Pinchin’ Rupees

May 31, 2009 | Category: India | by: Heather

Spencer looks like he's having so much fun on the grandma bike, eh?

Heather’s quick conversion formula: multiply the number of rupees by 2 and then move the decimal 2 places left to get the dollars!

It’s kinda fun how inexpensive it can be to travel in India.  And even so, in order to stretch ourselves through a whole year, we have officially become rupee pinchers.  Sometimes this means that we stay in some adventurously sketchy places, and often it means that we are still amazed at how far some small change can go.  Here are some examples of ways we save money, and how much some things cost.  The rupee, right now, is about 49 to the dollar (I think).  We round to 50 for the simplicity of quick estimating.  The guesthouse we stayed in, in Udaipur was Rs 130 per night (about $2.60), which was the least so far.  Other places we’ve been, have been as much as Rs 500 for ‘budget’ accommodations ($10.00).  We took the bus to the animal hospital every day for Rs 6 each, each way (12¢).  For breakfast we would buy a few samosas each (Rs 20 for 4), and a kilo of bananas (Rs 15).  Some fresh veggies and rice or more fried stuff for lunch was usually about Rs 50 or less for both of us.  On dinner we typically spend 100 to 200 rupees, the higher end being places that serve fantastic, all-you-can-eat thalis (meals).  I just bought 2 train tickets from Delhi to Guwahati.  In sleeper class, the 40 hour trip was a little over Rs 1300 for both of us (yep, $26.00).  The 4-hour trip from Agra to Delhi costed us less than $4.00.  Used books are a little more pricey, at Rs 150-ish.  We save about 150 rupees per day by filtering our own water (which also minimizes our contribution to the growing trash and plastic bottle problem in India, which we are quite okay with).  It’s Rs 10 per day to store our backpacks at the train station, Rs 15 for a glass bottle of Coke (medicinal! ha), 1 rupee for a packet of laundry soap – good for 10+ pieces of clothing, and Rs 20 to 60 for a sweet pair of earrings.  We save money by skipping out on air-conditioning in hotels and trains, taking local transportation when we can figure it out, eating on the street and in restaurants with only Indian food (which is always dang good, so no problem!), walking a lot, and not stocking up on too many souvenirs (sorry all you hopefuls).  Good times.

2 Comments

  1. Mom B
    on June 23rd, 2009
    1

    We were sitting at Grandma and Grandpa B on Dad’s Day night when your email arrived. Your amazing $-stretch out-does Market Square by a long shot! Love ya both lots, Mom/Pop/Mary

  2. Erynn Wilcox
    on June 29th, 2009
    2

    Wow, you guys. This looks amazing. I’m astonished and a little jealous, but am not the least bit surprised. Last I heard, you all were in New York! Glad to see the adventure has continued. Austin and I are hoping to (FINALLY) get to China this year. Everytime we’ve hit a transition point in our lives, we’ve said we’d go to China for 6 months to a year, but a “real job” has always surfaced instead. Well, thanks to the current job market, we may jut finally get our chance. Here’s to being closer–possibly–soon! I’ll keep reading!

Leave a Reply