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Money in India, sorted.
A calm, current plan for the money side of your trip: India runs on instant QR-code payments, cash is still essential for the street, and a card covers the hotels and nicer spots. Here is how to combine all three without stress.
The three things people ask
Will my card work? Do I need cash? Are ATMs easy?
The quick read for a first trip.
Cash
Still essential off the tourist track
Rupees remain the backbone for autorickshaws, street food, small shops, markets, temples and rural areas. Notes come in 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 (the old 2,000 note was withdrawn, so decline one if offered). Carry a mix of smaller notes, since vendors often can't break a 500.
How much to bring →UPI (QR payments)
How India actually pays
Locals pay by scanning QR codes through UPI, and you'll see it everywhere, even at roadside stalls. Foreign tourists historically couldn't use it, but prepaid "tourist UPI" wallets (UPI One World and similar) now let you load rupees with an international card and pay by QR. It's still evolving, so treat it as a strong option, not your only one.
Check yours →Your card
Great in cities, not the street
Visa and Mastercard work at hotels, malls, and sit-down restaurants in the metros; Amex less widely. Bring at least two cards from different networks, tell your bank you're traveling, and note that US phone wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay) have very limited acceptance here.
See low-fee cards →Cash or card
Cash still runs the street, but QR payments and cards now cover a lot.
A rough feel for everyday spending. It swings hard by setting: in a metro like Mumbai or Delhi you can go days on UPI and cards, while autorickshaws, street food, small vendors, temples, and anywhere rural still lean on cash. Cities like Varanasi and small towns are more cash-dependent than the big metros.
See what the trip really costs →Your money plan
Four steps and you're set.
Before you go
- Set up a tourist UPI wallet (UPI One World or similar) and load some rupees, it works where cards don't.
- Bring a no-foreign-fee card, ideally two from different networks (Visa and Mastercard are safest), and tell your bank you'll be in India.
- Don't rely on Apple Pay or Google Pay from your US wallet; acceptance is very limited. India's "Google Pay" is a UPI app, a different thing.
- You can't easily buy rupees abroad and there are limits on bringing them in, so plan to get cash on arrival.
At the airport
- Skip the airport exchange counters, the rates are among the worst. Change only a little if you need instant cash.
- Pull rupees from a bank ATM, choose rupees, and decline "convert to USD."
- Withdraw a decent amount at once: Indian ATMs charge a flat fee (often 150 to 300 rupees) per foreign withdrawal, and per-transaction limits are commonly 10,000 rupees.
- Aim to land with a little cash already, or grab some here, for the airport taxi and first tips.
Day to day
- UPI or card for hotels, restaurants and shops in the cities; cash for autos, street food, markets and temples.
- Keep small notes (10s, 50s, 100s) handy, and don't rely on vendors breaking a 500.
- Check the bottom of restaurant bills for a "service charge", it's optional (see below), and you can ask to remove it.
- Always choose rupees, never dollars, on any card terminal or ATM that asks.
A golden rule
- Pay in rupees, always. US dollars aren't accepted for everyday spending, and choosing dollars on a terminal (dynamic currency conversion) quietly adds 3 to 8%.
- Check your notes. Refuse torn or heavily worn notes and any 2,000 rupee note (withdrawn from circulation), since you may struggle to spend them.
Staying connected
Will my phone work here? And what will it cost?
Yes across cities, towns and most travel routes, and it's cheap. Jio and Airtel have the widest, fastest coverage, with strong 4G and expanding 5G; a tourist SIM is inexpensive with your passport and a photo, though activation can take a few hours to a day, so an eSIM bought before arrival is often smoother. A data connection matters more here than usual, since UPI payments, ride apps and maps all lean on it. Expect weaker signal in remote hills, deserts and some rural stretches, so download offline maps before heading off the main routes. The cost is where people get caught out, and on most US plans it lands in one of two buckets.
Your plan may already include it
Often, do nothing
Some US plans include slow data abroad at no extra cost. If that is you, the honest move is to leave it alone.
we earn nothing
Or it charges quietly, after the fact
The bill lands later
On pay-per-use plans the cost runs in the background while you travel, and the charge can show up weeks after you are home. Forgetting to switch off data roaming is the classic one. For a week or more, an eSIM is usually cheaper and keeps you in control.
Check what your own carrier charges before the trip, not after.
If an eSIM is the cheaper call, Nomad covers India.
