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Cost of Trip Home Calculator

Budget your annual India trip realistically — from flights to wedding gifts

How this works: Estimates a realistic budget for your annual India trip — flights, daily costs, gifts, medical/dental work, and miscellaneous. Costs are indicative based on 2026 market averages. Actual costs vary by city, travel dates, and lifestyle.

Your trip

Estimated cost

Flights (round-trip)
Accommodation
Food & daily expenses
Local transport
Gifts (for family)
Miscellaneous (sightseeing, dining)
Total trip cost

≈ in Indian rupees

Per traveller per day: . These are indicative estimates for budgeting only.

Common Questions

These are indicative estimates based on 2026 market averages for typical NRI travel patterns. Actual costs vary significantly — a Diwali week trip during peak season can be 60% more expensive than the same trip in February. Family weddings can add Rs 50K-3L beyond the base trip. Treat the output as a starting budget, not a guaranteed total.
Flights to India peak around Diwali (Oct-Nov), Christmas/New Year (Dec), and summer holidays (Jul-Aug). Off-peak windows are Feb-Mar and Sep-Oct, when prices can be 40-60% lower. Book 12-16 weeks ahead for peak periods, 8-12 weeks for shoulder/off-peak. See our travel guide for detailed flight tips.
Yes — the calculator includes a budget for gifts to family in India. Typical NRI gift spend: Rs 20K-50K for modest trips (sweets, jewellery for older relatives, chocolates and toys), Rs 50K-1.5L for comfortable trips (electronics, clothing, larger gifts), and Rs 1.2L+ for upscale (premium gifts, gold for weddings). Customs duty-free allowance is Rs 50K per adult.
For most NRIs from UK/US/Canada — yes, especially for non-urgent dental work, eye exams, comprehensive health check-ups, and cosmetic procedures. Quality at good Indian private hospitals (Apollo, Fortis, Max) and dental clinics is comparable to Western standards at 20-30% of the cost. The trip itself can pay for itself if you bundle 2-3 medical procedures.
For a close-relative wedding (sibling, first cousin), NRI contribution typically ranges from Rs 25K-50K modest, Rs 50K-1L mid-range, and Rs 1-3L+ upscale. This usually includes cash gift to bride/groom (shagun), gold contribution if you’re an uncle/aunt, outfit costs for the trip, and incidentals. The calculator builds this into the budget when you tick the wedding box.
Mostly in India — ATM withdrawals in India typically give better rates than exchanging at your home country airport. Carry a small amount of cash (USD 200-500 equivalent) for arrival, and use a low-fee debit card (Wise, Revolut, Monzo) for ATMs in India. For larger amounts, use NRE/NRO accounts and UPI. See our remittance guide for transfer options.
A serious illness or hospitalisation in India can cost lakhs at a private hospital — far more than a multi-trip travel insurance policy. Look for cover including medical (minimum £2M), repatriation, trip cancellation, and pre-existing conditions if relevant. Annual multi-trip policies cost £50-150 and are excellent value if you visit India more than once a year.

Related guides

NRI Travel Guide

Send Money to India

Festival Calendar

Last reviewed: May 2026

Why Calculate Your Trip Cost Upfront?

Most NRIs underestimate the real cost of their annual India trip by 30-50%. The flight ticket is the easy part — the expensive parts are everything you do once you land: gifts for the extended family, hotel nights when staying with relatives gets stressful, sightseeing trips for the kids, dental work because it’s cheaper, contributions to a cousin’s wedding, the inevitable shopping.

This calculator builds in all of those. Use it to:

  • Decide if you can afford a trip this year before booking flights
  • Decide between peak and off-peak dates — the trip during Diwali can cost 60% more
  • Plan when to do medical/dental work — bundling a procedure into the trip can pay for itself
  • Budget for a wedding contribution so it doesn’t surprise you mid-trip
  • Allocate currency — how much GBP/USD/CAD to convert vs. ATM withdraw in India

What’s Included in the Estimates

  • Flights — round-trip per traveller, scaled by season (off / shoulder / peak)
  • Accommodation — assumes 30% of nights in hotel (rest with family), scaled by city tier and lifestyle
  • Food & daily expenses — meals out, household contributions if staying with family
  • Local transport — autos, Uber/Ola, occasional inter-city
  • Gifts — for parents, siblings, in-laws, kids’ cousins, neighbourhood elders
  • Miscellaneous — sightseeing, dining at premium restaurants, kids’ activities
  • Medical/dental (optional) — cleaning, fillings, eye exam, basic procedures
  • Wedding contribution (optional) — shagun + outfits + travel-day expenses
  • Travel insurance (optional)

What’s NOT Included (yet)

  • Major purchases — gold, real estate viewings, large electronics
  • Domestic India flights — assumed within “local transport” budget but unrealistic for multi-city trips
  • Visa/OCI processing — if you need to renew on this trip
  • Emergencies — illness, family events, last-minute changes

Three Costs NRIs Frequently Underestimate

1. Cumulative gifts

A modest NRI family of 4 visiting parents, both sets of in-laws, 3 siblings, 6 nephews/nieces, and 4 family friends easily spends Rs 50K+ on gifts. Don’t budget less than Rs 20K even for the most modest trip.

2. Hotel nights you didn’t plan

Even when you “stay with family,” friction often pushes 30%+ of nights into a hotel — visiting a different city, in-laws’ house too small, parents in poor health, kids needing space. Budget for it.

3. Indian dining costs in metros

A nice family dinner at a Mumbai/Delhi/Bangalore restaurant easily costs Rs 4,000-6,000 for 4 people. Multiply by the number of dining-out occasions on a 3-week trip.

Quick Tips to Reduce Trip Cost

  • Fly off-peak if possible (Feb-Mar or Sep-Oct). Saves 40-60% on flights.
  • Mid-week departures (Tue-Thu) are typically £50-150 cheaper than Sat-Sun.
  • Use UPI for everything in India — better rates than swiping a foreign card; no FX markup.
  • Book domestic flights early if visiting multiple cities — IndiGo/Vistara prices spike inside 3 weeks.
  • Bundle dental/medical procedures — 2-3 procedures during one trip is more cost-effective than splitting across visits.

NRIWallah does not provide travel advice. Use this calculator for budgeting only. Actual costs vary by individual choices, market conditions, and seasonal factors.

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