They all say the exact same thing. Go to Hauz Khas, go to Sarojini, eat at Chandni Chowk. It all is super cheap. And then you go and spend Rs 3,000 for four friends before 4 PM, because you did not know about the metro pass, the café on the lake charged Rs 400 for the coffee, and the museum was closed because it was Monday.

Delhi really is one of the cheapest large cities in the world to spend the day in. The only problem is that the cheap one and the expensive one exist side-by-side, sometimes even on the same street. Picking the right side is the entire trick.

This guide includes the places to visit in Delhi with your friends for a cheap budget, with an exact rupee price of each place, the travel trick that will make the costs of getting from one place to another halved and three full day plans for Rs 500, Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,500 per person.

Delhi on a Budget at a Glance

Detail	What to Know
Realistic day budget	Rs 500 to Rs 800 per person including food and travel
Biggest saving	Metro tourist card, roughly Rs 200 for unlimited rides in a day
Most monuments cost	Around Rs 35 for Indian visitors at ASI sites
Best free spots	Lodhi Garden, Agrasen ki Baoli, Bangla Sahib, Mehrauli park
Free meal option	Langar at Bangla Sahib and other gurudwaras, open to all
Best season	October to March, with November air quality as the exception
Group sweet spot	3 to 5 friends, since autos and food plates split cleanly
Worst budget trap	Rooftop cafes in Hauz Khas Village and anything in Cyber Hub
Metro hours	Roughly 5:30 AM to 11:30 PM, later starts on Sundays
Closed day to avoid	Monday, when most museums and several monuments shut

The Metro Hack That Halves Your Transport Cost

This is the most practical paragraph to include in any budget guide for Delhi, and few people do so.

If you and your group make four or more metro rides a day, then stop buying tickets altogether. You can buy a Tourist Smart Card from Delhi Metro which gives you unlimited rides for the cost of a flat fee. It costs approximately Rs 200 for a one-day card, Rs 500 for a three-day card, and both come with a refundable Rs 50 deposit. The Airport Express line is not covered by it.

Alternatively, if you are a frequent visitor to Delhi, then go with an ordinary smart card. With an ordinary smart card, you get a 10 percent discount on each ride along with an off-peak discount, depending on how you schedule your time during the week. Schedule your sightseeing between noon and 5 PM and you hit two bonuses at once.

Option	Approximate Cost (Rs)	Best For
Single journey token	10 to 60 per ride	One or two rides only
One-day tourist card	200, including 50 refundable	A full day of sightseeing
Three-day tourist card	500, including 50 refundable	Weekend trips with friends
Regular smart card	Deposit plus balance	10 percent off, plus off-peak discount
Shared auto rickshaw	20 to 40 per person	Short last-mile hops from the station
App cab split 4 ways	60 to 120 per person	Late nights after the metro shuts

Fares and card prices are revised periodically, so confirm the current rate at the station counter or on the official DMRC app before you buy.

Completely Free Places to Visit in Delhi With Friends

Start here. These cost nothing at all, and several of them are better than the ticketed options.

Lodhi Garden

Lawn area covering ninety acres with graves dating back to the fifteenth century, located at the heart of Lutyens Delhi. It is open from sunrise till around 8 P.M., free of cost, and is the best place for picnics in the entire city. Take your own food, locate a grave, and sit beneath it.

Agrasen ki Baoli

A 60-metre-deep stepwell with 100 or more steps leading to its depths, located in a narrow alley behind Connaught Place, surrounded by high-rise offices. Free admission, no ticket office, and one of the most photographed spots in all of Delhi. Visit before 11 AM if you wish to avoid a hundred people using the steps.

Mehrauli Archaeological Park

There are more than 100 buildings of historical significance scattered throughout scrub land surrounding Qutub Minar, and not many people go there. Some of these buildings include the Jamali Kamali mosque, Rajon ki Baoli, Balban’s tomb, and Metcalfe’s folly. It is free of charge while Qutub Minar just next door requires a ticket.

Gurudwara Bangla Sahib

Freedom of entry, freedom to wear the head cover, freedom to store the shoes, and langar kitchen providing food for all visitors irrespective of any questioning or cost. Come visit the kitchen and see thousands of rotis being rolled out by the volunteers. Sarovar tank situated at the center is serene even at its peak hours.

India Gate and Kartavya Path

It’s free, always open, and even better after nightfall when the lawn is packed with families and everything is illuminated. Ice cream trucks and chaat stands run along the sides at between Rs 30 and Rs 80 for each one. The entire length of the road from the Rashtrapati Bhavan entrance to India Gate is two kilometres.

Lotus Temple and Akshardham

Both are free to visit. The Lotus Temple is a Bahai place of worship that has very stringent rules of silence within it and it closes on Mondays. However, at Akshardham, entry fees apply only for the exhibitions and fountain shows; therefore, it is free to visit the temple complex itself. Remember that there are no cell phones allowed in Akshardham and the cloakroom line is very long.

