Should you visit Pune or Darjiling?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Pune or Darjiling, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Pune
Located in Maharashtra, Pune is the state's second largest city and cultural capital. Not only is it a hub for museums, temples, beaches, and scenic overlooks, but it also has a thriving nightlife and general atmosphere due to the student population.
Darjiling
What began as a cluster of villages grew to prominence in the 19th Century when the British first established a hill station here and eventually realized that the climate was well-suited for tea plantations. Darjeeling (or Darjiling) has since become known for its teas in addition to cultural diversity, stunning views, and trekking opportunities.
Which city is cheaper, Darjiling or Pune?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Pune is $46, while the average daily cost in Darjiling is $32. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Pune and Darjiling in more detail.
Accommodation
The prices for places to stay in Pune can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $20, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $40.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $24 in Darjiling For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
On average, meal and food prices in Pune cost around $16 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $6.40.
On average, meal and food prices in Darjiling cost around $13 per person, per day. While this price can vary widely by location, the type of restaurant, and the amount of food ordered, a typical meal often costs around $5.20.
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Food
Meals for one day
Pune $16
Darjiling $13
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Pune
For Pune, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Local Uttrakhand Cuisine Cooking Class in Rishikesh:
$9.89
-
Udaipur Food Tour:
$12
-
Authentic Indian Tea Brewing and Paratha Cooking Private Online Class:
$15
-
Hyderabad Street Food Tour:
$16
-
Wagah Beating Retreat Border Ceremony (with Dinner) in Amritsar:
$16
-
Authentic Maharashtrian Cuisine Private Virtual Cooking Class from Mumbai:
$18
-
Mandovi River Dinner Cruise in Goa:
$19
-
Cooking Class And Dining Experience In Varanasi:
$20
-
North Kerala Culinary Food Tour in Thalassery:
$24
-
Mumbai Walking Food Tour:
$25
-
Cooking and Dining Experience in Agra:
$27
-
Cooking Class with a Local Family in Mumbai:
$36
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Darjiling
For Darjiling, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
-
Local Uttrakhand Cuisine Cooking Class in Rishikesh:
$9.89
-
Udaipur Food Tour:
$12
-
Authentic Indian Tea Brewing and Paratha Cooking Private Online Class:
$15
-
Hyderabad Street Food Tour:
$16
-
Wagah Beating Retreat Border Ceremony (with Dinner) in Amritsar:
$16
-
Authentic Maharashtrian Cuisine Private Virtual Cooking Class from Mumbai:
$18
-
Mandovi River Dinner Cruise in Goa:
$19
-
Cooking Class And Dining Experience In Varanasi:
$20
-
North Kerala Culinary Food Tour in Thalassery:
$24
-
Mumbai Walking Food Tour:
$25
-
Cooking and Dining Experience in Agra:
$27
-
Cooking Class with a Local Family in Mumbai:
$36
Local Transportation
To get around in Pune, the average visitor spends $12 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
To get around in Darjiling, the average visitor spends $6.81 per day, per person. This includes the costs of taxi rides and private drivers as well as public transportation, which tends to be much more affordable.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Pune
Also for Pune, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Private City Transfers between Manali and Leh:
$267
-
Private City Transfers between Ahmedabad and Mumbai, Daman & Diu:
$96
-
Private City Transfers from Mumbai to Gokarna, Kolhapur & Aurangabad:
$74
-
Private City Transfers between Bangalore and Hampi:
$69
-
Private Transfers From Delhi To Jim Corbett National Park:
$59
-
Private City Transfers between Amritsar and Dalhousie, Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala or Bir:
$59
-
Private City Transfers between Ahmedabad and Rajasthan & Madhya Pradesh:
$58
-
Private City Transfers between Agra and Meerut, Kanpur and Jhansi:
$58
-
Private City Transfers for Jaisalmer, Udaipur, Jodhpur & More:
$57
-
Private City Transfers from Lonavala to Mumbai and Pune:
$56
-
Private City Transfers for Jodhpur, Bikaner, Udaipur & More:
$55
-
Cochin International Airport Private Transfers (COK) for Munnar:
$55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Darjiling
Also for Darjiling, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
-
Sheikh ul-Alam International Airport Private Transfers (SXR) for Srinagar:
$14
-
Pune International Airport Private Transfers (PNQ) for Pune:
$19
-
Private Vadodara Airport (BDQ) Transfers for Vadodara:
$15
-
Private Transfers From Delhi To Jim Corbett National Park:
$59
-
Private Surat International Airport (STV) Transfers for Surat:
$15
-
Private Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport Transfers (AMD) for Ahmedabad:
$16
-
Private Rajkot Airport (RAJ) Transfers for Rajkot:
$15
-
Private Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport Transfers (CCU) for Kolkata:
$21
-
Private Maharana Pratap Airport Transfers (UDR) for Udaipur:
$21
-
Private Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport Transfers (VNS) for Varanasi:
$19
-
Private Kozhikode Airport (CCJ) Transfers for Calicut:
$19
-
Private Kempegowda International Airport Transfers (BLR) for Bangalore:
$28
Is it cheaper to fly into Pune or Darjiling?
