How much does it cost to travel to Varanasi?
You should plan to spend around $30 (₨2,513) per day on your vacation in Varanasi. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.
Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:
- $7.14 (₨597) on meals
- $4.94 (₨413) on local transportation
- $33 (₨2,727) on hotels
A one week trip to Varanasi for two people costs, on average, $421 (₨35,189). This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.
All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.
Independent Travel
Traveling Independently to Varanasi has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.
All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.
Is Varanasi expensive to visit?
Varanasi is a very affordable place to visit. Located in India, which is a very affordable country, visitors will appreciate the lower prices of this destination. It is in the top 25% of cities in the country for its affordability. Budget travelers enjoy spending long periods of time exploring Varanasi in depth.
Within Asia, Varanasi is a very affordable destination compared to other places. It is in the top 10% of cities in Asia for its affordability. Very few cities in the region are as affordable as Varanasi.
For more details, and to find out if it's within your travel budget, see Is Varanasi Expensive?
How much money do I need for a trip to Varanasi?
The average Varanasi trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these Varanasi travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.
|
Category
|
Cost
|
|
Accommodation 1
(Double Occupancy)
|
₨2,727
($33)
|
|
Local Transportation 1
|
₨413
($5)
|
|
Food 2
|
₨597
($7)
|
|
Entertainment 1
|
₨877
($10)
|
|
Tips and Handouts 1
|
₨402 -
1,206
($5 - 14)
|
|
Alcohol 2
|
₨328 -
985
($4 - 12)
|
Accommodation Budget in Varanasi
Calculated from travelers like you
The average price paid for one person for accommodation in Varanasi is $16 (₨1,364). For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in Varanasi is $33 (₨2,727). This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.
Looking for a hotel in Varanasi? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.
Transportation Budget in Varanasi
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The cost of a taxi ride in Varanasi is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $4.94 (₨413) per person, per day, on local transportation in Varanasi.
-
Transportation1
Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
$4.94
₨413
How much does it cost to go to Varanasi? Naturally, it depends on the dates. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all airlines.
The price of renting a car in Varanasi will depends on dates, the type of car, the location, and your age. We recommend Kayak because they can find the best deals across all car rental companies.
Typical prices for Transportation in Varanasi are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Varanasi, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.
-
Tuk Tuk Through Town
₨80
-
Rickshaw Ride
₨50
Food Budget in Varanasi
Calculated from travelers like you
-
While meal prices in Varanasi can vary, the average cost of food in Varanasi is $7.14 (₨597) per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in Varanasi should cost around $2.85 (₨239) per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in Varanasi is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.
-
Food2
Meals for one day
$7.14
₨597
Typical prices for Food in Varanasi are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Varanasi, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.
Entertainment Budget in Varanasi
Calculated from travelers like you
-
Entertainment and activities in Varanasi typically cost an average of $10 (₨877) per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.
-
Entertainment1
Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
$10
₨877
Typical prices for Entertainment in Varanasi are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the prices in Varanasi, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.
Tips and Handouts Budget in Varanasi
Calculated from travelers like you
Alcohol Budget in Varanasi
Calculated from travelers like you
-
The average person spends about $7.85 (₨656) on alcoholic beverages in Varanasi per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
-
Alcohol2
Drinks for one day
$7.85
₨656
Water Budget in Varanasi
Calculated from travelers like you
-
On average, people spend $0.34 (₨28) on bottled water in Varanasi per day. The public water in Varanasi is not usually considered safe to drink.
-
Water2
Bottled water for one day
$0.34
₨28
Varanasi On a Budget
Varanasi, India
Known to be one of India's holiest cities, many come to Varanasi on a spiritual pilgrimage looking to bathe in the sacred waters of the Ganges River. Dating back to the 11th Century BC, it is also one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Centuries old temples make up the backdrop, as many come and come again to perform their holy rights at the edge of the historic river.
Sights
When it comes to sight-seeing, the main spectacle in Vanarasi is centered on the river. Every day people come to bathe in the sacred waters of the Ganges, and every day cremations are performed at the water's edge. It is a celebration of life and death, a place where the cycles of the world come full circle. The shores of the Ganges River are lined with stairs that lead right into the water (known as ghats). With over 80 sets total, the entire length of the river that runs past Varanasi is lined with ghats for easy access to the waters. Some of the more popular ghats include Panchganga Ghat, Manikarnika Ghat, Dasaswamedh Ghat, Rana Ghat, and Kedar Ghat.
