Delhi
Delhi on a budget: cheap food, stays and free sights
Plan on ₹1,500–3,500 (about $18–42) per person per day: a dorm or basic room, street and thali food, metro and auto rides, and one paid monument. Stay in Paharganj or near a metro line, eat where locals queue, and use free sights and the metro to keep the total down.
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GuideDelhi
Key facts
- Backpacker day
- ₹1,500–3,500 per person (2026 estimate)
- Mid-range day
- ₹4,400–10,200 per person (2026 estimate)
- Cheapest bed
- Dorm or basic room ₹500–1,200 (2026 estimate)
- Cheapest meal
- Thali ₹150–350; chai ₹15–30 (2026 estimate)
- Metro ride
- ₹10–60 depending on distance (2026 estimate)
- Cheapest monthscheck
- July–September for room rates; also the hottest and wettest
- Free sights
- India Gate, Lodhi Garden, Raj Ghat, Hauz Khas ruins, most gurdwaras
- Cash
- Small rupee notes for autos, stalls and tickets; UPI is hard without an Indian account
Top picks
Delhi is one of the cheapest big cities in Asia to travel in if you sleep simply and eat where locals eat. The money you save on a bed and a thali pays for the monuments, which are the one place where foreigner pricing bites.
Base yourself within walking distance of a metro station. Paharganj and the lanes around New Delhi station are the classic backpacker zone: cheap rooms, cheap food, airport and rail links. South Delhi around Hauz Khas and Green Park costs more but is quieter and still on the Yellow Line.
- Sleep in a dorm or basic room and share a private room where you can.
- Eat thali and street food at busy stalls instead of hotel restaurants.
- Use the metro for long hops and walk or auto for the last kilometre.
- Do the free sights first and pay for one or two monuments.
- Carry small notes: change is often short at stalls and autos.
| Pick | Price (2026 estimate) | Hours | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dorm bed, Paharganj or Karol Bagh | ₹500–1,200 | 24h reception, check-in usually from 12:00 | Cheapest sleep near the metro |
| Basic private room | ₹1,200–2,500 | Check-in from 12:00, check-out 11:00–12:00 | Two sharing brings the day cost down |
| Thali at a local restaurant | ₹150–350 | Lunch roughly 12:00–15:00, dinner 19:00–22:30 | One plate, several dishes, usually refillable |
| Chai and snacks from a stall | ₹15–30 | From about 06:00 to 22:00 | Cheapest breakfast or afternoon break |
| Delhi Metro | ₹10–60 per ride | About 05:00–23:00; women's coach at the front | Fastest and cheapest way across the city |
| Auto-rickshaw, short hop | ₹50–150 | All day; metered or agreed before you get in | Use for the last kilometre from the metro |
| India Gate and Rajpath lawns | Free | Open all day; best light early morning | Free monument and people-watching |
| Lodhi Garden | Free | About sunrise to sunset | Tombs, lawns and a free morning |
| Gurudwara Bangla Sahib | Free | Open most hours; head covered | Free visit and free community meal |
| Red Fort (foreigner ticket) | ₹500–600 — check | Closed Mondays | The big paid sight; budget half a day |
Hours are typical; confirm before you go.
Prices and hours
The daily totals below are per person, sharing a room at the mid and comfort levels. Flights, visas and cars with drivers are not included. Everything is a 2026 estimate and moves with the season.
Two things change the maths more than anything else. First, foreigners pay 10–20 times the Indian price at monuments, so a single Red Fort or Qutub Minar ticket can equal a day of food. Second, room rates in Delhi swing hard: December and January are peak, the monsoon months are cheapest, and a wedding or a big event can double prices for a weekend.
- Chai from a stall: ₹15–30.
- Thali at a local restaurant: ₹150–350.
- Uber, 10 km in Delhi: ₹200–400.
- Delhi Metro ride: ₹10–60.
- Kingfisher beer in a bar: ₹200–450.
- Taj Mahal ticket, foreigner, including the main tomb: ₹1,300 — check.
| Tier | Bed | Food | Transport | Sights | Total per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | ₹500–1,200 | ₹400–700 | ₹200–500 | ₹300–800 | ₹1,500–3,500 |
| Mid-range | ₹1,500–4,000 | ₹1,000–2,000 | ₹800–2,000 | ₹800–1,500 | ₹4,400–10,200 |
| Comfort | ₹8,000–25,000 | ₹3,000–6,000 | ₹3,500–7,000 | ₹1,500–3,000 | ₹17,000–44,000 |
2026 estimate, per person per day, sharing a room at mid and comfort. Flights, visas and cars with drivers are not included.
Getting there
Indira Gandhi International Airport is the main entry point. The Airport Express line runs to New Delhi station in about 20 minutes and connects to the metro network; a prepaid taxi or app cab takes longer in traffic and costs more. From the station areas, most budget beds are a short walk or one auto ride away.
Within the city, the metro is the budget backbone: fares are distance-based, trains run from roughly 05:00 to 23:00, and the women's coach is at the front. Buy a rechargeable metro card if you are staying several days; it saves queuing for tokens each time. Autos and app cabs fill the gaps, but agree the fare or insist on the meter before you get in.
- Airport Express to New Delhi station: about 20 minutes (check current fare).
- Metro: roughly 05:00–23:00, fares ₹10–60.
- Auto short hop: ₹50–150, agree first.
- Uber or Ola, 10 km: ₹200–400.
- Prepaid taxi desk inside the airport is the safest arrival option.
FAQ
Questions people ask
How much do I need per day in Delhi?
A backpacker day costs about ₹1,500–3,500 (roughly $18–42) per person: dorm or basic room, street and thali food, metro and auto rides, and one paid sight. Mid-range travel runs ₹4,400–10,200. These are 2026 estimates and exclude flights and visas.
Where can I eat cheaply in Delhi?
Thali restaurants and busy street stalls are the cheapest full meals, at ₹150–350, with chai at ₹15–30. Eat where locals queue and food is cooked to order. Old Delhi and the lanes around Paharganj have the densest cheap options.
What are the cheapest months for Delhi?
Room rates are lowest in the monsoon months, roughly July to September, but that is also the hottest and wettest time. December and January are peak season and cost the most. Check current rates before booking, since events can move prices.
Are there free things to do in Delhi?
Yes. India Gate and the Rajpath lawns, Lodhi Garden, Raj Ghat, the Hauz Khas ruins and most gurdwaras cost nothing to visit. Gurudwara Bangla Sahib also serves a free community meal. Hours vary, so check before you go.
Is the Delhi Metro cheaper than taxis?
Much cheaper. A metro ride costs ₹10–60, while a 10 km app cab is ₹200–400. The metro also avoids Delhi traffic. Use autos or cabs only for the last kilometre from a station.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialDelhi Metro Rail Corporation
- officialIncredible India (Ministry of Tourism)
- officialDelhi Tourism
- secondaryWikivoyage – Delhi