Get your Nomad eSIM for India→(opens in a new tab)we may earn a commissionMedical cover
The one cost with no price tag.
Every other number on this page has a price you can look up. This one does not, and it can be the largest of them all. Most US health plans cover little or nothing once you leave the country, and Medicare covers essentially none of it abroad. A serious illness or injury is paid up front, and a medical evacuation runs from tens of thousands of dollars to past $100,000 if you are remote or an ocean from home.
First, you may not need to buy anything.
A cheap, refundable trip close to home does not need this. And if you are healthy, headed somewhere with good care, and one of the premium cards on the shortlist above already includes emergency medical and evacuation, you may be covered already. Check your card's benefits guide before you buy. Saying that costs us the commission, and it is still the right call.
How much cover matters here
Strong care can sit a long way from where you are traveling and an evacuation is a genuine possibility, so this is one to weigh seriously for a trip here.
If you do want cover, this is what it is for: the evacuation and the up-front hospital bill, the part no card limit is meant to absorb.
Enough for most trips
Faye, or a comparable whole-trip policy
Bundles trip protection with emergency medical, which is enough cover for most travelers on a typical trip.
The deeper end
A dedicated travel-medical plan built for serious care and evacuation abroad
Stronger on medical care and evacuation, for a remote or higher-risk trip where that is the real exposure.
If it happens
Call it first, then call your insurer's 24/7 assistance line, which is what confirms payment and arranges an evacuation. 112 is the single national emergency number, and 108 reaches an ambulance directly in most states.
TrueTripCosts explains the gap and points to options. It does not set your coverage amounts or act as your insurance advisor, and every policy carries its own exclusions, so read them before you buy. Emergency number checked Jul 2026. Confirm the current number before you travel, as local lines can change.
Currency basics
The rupee, in plain terms.
Quick conversion
About 94.5 rupees to the dollar in mid-2026. To estimate dollars fast, divide the rupee amount by roughly 95, or just knock two zeros off for a rough, slightly low figure: 1,000 rupees is a bit over 10 dollars, 5,000 rupees about 53.
Notes and coins
Notes run 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 rupees; the 500 is the largest in circulation since the 2,000 note was withdrawn in 2023. Coins go up to 20 rupees. Carry small notes, as autos, stalls and small shops often can't break a 500.
India runs on UPI
The way locals pay is UPI, scanning a QR code from a phone app, and it's everywhere, even with tiny vendors. Foreign visitors can now use it via prepaid tourist wallets loaded with an international card, which is worth setting up before you arrive.
Rupees only, and hard to take home
US dollars aren't accepted for everyday spending; everything is priced and paid in rupees. There are also limits on carrying rupees in or out of India, so get cash on arrival and spend or convert what's left before you fly home.
Real exchange rate
What your money is really worth here.
This is the mid-market rate, the one the banks trade at and the yardstick every other rate is measured against. Your card lands a little below it, and if a screen ever offers to bill you in dollars, that is worse again. So this is the number to expect, and how you spot a bad one.
1 US dollar is about 96.24 INR
Taxes and service charges
No tourist tax, but GST is on your bill, and "service charge" is optional.
India does not levy a per-night tourist or city tax. What you'll see instead is GST, India's value-added tax. On restaurant bills it's usually 5%. On hotel rooms it depends on the nightly rate: rooms up to about 1,000 rupees are exempt, rooms from roughly 1,001 to 7,500 rupees are taxed at 5%, and rooms above 7,500 rupees at 18%. GST is generally shown on the bill and, for hotels, tied to your room rate, so the higher rate mainly affects luxury stays. Separately, some restaurants add a "service charge" of around 5 to 10%. This is not a government tax: India's consumer authority has ruled it cannot be made mandatory, so you're within your rights to ask for it to be removed, and any tip is genuinely up to you. There is no VAT-refund scheme for tourists on general shopping.
Fees and taxes to double-check
The numbers most likely to change.
These are the fees and taxes that move on political timelines, so we track each one on its own. Every line shows the amount, whether it is in effect yet, the date we last checked it, and a primary source where a clean one exists.
India e-Tourist Visa (30-day, US citizens)
about 25 dollars April to June, about 40 dollars July to March, on the official portal before you fly
In a hurry? A private service can prepare and file this visa for a fee on top of the official cost above, which stays the cheaper route.
