Travel India For Over Two Months On Only $1,000? It Can Be Done

A little ways back we asked the question: How Many Days Can I Travel In [Insert Country Here] With $1,000? - a post based upon a Rough Guides analysis of the cost of travel in various countries. Seeing this as a challenge rather than a suggestion, travel writer Jed Purses decided to light out for India — the cheapest of the countries listed in the chart (they estimated you could get by for 71 days on $1,000) — and catalog his own expenses. This is what happened.

• In total, he spent $1,242.13, or about $17.49/day (at Rs45 = $1).

• Mumbai and Agra cost the most per day ($45 and $33 per day, respectively), and Darjeeling was the cheapest ($10.76).

• Like anywhere else, eating street food is king. Eating chaat to dal and rice cost him 50 cents or less, two samosas cost around 30 cents, a vegetarian thali was about $1, and kachori, the author’s favorite, was around 30 cents.

• Though he didn’t do it, CouchSurfing abounds in India, and it could’ve shaved off a signifigant amount of expenses for him.

Overall, Purses concluded traveling India on $1,000 for 71 days can be done with a little diligence and some planning ahead.

Who’s with me in challenging Perses to try this out in another country?

[India: 71 days on $1,000/Matador]

Posted on July 19, 2011 by Matt Stabile