Is 500 Rupees a Lot in India? Real Spending Power for Budget Travelers

Five hundred rupees doesn’t sound like much when you see it written down. But in India, it can buy you a full day of food, transport, and even a night’s stay-if you know where to look. If you’re planning a budget trip to India, understanding what 500 rupees actually gets you isn’t just helpful-it’s essential.

What 500 Rupees Buys in a Small Town

In a place like Pushkar in Rajasthan or Hampi in Karnataka, 500 rupees goes a long way. You can grab three meals from a local dhaba: a plate of dal-rice for 60 rupees, a vegetable paratha for 40, and a cup of masala chai for 20. That’s 120 rupees for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Still have 380 left?

Take a local bus or auto-rickshaw across town. A 10-kilometer ride costs about 80 rupees. A night in a basic guesthouse with a fan, clean sheets, and a shared bathroom? Around 300 rupees. You’ve spent 500 rupees and covered food, transport, and shelter. No fancy hotels. No tourist traps. Just real, honest India.

Big City Reality Check

In Mumbai or Delhi, 500 rupees stretches thinner. A single meal at a decent mid-range restaurant? 250 to 350 rupees. A metro ride across the city? 25 rupees. A basic hotel room in a non-tourist area might cost 600 to 800 rupees-so 500 won’t cover it.

But here’s the trick: you don’t need to eat at restaurants. Street food in Delhi’s Chandni Chowk? A plate of chole bhature for 70 rupees. A plate of pav bhaji? 60. A bottle of chilled water? 15. You can eat well for under 200 rupees a day. Use the metro-it’s clean, safe, and costs less than 50 rupees for most trips. That leaves you 300 rupees for a temple donation, a souvenir, or a ride to a nearby park.

Transportation: How Far Can 500 Rupees Take You?

Long-distance travel is where 500 rupees starts to feel tight. A train ticket from Jaipur to Udaipur (a 5-hour ride) costs about 450 rupees for a general class seat. That’s almost all of it. But if you’re flexible, you can catch an overnight bus for 400 rupees and save on a night’s lodging.

Or, if you’re hopping between nearby towns-say, from Varanasi to Sarnath-local trains cost under 50 rupees. A rickshaw ride across town? 50 to 80 rupees. In rural areas, shared jeeps or Tata Sumos charge 100 to 150 rupees for a 30-kilometer trip. So 500 rupees can cover several short hops if you’re smart.

Food: Eating Like a Local

Foreigners often assume eating in India is cheap because it’s "poor." But it’s not about poverty-it’s about scale. A family-run eatery in Tamil Nadu serves a thali (rice, dal, two veggies, roti, pickle, yogurt) for 80 rupees. That’s a full, balanced meal. In Kerala, a seafood curry with rice costs 120 rupees. In the Himalayas, a bowl of momos? 60 rupees for 10.

Even in tourist-heavy places like Goa, you can find local warrens serving fresh fish curry for 150 rupees. Skip the beach shacks with English menus and prices tripled. Walk a block inland. You’ll find the same food, same quality, for half the price.

What 500 Rupees Won’t Buy

It won’t buy you a flight. A domestic flight from Bangalore to Hyderabad starts at 2,500 rupees. It won’t buy you a guided tour of the Taj Mahal with a professional guide-that’s 1,200 rupees minimum. It won’t buy you a night in a boutique hotel in Jaipur’s old city, which starts at 1,500 rupees.

And forget about Uber or Ola for long rides. A 20-kilometer ride in Bengaluru costs 300 rupees. That’s half your budget gone in one trip.

How to Stretch 500 Rupees Further

• Carry a reusable water bottle. Bottled water costs 20 to 30 rupees. Filtered water refill stations? Often free at guesthouses.
• Use apps like Google Maps for public transport routes. No need to haggle with drivers.
• Buy snacks from local kirana stores, not tourist shops. A bag of roasted chana costs 30 rupees and lasts all day.
• Travel during off-season. In December, prices in Rajasthan drop 30%. In June, hill stations like Munnar are half-price.
• Stay in homestays. Many offer meals for 300 to 400 rupees per night-far cheaper than hotels.

Real Stories from the Road

A backpacker in Varanasi spent 500 rupees over two days: 100 on chai and samosas from a street vendor, 200 on a shared taxi to Sarnath, 150 on a night in a rooftop guesthouse, and 50 on a small brass lamp for his sister. He didn’t have a shower, but he had a bed, food, and a story.

In Himachal Pradesh, a couple used 500 rupees to cover a 12-hour bus ride from Manali to Dharamshala, two meals, and a temple donation. They slept on the bus. They didn’t mind.

Is 500 Rupees a Lot? The Answer Depends on You

If you’re used to spending $10 a day in Europe, then yes-500 rupees (about $6) feels tight. But if you’re used to budget travel, it’s more than enough. India isn’t about luxury. It’s about experience. You don’t need five-star hotels to feel the pulse of the country. You need a good pair of shoes, a curious mind, and the willingness to eat where the locals eat.

500 rupees isn’t a fortune. But it’s enough to keep you fed, moving, and immersed. That’s more than most travelers realize.