India · budget
Delhi Budget Per Day: How Much Does a Trip Cost? — Trip Planner
Planning this trip in Delhi? Here’s how to decide what’s worth your time. What a day in Delhi costs — meals, transit, top attractions, and the bookable activities worth adding to the budget. Prices sourced from Viator listings, refreshed as they change.
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Budget-friendly experiences in Delhi
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What things cost in Delhi
Metro fares run INR 10 to 60 by distance and less again on a smart card. A thali in Karol Bagh costs INR 150 to 250, while Karim's mutton dishes sit around INR 300 to 450. Humayun's Tomb charges foreigners INR 600 against INR 40 for Indians. An autorickshaw across central Delhi is INR 80 to 150 on the meter.
What to eat in Delhi
Old Delhi settles arguments: Karim's behind Jama Masjid for mutton burra and nihari, Paranthe Wali Gali for stuffed fried parathas, Natraj on Chandni Chowk for dahi bhalla, Kuremal for kulfi frozen inside whole fruit. South Delhi runs the other register, with butter chicken at Moti Mahal Daryaganj, chaat at Bengali Market, and momos traceable to the Tibetan colony at Majnu ka Tila.
What first-timers get wrong in Delhi
Prepaid taxi counters at the airport and railway stations exist for a reason: touts outside will tell you your hotel has burned down or closed, then offer an alternative. It is a scam with a script. Buy a Delhi Metro tourist card, INR 200 for one day or INR 500 for three. Monument ticket counters shut an hour before the site itself does.
Delhi with kids, realistically
The Metro is the family's best asset here: air-conditioned, cheap, with a women-and-children coach at the front, though most stations mean stairs and a security queue. The National Rail Museum in Chanakyapuri lets children board steam engines and ride a toy train. Lodhi Garden is the good free run-around. Air quality collapses from late October into January, so check readings before outdoor days.
When the weather turns in Delhi
Delhi's problem is less steady rain than the July or August cloudburst that drowns underpasses within minutes. The National Museum works, and the Humayun's Tomb site museum opened in 2024 is largely sunken underground and dry throughout. Select Citywalk in Saket fills an indoor afternoon. The Metro keeps running when roads do not, and Chandni Chowk's lanes flood first, so postpone them.
When to go to Delhi
| Best months for budget per day | Avg daily high | Rain days |
|---|---|---|
| February | 24°C / 75°F | 2 days |
| November | 27°C / 81°F | 2 days |
| December | 21°C / 70°F | 2 days |
The month to avoid is July — around 34°C (93°F) with roughly 22 rain days. Prices and crowds track the weather here: February is the sweet spot, July the month most people skip.
Pack for peak season: Summer clothes, plus one light layer for air-con and evenings, Comfortable walking shoes — every guide on this site assumes you'll use them.