What budget to travel Rajasthan? Money and currency

What budget for activities and outings Rajasthan?

The price of admission to monuments continues to rise, and is now impacting the budget of less fortunate travelers. Admission to any national monument costs Rs. 600. Entry to the Taj Mahal, a real financial windfall for the Uttar Pradesh government, now costs Rs. 1,100, to which must be added Rs. 200 for access to the mausoleum.

There is an interestingcomposite ticket in Jaipur that allows you to visit 7 sites. Valid for 48 hours, it can be purchased at the entrance to any of the 7 sites: Amber Fort, Jantar Mantar, Albert Hall Museum, Nahargarh Fort, Hawa Mahal, Sisodiya Rani Gardens, Vidhiyadhar Gardens. Tickets cost Rs. 1,250. The City Palace is not included.

There aren't really any free activities or special offers for visiting Rajasthan. But knowing that there's always something going on around the corner, there's nothing like standing by the side of a road or square with a camera and letting yourself be caught by the light and colors.

With the exception of chain stores (Fabindia, international brands) and shops selling luxury goods, you'll need to pay in cash.

Tickets for the Sound and Light Show at monuments under the aegis of ASI cost around Rs 500. Nightclubs are rare and can only be found in Delhi. Entrance fees are high, around Rs. 5,000 for a couple.

What budget to eat Rajasthan?

A meal in a dhaba, a small roadside restaurant, won't cost you much more than a hundred rupees. For a more traditional restaurant, you should expect to pay between Rs 300 and Rs 500, depending on your appetite. In the best restaurants, prices can reach (but rarely exceed) Rs. 1,700 per person.

Many restaurants in Rajasthan are vegetarian, and in some cities, such as Pushkar, it's downright impossible to find meat or alcohol.

Many restaurants are not licensed to sell alcohol. As a result, it's rare to be able to accompany a meal with a glass of wine (very expensive and bad) or a beer, except in restaurants for tourists or at the tables of large hotels.

Alcohol is expensive in India, and of poor quality. All strong spirits are distilled in the country: vodka, whisky, gin, rum. You can also find wine produced in the Nashik region of Maharashtra or around Bangalore. It is very expensive and of poor quality. Beer is also brewed in India.

Imported spirits are only available in palaces and certain trendy bars.

What is the budget for accommodation Rajasthan?

The major tourist centers offer a vast choice of hotels, so there's something to suit every budget and taste. The prices quoted are for a double room in high season. But they should be treated with caution. Hoteliers have been playing catch-up since the Covid came out in 2022, and are now relying mainly on their domestic market rather than foreign tourists. On the other hand, India is not immune to inflation. As a result, prices are constantly fluctuating.

The Covid-19 crisis, which saw the country closed to tourists for 2 years, has left its mark. Prices exploded with the recovery in 2023, with fares almost systematically rising by 50%, if not 300%! The development of domestic tourism has kept the Indian hotel industry afloat while waiting for better days. As a result, hoteliers are no longer relying on international clientele, and it has become virtually impossible to negotiate prices, except in very cheap and often disreputable establishments.

Generally speaking, the cleanliness of budget hotels has improved, especially in establishments catering mainly to foreign tourists.

The abundance of hotels guarantees healthy competition, which keeps prices down. However, the introduction of a federal tax to supplement the local tax in 2017 is driving up prices for the end consumer, particularly in luxury establishments. The tax is 28% for rooms priced over Rs. 7,500, 18% for rooms priced between Rs. 2,500 and Rs. 7,500, and 12% for rooms priced between Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 2,500 per night. Most establishments display prices exclusive of taxes, to remain attractive.

In Rajasthan, expect to pay between Rs 750 and Rs 2,000 for a budget hotel. You'll get a clean room, private bathroom and towels. For a boutique hotel, expect to pay between Rs. 2,500 and Rs. 7,000 per night. In luxury hotels and palaces, expect to pay between Rs. 7,000 and Rs. 20,000 for a double room. These hotels are often housed in beautifully restored former maharaja palaces or sumptuous havelis.

Hotels in Delhi are very expensive. You won't find a decent room for less than Rs. 2,000. A comfortable room in a decent hotel or B&B will not cost less than Rs 5,000 a night.

Some small towns are singularly lacking in hotel and tourist infrastructure, as is the case in Mathura or Vrindavan, major pilgrimage centers where Indians come for the day or sleep in dharamsalas, hostels for pilgrims.

Travel budget Rajasthan and cost of living

Budget. India's standard of living is comparatively low compared to that of Western countries, even if it is constantly improving. As Indians will tell you, everything is expensive nowadays. This is especially true for fixed costs (water, electricity, gas), which are constantly on the rise. As for food, prices vary enormously depending on the harvest and the monsoons. Entrance fees to tourist sites are relatively high for foreign tourists.