Connaught Place and Janpath

CP’s Georgian colonnades are allowed to roam freely, and CP itself is allowed to relax, while the market of Janpath right beside it is where low-budget shopping begins. The Palika Bazaar underneath is good enough for one lap.

Cheap Ticketed Places Worth the Money

• Qutub Minar: around Rs 35 for Indians. The Iron Pillar inside does not rust after 1,600 years is the quote everybody uses without giving an explanation.
• Humayun’s Tomb: around Rs 35. The prototype of the Taj Mahal was made here, with fewer tourists and beautiful gardens.
• Red Fort: around Rs 35, closed on Mondays. Book tickets online to skip the queue.
• Purana Qila: around Rs 35, with a lake for boating near and practically nobody visits on weekdays.
• Dilli Haat, INA: nominal entry, around Rs 30 to Rs 50, with stalls for arts and crafts from all states and food stalls with meals priced at Rs 150 to Rs 250.
• Garden of Five Senses, Saket: around Rs 35 to Rs 50. Twenty acres of themed gardens and sculptures, which is a great place for a lazy group wander, and there is nothing else to pay besides entry.
• Waste to Wonder Park, Sarai Kale Khan: around Rs 50. Replicas of the seven wonders made up from industrial waste. Really entertaining, and the park is better lit at night.
• National Museum, Janpath: nominal for Indians, closed Mondays. The collection of the Harappan civilization makes the visit worthwhile.
• Jama Masjid: free of charge, around Rs 100 to get to the top of the southern minaret. View of the old Delhi from above is the best one in the city.

Entry Fees and Costs: The Full Table

These are approximate figures for planning. Government, ASI and museum rates are revised periodically, so confirm the current rate at the counter before you visit.

Place	Approximate Cost (Rs)	Note
Lodhi Garden	Free	Open sunrise to about 8 PM
Agrasen ki Baoli	Free	Best before 11 AM
Mehrauli Archaeological Park	Free	Wear proper shoes, uneven ground
Gurudwara Bangla Sahib	Free, langar free	Cover head, remove shoes
India Gate and Kartavya Path	Free	Best after sunset
Lotus Temple	Free	Closed Mondays, silence inside
Akshardham temple complex	Free, exhibitions extra	No phones or bags allowed
Hauz Khas ruins and lake	Free	The village cafes are not
Sanjay Van and Deer Park	Free	Go in a group, not alone
Qutub Minar	35 approximately	Book online to skip queues
Humayun’s Tomb	35 approximately	Pair with Sunder Nursery
Red Fort	35 approximately	Closed Mondays
Purana Qila	35 approximately	Boating charged separately
Jama Masjid minaret climb	100 approximately	Entry itself is free
Dilli Haat, INA	30 to 50	Food counters priced separately
Garden of Five Senses	35 to 50	Good for large groups
Waste to Wonder Park	50 approximately	Better after dark
Sunder Nursery	50 to 100	Higher on weekends
National Museum	Nominal for Indians	Closed Mondays
One-day metro tourist card	200, 50 refundable	Unlimited rides for a day

Markets Where Friends Actually Save Money

• Sarojini Nagar: clothes at the lowest prices in town, with export surplus at Rs 100 – Rs 400. Closed on Mondays. Begin bargaining at 40 percent of the stated price and walk out. They will call you back.
• Janpath: bags, jewelry, Tibetan silver and cotton kurtas. More expensive than Sarojini but less crowded and close to the Rajiv Chowk metro station.
• Lajpat Nagar Central Market: suits, footwear, and mehndi stalls for Rs 50 to Rs 150 per hand. Chandni Chowk: wholesale prices if you purchase in large quantities. Please be aware that most of the major market is closed on Sundays, which traps most of the visitors who come over the weekends.
• Majnu ka Tila: the Tibetan settlement in the town, woollen goods at low prices, momos ranging from Rs 60 to Rs 100 per plate and an entirely different environment from the rest of Delhi.

The Street Food Trail Under Rs 300

Four friends can eat properly across Old Delhi for less than the price of one Cyber Hub main course. These are typical rates and vary by shop.

Dish and Place	Approximate Cost (Rs)	Where
Paratha with sides	80 to 150	Paranthe Wali Gali, Chandni Chowk
Chole bhature	80 to 150	Sitaram Diwan Chand, Paharganj
Chole kulche	50 to 90	Street carts across central Delhi
Kebab plate	150 to 300	Jama Masjid lanes
Momos, plate of eight	60 to 100	Majnu ka Tila, Dilli Haat
Rajma chawal	60 to 120	Hudson Lane, north campus
Jalebi with rabri	60 to 120	Old Delhi sweet shops
Lassi, tall glass	60 to 100	Chandni Chowk
Kulfi falooda	60 to 120	Chawri Bazar area
Filter coffee or chai	20 to 60	Anywhere, and always cheaper standing

The Closed-Day Trap

More budget day plans are ruined by this than by money. Check before you travel.

