How Far Does $20 Go in India? Budget Travel Tips You Need to Know

$20 might not get you far in big cities like New York or London—heck, where I live, that barely covers a takeout meal. But once you land in India? That same twenty bucks turns into a mini jackpot for budget travelers.

At the current exchange rate, $20 is roughly 1,700 Indian rupees. That doesn't sound massive, but in India, it's a small fortune when it comes to daily essentials. You can snag a decent bed in a backpacker hostel, fill up on street food all day, and still have change left for a few rickshaw rides or even a museum ticket.

If you're planning a trip and worried about how much you'll spend, this is the guide you want. I’m breaking down what $20 can really buy you on the ground, what to avoid so you don’t burn through your cash, and how you can live it up even when you’re counting every rupee. No wishy-washy ideas or generic advice—just clear, direct info you can use the second your plane lands.

• Daily Essentials with $20
• What You Eat and Drink
• Transport: How Far Can You Go
• Fun and Experiences on the Cheap

Daily Essentials with $20

Let’s get practical. If you want to see how far budget travel in India will stretch your wallet, here’s what $20 (about ₹1,700) really buys in daily life. Start off with the basics—sleep, shower, and staying connected.

• Hostels and Guesthouses: In most cities, you can score a clean bed in a shared hostel dorm for ₹500 to ₹800 ($6–10). Off the tourist trail, small guesthouses often ask just ₹300–₹500 per night.
• SIM Card and Data: Need a local SIM? A prepaid SIM with 1–2GB daily data and some talk time runs around ₹250 ($3). Jio and Airtel are reliable picks. The whole sign-up takes 15 minutes if you have your passport handy.
• Toiletries and Laundry: Shampoo, toothpaste, and other basics cost ₹100–₹150 ($1–2) total for small sizes. Laundry service is about ₹100–₹150 ($1–2) for a bag in most budget hostels, or you can hand-wash with a ₹10 bar of soap.

Want the numbers? Check this table for a quick snapshot:

Add it all up and you’re spending roughly ₹1,000 just for bed, data, and the basics. That leaves ₹700 for everything else you’ll want during the day. Not bad, right? Here’s a simple trick: book beds in person, and avoid the big booking apps’ markup—locals often shave a few bucks off if you pay cash.

What You Eat and Drink

Food is where you’ll really feel like you’re winning with your $20. Indian cities and towns are loaded with options, from tiny local joints to snack stalls rolling out steaming plates for prices that barely touch your wallet.

Let’s break down some real examples to give you an idea. That legendary masala dosa breakfast? In most south Indian cities, expect to pay about 70-100 rupees (roughly $1) for a plate, complete with chutneys and sambar. A filling thali (rice, bread, a few veggie dishes, dal, and pickle) at a basic eatery can cost just 120-180 rupees. Street vendors hawk spicy samosas for 15-30 rupees each. Bottled water, if you’d rather be safe, is 20-30 rupees a liter nearly everywhere.

To see just how far your budget travel can go for eating and drinking, here’s a quick look:

If you’re vegetarian or love Indian snacks, you’ll end up saving even more cash. Want to try some local sweets in Kolkata or Mumbai? A box of fresh jalebis sets you back maybe 60 rupees, about seventy cents. Eating like a local is the hack here, both for your budget and your taste buds.

You could drop a few extra bucks and eat in air-conditioned restaurants, but local “dhaba” or canteen-style places taste better for way less. Quick tip: Avoid busy tourist restaurant chains and stick to places that are packed with locals at lunch or dinner. That means good food and no tourist pricing.

• Stick to street food stands with high traffic for fresh eats.
• Bottled water is cheapest at small groceries, not tourist spots.
• South Indian breakfasts (idli, dosa) are super cheap and filling.
• Tea stalls are everywhere, and even a dozen cups won’t dent your daily budget.

Smart travelers can honestly eat and drink well all day for under $6. That gives you plenty of wiggle room for other stuff on your twenty-dollar budget.

Transport: How Far Can You Go

So, how far will $20 take you in India, transport-wise? A lot further than you’d guess. India’s transport system is built for locals, not tourists, so it’s usually dirt cheap and runs pretty much everywhere. With about 1,700 rupees in your pocket, you have plenty of options whether you’re hopping between cities or just getting around town.

Let’s break down some actual numbers—no guessing:

Buses are often the cheapest way to get around cities and small towns. For less than a dollar, you can criss-cross whole metropolitan areas. If you're in big cities like Delhi or Mumbai, metros are clean and fast. That's how locals commute, and the prices are fixed, so there’s no haggling or tourist markup.

Want to cover even more ground? Indian Railways is legendary. A second-class ticket from Delhi to Agra (the city of the Taj Mahal) can cost less than 150 rupees—so you could go there and back and still have enough for snacks. Overnight sleeper trains across states are a bargain, letting you save on a hotel for the night, too.

Auto-rickshaws and cycle rickshaws are everywhere in cities and towns. They may try to overcharge tourists, so use the meter or agree on a price before you hop in. For short distances, they're usually still a good deal, especially if you split fares with friends.

• India budget travel tip: Download rideshare apps like Ola and Uber. You’ll get upfront pricing, which can save you from tourist traps.
• Book train tickets in advance—popular routes get packed, so last-minute seats can be tough.
• Bargain gently with rickshaw drivers if there’s no meter—locals do it too.

Bottom line: with $20, you can travel from one city to another, or zig-zag your way across town all week. Compared to what you'd spend on taxis or public transport in the West, it’s a serious bargain.

Fun and Experiences on the Cheap

Here's where traveling in India really shines. You don’t have to drop big bucks to dive into the local scene, because even on a tight wallet, you get loads of options. For less than $3, you can walk into loads of historic sites—think the Red Fort in Delhi or City Palace in Jaipur. The best part? Most places have a big price difference between foreigner and local tickets, but major landmarks still cost way less than western attractions.

Let’s get specific. Entry to the Taj Mahal (Agra) is about 1,100 rupees for foreigners, so doing that plus other sights in one day kills your $20 quick. But stay clear of such outliers, and most spots are super friendly on your wallet. Museum visits cost anywhere from 50 to 300 rupees. Ancient ruins? Many, like Qutub Minar, are just a few hundred rupees.

If you’re into live culture, music gigs in cafes or small clubs in cities like Bangalore or Mumbai cost less than 500 rupees, which is under $6. You can take a yoga class in Rishikesh or Varanasi in the morning for peanuts and still have enough for a local market tour.

• If you really want to stretch your money, join free walking tours—most big cities like Delhi and Mumbai have them, and local guides work on tips.
• Look out for student discounts if you have your ID—many museums and historical sites offer big deals.
• Watching a Bollywood flick in an old-school theater is an experience; tickets are often less than 300 rupees, popcorn and all.
• Want to meet locals? Check out couchsurfing meetups or free yoga in city parks.

The real trick to budget travel in India is mixing in paid attractions with loads of free stuff. You can spend an afternoon wandering old city lanes, snapping street art, or joining a park crowd for cricket. In smaller towns, festival parades or temple fairs are 100% free—big scenes, local food stalls, and music everywhere.

Remember, your $20 won’t cover big-ticket tours, but for everything else—history, food, even a dance class or a night at the local theater—you’ll do more with less than almost anywhere else in the world.