There are also a handful of temples like the Alamagir Mosque where you can get a great view of the area from above as well as the Gauri Matha Temple, Kaal Bhairav Temple, Shri Kashi Vishwanth Temple, and Sankat Mochan Temple which is home to thousands of monkeys.
Other notable sights include Ramnagar Fort, Chunar Fort, Kriti Gallery, and the Man Mandir Observatory.
Neighborhoods
The highlight of activity in Varanasi convenes at the edge of the Ganges River. Its entire shoreline running north-south on the eastern border of the city is lined with ghats, or series of stairs-most built by Hindu kings who wanted to die along the Ganges. They even built lofty palaces along the river to spend their final days, most of which are now hotels. You can walk along the river's edge to see all of the ghats, or even take a tour by boat to see them from the river. Banaras Hindu University is another hub, existing as the largest residential university in Asia. It is home to the Bharat Kala Bhavan, a museum of Art and Archaeology, as well as the Vishwanath Temple. Throughout Vanarasi, there are plenty of options for dining, shopping, and entertainment. Take some time to wander amongst historic streets and get lost in the allure of the eastern culture.
Activities
The most common activity when visiting Vanarasi is to watch the pilgrims who come to wash in the waters of the Ganges, usually occurring at sunrise. Over 60,000 come to the ghats every day to take the steps down to the holy river. Also very popular, especially at sunrise and sunset, are boat rides along the river. From the river you can experience the ceremonies of bathing and cremation at a distance.
In the evenings, several of the ghats are host to large free ceremonies that involve dancing, ritual acts, and other interesting sights. In a somewhat organized manner, young men will perform a sacred ceremony while several hundred spectators watch from both the ghats and boats on the river. For more information about this, read
evening aarti at the Varanasi ghats. Bring your camera!
Other than that, the best thing to do in Vanarasi is to explore the winding streets and alleyways, soaking up sounds, sights, and smells of India's spiritual capital.
Food and Dining
In Vanarasi, and all of India, foods are flavorfully spiced with herbs like asafoetida, ginger, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, curry, cinnamon, and many more. Local delicacies like
Banarasi Khana are made with these staples and are often accompanied by vegetables. Benares Dum Aloo is another local dish made with potatoes that are stuffed and cooked in a gravy of spices including jaggery, fennel, and chili paste. Street food is also popular with something like aloo chaat (fried potatoes cooked in spices) being the most common.
Paan is another delicacy known all over India. With the ingredients wrapped up with betel leaves and areca nuts, the little packages are chewed whole and then spit out or swallowed. They can be made with tobacco or other flavors that are sweet, consumed mostly for their stimulant and psychoactive properties.
When it comes to confections, Rabri Malai Balai is a popular dessert made with milk, sugar, almonds, and pistachio nuts. And as far as drinks go, Lassi is the most common and versatile made with yogurt, water, spices, and sometimes fruit. With Hinduism as the dominant religion in India, cows are considered sacred - thus beef is rarely served.
Transportation
By plane, Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport is the closest airport, located about 25 kilometers northwest of the city center. From here Air India, JetKonnect, SpiceJet, and IndiGo all operate regular flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Khajuraho, and Visakhapatnam amongst a few others.
By train, there are three railway stations in the city: Varanasi Junction, Manduadih Railway Station, and Mughal Sarai Junction. Some daily services operate trains to cities like Delhi (13 hours), Agra (13 hours), Lucknow (7 hours), Mumbai, and Kolkata.
The bus station in Varanasi is located just east of the Varanasi Junction train station. Be aware that trains and buses are often dirty and overcrowded.
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We've been gathering travel costs from tens of thousands of actual travelers since 2010, and we use the data to calculate average daily travel costs for destinations around the world. We also systematically analyze the prices of hotels, hostels, and tours from travel providers such as Kayak, HostelWorld, TourRadar, Viator, and others. This combination of expenses from actual travelers, combined with pricing data from major travel companies, gives us a uniqe insight into the overall cost of travel for thousands of cities in countries around the world. You can see more here: How it Works.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.