File it faster with RushMyTravelVisa→(opens in a new tab)we may earn a commissionBefore you book: passports, the six-month rule and whether you need a visa. Not a US citizen, or connecting through Europe? The rules can differ, and even a layover can need its own visa. See our passports and visas guide →
Watch out for
The small traps that catch first-timers.
Tipping
Modest, in cash, and always in rupees.
Tipping in India, sometimes called baksheesh, is common but rarely large, and it's genuinely appreciated since many service workers earn modest wages. At sit-down restaurants, around 10% is generous if no service charge has been added; if one has, an extra tip is optional. For everyday help, small amounts go a long way: 50 to 100 rupees per bag for a hotel porter, 50 to 100 rupees a day for housekeeping, 100 to 300 rupees for a full day with a driver, and 200 to 500 rupees for a good tour guide. Round up autorickshaw and taxi fares rather than adding a formal tip. Keep small notes on hand for this, and tip in rupees, not dollars, so no one loses out on an exchange.
Common questions
Quick answers.
Can tourists use UPI in India?
Increasingly, yes. UPI is how India pays, by scanning QR codes, and while foreign visitors once couldn't use it, prepaid "tourist UPI" wallets like UPI One World now let you load rupees with an international card and pay at QR-code merchants. It's still expanding, so set one up before you fly but keep a card and some cash as backup.
Do I need cash in India?
Yes, especially off the tourist track. Autorickshaws, street food, small shops, markets, temples and rural areas still run largely on cash. In the big metros you can lean on UPI and cards, but carry rupees, roughly 3,000 to 8,000 at a time, and keep small notes since vendors often can't break a 500.
Should I pay in dollars or rupees on my card in India?
Always rupees. US dollars aren't accepted for everyday spending, and if a terminal or ATM offers to charge you in dollars (dynamic currency conversion), it adds a padded rate of 3 to 8%. Paying in rupees and letting your own bank convert is cheaper.
What is the best way to get rupees in India?
A bank ATM, choosing rupees and declining the "convert to USD" option. Indian ATMs charge a flat fee (often 150 to 300 rupees) per foreign withdrawal with per-transaction limits around 10,000 rupees, so withdraw a sensible amount at once. Avoid airport and hotel exchange counters, which have the worst rates.
Is there a tourist tax in India?
No per-night tourist or city tax like Dubai or much of Europe charges. Instead there's GST (India's value-added tax): usually 5% on restaurant bills, and on hotels 5% for rooms up to about 7,500 rupees a night or 18% above that. A restaurant "service charge" is not a tax and is optional.
How much cash should I bring for a week in India?
Rather than carrying a week's worth, withdraw as you go: roughly 3,000 to 8,000 rupees at a time covers autos, street food and small purchases, topped up from ATMs. Pair that with a tourist UPI wallet and a no-fee card for hotels and city restaurants. Budgets vary widely, from very cheap street eats to pricier metro dining.
What it really costs
What you'll really spend in India.
Your flights if you want them counted, your room, your on-the-ground spending, the two fees most US cards add without telling you, and India's tourist tax. One number, nothing waiting on the statement. No bank to pick, no sign-up, nothing saved.
Optional. Enter your round trip fare per traveler to fold flights into the total.
In India, plan for about $0.
Realistically somewhere between $0 and $0.
Whether at an ATM or a card terminal in a shop or restaurant, always choose to be charged in the local currency, not dollars. Paying in dollars (called dynamic currency conversion) lets the machine set its own, worse, exchange rate on top of any fee.
Rough guide, not a quote. The percentage here is a blended stand-in for a typical US card's foreign fee, not your exact rate. The real number moves with the card you carry: one no-foreign-fee card can cover both sides, while a plain rewards credit card only removes the fee on what you buy, and cash still costs a little unless that card also waives ATM and foreign-cash fees. A debit card, or accepting the "pay in dollars" (dynamic currency conversion) offer at a till or ATM, can push it higher. Rates checked Jun 2026 and rounded.
How this estimate is built
These are the assumptions behind the number. Change the room price, nights, travelers, or travel style above, and every line here moves with them.
- Hotel
- Daily spending
- Flights
- Cash vs card
- ATM withdrawals
- Foreign fee
- The range
- Tourist tax
Not sure which card to bring? See my pick for India.
Already carry a card with no foreign transaction fee? Then you are set for India, and can skip this. There is nothing to buy.