The Covid-19 crisis has had a major impact on the tourism industry. Closed to foreign tourism, India turned to its domestic market, which managed to keep most hotels afloat. Recovery only really began at the end of 2023. Consequently, the hotel rates given in these pages should be treated with caution.

- Small budget: for €25 to €30 a day, you'll sleep in rudimentary guest houses, eat in the street or in local canteens, and use public transport. You'll visit one or two paying monuments each day. Avoid staying too long in the big cities, which are reputed to be more expensive. It is possible to reduce the range of daily expenses, but we cannot guarantee the cleanliness of hotels or the freshness of meals. In this case, please bring your own sheets and towels and an effective anti-diarrhoeal medication.

- Average budget: at €50 to €120 per day, you'll sleep in charming hotels with air-conditioned rooms (or heated rooms in winter), eat in good restaurants and take a few excursions by private car. To get from one city to another, you'll take the train in the best classes (1AC or 2AC).

- A big budget: between €150 and €200 per day, you'll stay in luxury hotels and travel exclusively by chauffeur-driven car. You'll dine at the finest restaurants and be able to indulge in such extravagances as a hot-air balloon flight over Jaipur or a very private camp in Ranthambore.

- Unlimited budget: you'll have the best suites in the most beautiful palaces, and there are plenty of them. You'll get around in a super-comfortable luxury car and, why not, opt for a ride on the legendary Palace on Wheels train.

Tipping. Tipping is de rigueur in India, especially when you're a foreigner. The amount is up to you and depends on the amount of your bill in restaurants and bars. You can leave a tip of between Rs. 10 and Rs. 200, depending on the restaurant's standing. Luxurious establishments often charge a percentage for service, known as the " service charge ", but this does not prevent you from adding a tip if you are satisfied with the service.

If you use the services of a chauffeur for all or part of your stay, a tip is obligatory. Drivers earn a small fixed salary, and tipping helps them make ends meet. You should expect to pay between Rs 200 and Rs 500 per day, depending on the number of people and the duration of the service. Count Rs 3,000 for ten days.

Haggling. Haggling is the order of the day in almost all stores (except for products labelled with a fixed price), and especially in stores specializing in items for tourists. Be prepared to negotiate hard. To do this, if you really like an item, don't show it off and set yourself a limit before you start negotiating. Take stock of the objective and subjective arguments that could bring the price down (you like the article, but you'd prefer it in another color, there's a small flaw, polyester isn't worth the price of silk...). Just pretend to walk away and look further. Chances are, the seller will chase you down and drop the item at your last price. Another tip: the first sale of the day is often considered a good omen by shopkeepers. So it's early in the morning when the best deals are possible.

Taxes. Goods and services are taxed twice. The GST is the value-added tax on goods and services and is levied by the federal government, while the SGST of the same amount is levied by the local government. Tax reform is one of the major projects undertaken by the Narendra Modi government and came into force on July¹, 2017. There are 7 different tax rates ranging from 0% to 28%. Hotels are taxed at 0% for rooms under Rs. 1,000, 12% for rates between Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 2,500 per night, 18% when the room price is between Rs. 2,500 and Rs. 7,500 and 28% when the nightly rate is over Rs. 7,500. So remember to ask for the price including all taxes when you book a room, to avoid unpleasant surprises and blowing your budget.

The price war. We have received a number of comments from readers to the effect that the prices quoted in this guide are not always those they actually see. While we take our investigations seriously, hoteliers and tourist sites retain the freedom to raise their prices whenever they please.

Many establishments modify their rates according to the season. In low season (May to September), rates are easier to negotiate. To get a good price, don't hesitate to play the competition and negotiate the price downwards, with a smile. As a general rule, luxury and mid-range establishments post their rates on their websites, so you can get up-to-date information when you make your reservation. But when it comes to low-cost establishments, the hotelier will often charge a rate "on a per-customer basis", depending on the occupancy rate of his establishment and his financial needs.

When it comes to rickshaw rides, our good knowledge of the terrain and culture often enables us to get the right price for a ride. It's much more difficult to negotiate an errand in a city where you have no reference points and no idea of distances. Rickshaw-walas tend to inflate prices outrageously when they see tourists arriving. This is especially true in the low season, when they have less shopping to do. It's essential to keep your cool and explain to the driver that you know the rates (you'll have asked them at your hotel) and that this is not your first visit to India. Whatever happens, don't lose your cool. There's no point in ruining your trip for a dozen rupees.