How much does a trip to India cost? 2027 Golden Triangle budget for 7 days

The totals

These totals cover everything on the ground for the whole week: rooms, three meals and drinks every day, the airport transfer, the train to Agra, a car from Agra via Fatehpur Sikri to Jaipur and from Jaipur back to Delhi airport, local rides, monument tickets at the foreign visitor rate, guides, the e-Tourist visa, an eSIM and a 10% buffer for snacks, tips and small surprises. Only the international flight is separate, and it is priced at the end. Euro figures use the European Central Bank rate of 20 October 2026 (EUR 1 = INR 106.45).

The model trip

Two adults share one private room for 7 days and 6 nights, from Wednesday 10 to Tuesday 16 February 2027, following our Golden Triangle itinerary: three nights in Delhi for the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Humayun's Tomb and the Qutb Minar; a day train to Agra on Saturday for Agra Fort, Itimad-ud-Daulah and Mehtab Bagh; the Taj Mahal at sunrise on Sunday, then a car via Fatehpur Sikri to Jaipur; the City Palace, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar and Nahargarh; and Amber on the last morning before the drive back to Delhi airport for a late flight. Prices were checked on 21 October 2026.

UK and EU passport holders need a visa for India. The 30-day e-Tourist visa costs USD 25 between July and March for most European passports, plus a 3% card charge, and the totals include it. See India entry requirements. Most hotels have not published rates for February 2027, train fares only show in a live IRCTC search, and some Jaipur monuments do not publish their foreign visitor fee online, so those figures are estimates marked "about", based on the rates we could see.

Budget: about INR 98,000 for two

A YMCA room, a homestay and a hostel private room, street food and simple restaurants, the metro, AC chair car on the train and the cheapest car on the road days.

• Rooms, about INR 28,200. An Executive Double with bathroom at the New Delhi YMCA Tourist Hostel (INR 6,245 a night with breakfast and all taxes), a room at Aman Homestay near the Taj's East Gate (about INR 3,500) and a private double at Zostel Jaipur (about INR 3,000).
• Food, about INR 10,600. About INR 800 a day each: chole kulche at Lotan Chole Wala, a thali for lunch, butter chicken and bread at Aslam Butter Chicken Corner, chai, and a pyaz kachori at Rawat Misthan Bhandar in Jaipur. The YMCA breakfasts are deducted.
• Getting around, about INR 22,900. The Airport Express metro and an auto-rickshaw into Connaught Place, an AC chair car seat on a day train to Agra on the Foreign Tourist quota with IRCTC's booking charges (about INR 1,850 each in all), a taxi for the Agra sights, the car from Agra via Fatehpur Sikri to Jaipur (INR 3,800 for the smallest car with Agra Tour Cabs, plus tolls and parking), a taxi up to Nahargarh, a car to Amber and on to Delhi airport (about INR 8,500 in all) and short rides each day.
• Sights, about INR 18,400. The Red Fort, the Qutb Minar, Humayun's Tomb, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri (INR 550 each online for foreign visitors), Jama Masjid (INR 400), the Taj Mahal with the main mausoleum (INR 1,250 online), Itimad-ud-Daulah (INR 310) and Mehtab Bagh (INR 300), the City Palace composite ticket (about INR 1,700 each), Amber, Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar and Nahargarh (about INR 1,500 each in all), and a licensed guide for the Taj.
• Visa, eSIM and extras, about INR 8,900. The e-Tourist visa with the card charge (about INR 2,450 each), an Ubigi eSIM each (USD 13 for 10 GB over 7 days) and tips for drivers and guides.
• Buffer, about INR 9,000.

Mid-range: about INR 148,000 for two

Three-star hotels in the centre of each city, sit-down restaurants, taxis, and a licensed guide in each city.

• Rooms, about INR 47,800. A Standard Double at Hotel Palace Heights in Connaught Place (INR 8,999 plus taxes; about INR 10,600 a night), an Executive room at Hotel Taj Resorts in Agra (INR 4,555 plus taxes, with buffet breakfast; about INR 5,000) and an Executive Double at Hotel Ratnawali in Jaipur (about INR 5,500).
• Food, about INR 20,300. About INR 1,500 a day each: a South Indian breakfast with filter coffee, a thali for lunch, butter chicken, dal and breads for dinner, coffee and sweets. The Agra breakfast is deducted.
• Getting around, about INR 33,700. Taxis for the airport and station transfers, AC chair car seats to Agra, a car for the Agra sights, a larger car to Jaipur and back to Delhi airport, and taxis around each city.
• Sights, about INR 22,400. The same tickets, with a licensed guide in Delhi, Agra and Jaipur (INR 1,500-2,000 per city with Golden Triangles Tour India).
• Visa, eSIM and extras, about INR 10,400.
• Buffer, about INR 13,400.

Comfort: about INR 320,600 for two

Five-star and heritage hotels, hotel restaurants, Executive chair car on the train, and a private car and guide for every day out.

• Rooms, about INR 110,000. Shangri-La Eros in Connaught Place (about INR 18,000 a night), Taj Hotel & Convention Centre in Agra (about INR 12,000) and Samode Haveli in Jaipur's old city (about INR 22,000).
• Food, about INR 84,000. About INR 6,000 a day each: the breakfast buffet at Tamra in the Shangri-La (INR 2,500 plus taxes), lunch and dinner at hotel restaurants, and chai and dessert in the afternoon.
• Getting around, about INR 56,200. A private car for every transfer, Executive chair car seats to Agra, an SUV to Jaipur and back to Delhi airport, and a car with a driver in each city.
• Sights, about INR 28,900. The same tickets, with a private guide for each day out.
• Visa, eSIM and extras, about INR 12,400.
• Buffer, about INR 29,100.

One day at each level: the Taj at sunrise and Fatehpur Sikri

Day 5 starts at the Taj Mahal's East Gate at sunrise, then drives west to the abandoned Mughal city of Fatehpur Sikri and on to Jaipur. Costs are per person and include half the room.

• Budget, about INR 7,400. Half of the Zostel room, the Taj with the mausoleum (INR 1,250), Fatehpur Sikri (INR 550), half of the car and half of a guide, and street food and a thali.
• Mid-range, about INR 10,300. Half of the Ratnawali room, the same tickets, half of a larger car and the guide, and sit-down meals.
• Comfort, about INR 26,100. Half of the Samode Haveli room, the same tickets, half of an SUV and a private guide, and hotel restaurant meals.

Flights and the total with flights

Etihad flies from London Heathrow and Frankfurt to Delhi via Abu Dhabi. Its route page shows an economy return from London for 9-16 February 2027 from GBP 521, and from Frankfurt from EUR 699 in February 2027. Check that the return leaves late enough for the drive from Jaipur; as an estimate, allow about GBP 550-800 per person (about INR 69,700-101,300) from London, or about EUR 700-1,000 from Frankfurt.

With the London flight, the whole trip comes to about INR 118,700-150,300 per person on a budget, INR 143,700-175,300 mid-range or INR 230,000-261,600 in comfort. Delhi Tourism describes tipping drivers and guides as customary, not mandatory; the extras line covers it.