India leans on cash more than its reputation suggests, so the card that earns its place is a fee-free ATM debit card, with a no-foreign-fee credit card for hotels and bigger spots. If you are getting one, this is the pairing I would pick. We earn nothing on these today. Always confirm the current fee with the issuer before you apply. Checked Jun 2026.
Schwab refunds worldwide ATM fees with no cap, the standout for pulling cash abroad. Opening it also opens a linked Schwab brokerage account, though you never have to fund or invest it.
No foreign transaction fee
No foreign transaction fee
Want one account that holds and spends in the local currency? A different job from the three above, and the one I reach for abroad. It is free to open; you can create a virtual card in the app and add it to your phone wallet in minutes, without waiting for the physical card; and you can convert US dollars into the local currency inside the account before you travel, then spend from that balance. Wise uses the mid-market rate plus a small conversion fee (around 0.4% and up), with no flat foreign fee.
The three picks above pay us nothing, and their tags say so. Wise is the only option here that can earn us a commission, and its tag says that too. Paid or not, the pick is still the pick.
Travelers, not touristsA little Hindi goes a long way
A little Hindi goes a long way
A few words and a couple of stories that turn you from a tourist into a guest. Curiosity and warmth are met in kind across India, on a train, in a market, over a cup of chai.
Say a few words
Tip: India has many languages and English is widely spoken, but Namaste (palms together) is understood almost everywhere. Shukriya (shoo-kree-YAA) is a common everyday thank you.
Know a story
A monument to love
The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal as a tomb for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth. It took some twenty years and twenty thousand workers. Speak of it as a love story, not just a building, and it lands.
Good to know: built by Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz
The lions on the flag
The four-lion capital of the ancient emperor Ashoka is India's national emblem, and the wheel beneath it, the Ashoka Chakra, sits at the center of the flag. Recognizing it shows you see India, not just a postcard.
Good to know: the wheel on the flag is the Ashoka Chakra
The festival of lights
Diwali is India's most beloved festival, when homes glow with rows of little oil lamps, diyas, marigolds, and sweets, celebrating light over darkness. Wishing someone a happy Diwali, or admiring the diyas, is always welcome.
Say it: Diwali (dee-VAH-lee), the festival of lightsIndia is astonishingly old and varied, thousands of years, many languages, countless traditions. Curiosity and respect for that richness, rather than treating it as one thing, open every door.
No links here, nothing to buy. This part is just to help you travel well.
Sources, and how this guide was checked
Last checkedJul 2026
Changed since last checkRe-checked July 2026, all confirmed current. From 22 September 2025 India cut GST on hotel rooms: nothing below 1,000 rupees a night, 5% up to 7,500, and 18% above that. Restaurant food is generally 5%. There is still no separate per-night tourist or city tax.
- Press Information Bureau, Government of Indiathe September 2025 GST changes for hotels and the hospitality sector
- ClearTaxhow GST applies to hotel rooms and restaurants, with the current rate bands
Our own judgmentThe daily cash share, tipping norms and likely ATM behavior are our own estimate from experience, not an official figure.
More money guides in Asia
If you are also weighing up nearby destinations, each guide covers cards, cash, ATMs and the fees to expect.
Going deeper on India
The money questions people ask on the ground.
Short, focused answers to the specific things that catch first-timers out in India.
- Do I need cash in India, or can I use cards?Short answer: cards for hotels and larger purchases, and cash for daily life. Locals pay by UPI apps that are hard for visitors, so carry rupee cash in small notes. Here is how to handle it.
- Tipping in IndiaIndia runs on baksheesh: small tips for service, given often. About 10% at restaurants, plus small amounts for the many people who help you. Here is what you actually owe.
- How do US citizens get an India e-visa?Short answer: online, on one official government site, before you travel. US citizens need an India e-Tourist Visa, the process is straightforward, but the search results are full of overpriced middlemen. Here is the real fee and the real site.
- Taxi apps in India, and the airport touts to skipIndia's taxis are cheap, but the first hour at the airport is where the tricks cluster. Here is the app to install, how to tell the real prepaid taxi from the touts, and the small scams to know once you are moving.
- Common money scams in India, and what they cost youIndia is an extraordinary trip that rewards a little preparation, and the scams that target tourists are money ones, not danger: overcharging, commission steering and a few well-known setups. They follow the same patterns almost every time, so once you know them they are easy to sidestep. Here is each one and how.
This is how India stands today.
Money rules move. We can let you know for free if that changes.