How much should an Indian couple budget for Varanasi? Hotels, transport and activities

1. Getting there and in

The district website says the airport is 22 km from the city and that a prepaid taxi service runs there. Our guides on Delhi to Varanasi and the airport transfer cover the rest. Add your own flight or train cost from the live booking site, not from a blog.

2. Local transport

The district page lists a range for hiring a four-seat car for 8 hours, Rs 1,400 to 2,200, and Rs 10 to 15 per km for a reserved auto-rickshaw or rickshaw. The page is undated and the figures look old, so use them only as a reminder that cars are billed by hours and kilometre limits, and that you should fix the fare before you go. It also says some old-city routes are one-way and bar autos and big vehicles.

3. Hotels

We found no official room-rate source. Ask three hotels near your preferred ghat for a written quote for your dates, with taxes, and ask what the drop point is. A cheaper room far from the ghats can cost more in transfers.

4. Activities

• Ganga Aarti: Incredible India describes it as a daily evening event. We found no entry fee mentioned.
• Boat ride: the district site says boats are available for hire at Dashashwamedh Ghat. Agree the price and the duration before you board.
• Sarnath: check ASI's current tariff and the museum's Friday closure.

5. A simple budget sheet

List stay, food, local transport, activities, shopping and a margin. Fill each line with a quote or a live price, and note the date you got it. If a line has no source, leave it blank, not a guess.

Sources

Varanasi district website (varanasi.nic.in); Incredible India, Varanasi (incredibleindia.gov.in). Checked on 30 October 2026.