Prices for flights to both Darjiling and Pune change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
In Pune, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $15 per person, per day.
In Darjiling, the costs for things to do, activities, admission tickets, and other sightseeing expenses are on average $11 per person, per day.
Tours and Activities in Pune
For Pune, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
Explore Old City of Hyderabad with Experienced Storyteller Online Experience:
$19
-
Instagram Tour in Delhi:
$101
-
Lamadug Trekking Day Tour from Manali:
$21
-
Mathura Vrindavan, Taj Mahal and Agra City Private Day Tour from Delhi:
$118
-
1 day private tour of tajmahal from pune including air tickets, car, entrances:
$443
-
11D10N Golden Triangle and Holy City Private Tour from Delhi:
$863
-
2 day trip to Agra from Pune with air tickets:
$1,037
-
2 day trip to Agra from Pune without air tickets:
$488
-
2-Day Tour to The Taj Mahal and Agra from Pune with Commercial Return Flights:
$564
-
2D Delhi and Agra Combo Private Tour:
$110
-
2D1N Adventure Camping in Jaipur:
$33
-
2D1N Bhandardara Lakeside Camping Experience :
$20
Tours and Activities in Darjiling
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Darjiling.
-
Explore Old City of Hyderabad with Experienced Storyteller Online Experience:
$19
-
Instagram Tour in Delhi:
$101
-
Lamadug Trekking Day Tour from Manali:
$21
-
Mathura Vrindavan, Taj Mahal and Agra City Private Day Tour from Delhi:
$118
-
11D10N Golden Triangle and Holy City Private Tour from Delhi:
$863
-
2D Delhi and Agra Combo Private Tour:
$110
-
2D1N Adventure Camping in Jaipur:
$33
-
2D1N Bhandardara Lakeside Camping Experience :
$20
-
2D1N Bhandardara Lakeside Camping Experience from Mumbai:
$20
-
2D1N Gir National Park Tour from Ahmedabad:
$69
-
2D1N Golden Triangle Tour from Delhi:
$158
-
2D1N Hampi Private Sightseeing Tour from Bangalore:
$164
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Pune spend on average $14 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Alcoholic beverages can often be a significant portion of a traveler's budget, and the costs can vary greatly from person to person. In Darjiling, the average amount that a visitor spends on alcoholic beverages per day is $7.98.
Sample the Local Flavors in Pune
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Pune:
-
Pub Crawl in Delhi:
$18
-
Pub Crawl in Pune:
$18
-
Pub Crawl in Mumbai:
$18
-
Pub Crawl in Jaipur:
$18
-
Udaipur Pub Crawl:
$19
-
South Mumbai Pub Crawl:
$19
-
Pub Crawl In Bangalore:
$19
-
Pub Crawl in Goa:
$20
-
Pub Crawl (3 Hours Guided Bar Hopping Tour):
$25
-
Pune Pub Crawl:
$28
-
Pune Pub Crawl:
$40
-
Sula Vineyards with Wine Tasting Day Tour from Mumbai:
$49
Sample the Local Flavors in Darjiling
Some specific costs for nightlife related activities in Darjiling:
-
Pub Crawl in Delhi:
$18
-
Pub Crawl in Pune:
$18
-
Pub Crawl in Mumbai:
$18
-
Pub Crawl in Jaipur:
$18
-
Udaipur Pub Crawl:
$19
-
South Mumbai Pub Crawl:
$19
-
Pub Crawl In Bangalore:
$19
-
Pub Crawl in Goa:
$20
-
Sula Vineyards with Wine Tasting Day Tour from Mumbai:
$49
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pune and Darjiling, we can see that Pune is more expensive. And not only is Darjiling much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Darjiling would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Darjiling and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Pune would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Pune than you might in Darjiling.
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