fine. Here are the questions everyone has.

Questions People Usually Have

Question: What does a trip to India cost a student?

Answer: A trip to India costs Indians between Rs.800-1,200, with Rs.1,200 being the cost for the most expensive places (especially Goa and the hill stations). For the cheapest rate, stay in a Tier 2 city (Mysore, Vizag, Udaipur) for Rs.700-900. Staying and eating in the places that are inexpensive is ideal.

Question: How can local transportation be inexpensive in India?

Answer: The cost of local transportation negatively impacts budgets when paying station to station. However, ONNBikes has scooters available for rent for an average cost of Rs.300-400. Rentals give you the freedom to go where you please. Compare that to the cost of an auto or cab, between Rs.150-250, and you can see the savings by renting over the course of 3-4 days, Rs.800-1,500.

Question: Should I be concerned about safety when traveling on a budget in India?

Answer: Traveling on a budget in India is pretty safe, as long as you stay where the reviews are good, tell someone your plan, and avoid the obvious risky activities after dark. Women budget travelers especially should avoid making risky travel choices like picking up an auto from the roadside instead of using the safer ONNBikes.

Ready to Plan Your Own Trip?

Budget travel in India rewards a little planning more than it rewards luck. Get the timing right, lean on trains and local transport over flights and cabs, and eat where the locals eat, and Rs.1,100 a day covers a full, comfortable day of travel.

Book a scooter or bike with ONNBikes in Bangalore, Jaipur, Udaipur and other cities across India for Rs.300-500/day, with no deposit and no paperwork, and turn your budget trip into your own itinerary instead of someone else's schedule.