The Real Cost of Delhi

Per person: ₹5,000-9,000 total on a budget, ₹15,000-30,000 mid-range, ₹50,000-90,000 luxury.

Ridiculously cheap. I took a friend visiting from London around for a full day last winter — metro rides, Red Fort entry, street food lunch, a proper dinner at a sit-down restaurant, and two chai stops. His total spend was ₹1,900 (about £18). He kept asking if I was sure the prices were right. Street food meals run ₹50-200, metro is ₹10-60 per ride, and even the big monuments are only ₹550 for foreign nationals. The only things that approach Western prices are 5-star hotels and fine dining — and even those run 50-70% less than London or NYC equivalents.

Both. UPI works almost everywhere now, but carry ₹2,000-3,000 cash in small notes for autos and old-school street stalls.

Delhi Metro is the cheapest and most efficient option — ₹10-60 per ride, covers 390 stations. Second cheapest: Uber Auto / Ola Auto (₹30-150 for most rides within central Delhi). Regular auto-rickshaws work too but negotiate the fare first. Avoid Uber/Ola cars during rush hour — traffic makes them 3x slower than metro and 3x the cost.

Paharganj: Cheapest area, close to New Delhi station and metro, but chaotic. Good for ₹300-800/night hostels. Connaught Place: Mid-range, central, walkable, great metro access. ₹1,500-4,000/night. Karol Bagh: Good value hotels, local feel, metro-connected. ₹800-2,500/night. Avoid staying near the airport — it's 30+ minutes from everything.