Day	What Is Closed	Plan Instead
Monday	Most museums, Red Fort, Lotus Temple, Sarojini Nagar	Lodhi Garden, Qutub, Bangla Sahib
Sunday	Most of Chandni Chowk main market	Old Delhi food lanes still run
Friday afternoon	Jama Masjid restricted around prayers	Visit before noon or late afternoon
Public holidays	Government museums often shut	Parks, gardens and markets stay open

Three Full-Day Plans by Budget

These are per person, assuming a group of four splitting shared costs.

The Rs 500 day

Item	Cost (Rs)
Metro tourist card	150 after deposit refund
Qutub Minar entry	35
Mehrauli Archaeological Park	Free
Lodhi Garden afternoon	Free
Bangla Sahib and langar meal	Free
Street food and chai	150
Shared auto hops	80
Total	Around 415

The Rs 1,000 day

Same base price, but including Humayun’s Tomb and Sunder Nursery for about Rs 135, an authentic Old Delhi food walk at Rs 350, admission and shopping at Dilli Haat for Rs 250, and the night at India Gate for nothing. All in all around Rs 950.

The Rs 1,500 day

If you wish to include an early morning visit to the Red Fort, climb up the Jama Masjid tower, have a proper meal either at Karim’s or at one of the cafes near Majnu ka Tila at Rs 400 to Rs 500, and shopping at Sarojini Nagar at Rs 400, that would be your itinerary.

Night Plans That Do Not Cost Money:

• India Gate past 8 p.m. Free, well-lit, fun and safe, and offers street food at low prices.
• Connaught Place Central Park. A free park, where you can sit and the outer circle operates until late, offering cheap chai.
• Wonder from Waste Park after dusk. The monument is lit and entry fees are Rs 50 only.
• Rajiv Chowk to Chandni Chowk using the metro, for a night-long eating experience of Old Delhi food, bearing in mind the last metro service is at around 11:30 p.m.
• Hudson Lane in the north campus. Offers student discounts, live music at some spots, and complete meal for Rs 250.

Where Budget Trips Leak Money:

• Rooftop Cafés at Hauz Khas Village. The lake and the ruins below it are free and beautiful. However, the cafes on top of them cost between Rs 300 and Rs 500 for a cup of coffee. See the ruins; eat somewhere else.
• Cyber Hub and Aerocity. Fantastic places with no low budget alternative. Ignore them completely on your budget travel.
• Un-metered autos. Always insist on meter or agree on the price before boarding. Shared auto from metro station is always a better option.
• Anybody in Connaught Place or Paharganj who tells you that the monument is closed and offers you to visit a government emporium instead. Commission scam; the monument is open.
• Charges for camera/video inside monument complexes. Cell phones are normally free, but tripods/professional cameras normally aren’t.
• Bottled water at monument complex. Bottled water sold inside the monument complex is thrice more expensive than outside. Bring a bottle and refill it.

Practical Tips Most Budget Guides Skip

• Purchase ASI monument tickets online. Saves you money by either being equally priced or marginally cheaper. More importantly, saves you 20 minutes at the counter for each monument visited, which is literally the currency on a busy day.
• Organize your travel geographically and not based on popularity. Organize south Delhi in one group, old Delhi in another, central Delhi in yet another group. Moving across the city takes up a couple of hours and lot of bucks.
• Have cash in smaller denominations. Street vendors, shared autos and langar do not take cards, and Rs 500 denomination is a trouble at a chai stall.
• Cover head and remove shoes at gurudwaras and mosques. Free head scarfs are offered at Bangla Sahib.
• Skip November in case there’s an asthmatic person in the group. Air quality is at its worst during this period in Delhi.
• Keep the group intact in Sanjay Van and less crowded parts of Mehrauli.
• Install offline metro map. Interchanges such as Rajiv Chowk and Kashmere Gate are huge in size and mobile signal fails underground.

Trivia You Can Use to Sound Like a Regular

• The Iron Pillar located in the Qutub complex is 1,600 years old and has hardly rusted due to a protective phosphate layer covering it.
• There is no ticket office at Agrasen ki Baoli and there is no known creator of it. However, it has been recorded in history since the fourteenth century but it is believed to have existed much earlier.
• Bangla Sahib langar offers free food to thousands of people every single day. People belonging to any faith or financial background can just walk in, sit on the floor and eat.
• The Mehrauli Archaeological Park has more than a hundred monuments covering an area of about 200 acres, thus being one of the rare archaeological parks in India having continuous construction for a millennium.
• On an average working day, Delhi Metro transports several million people and hence an unlimited ride card costs only Rs 200, making it one of the most economical transport in a major world city.
• Sarojini Nagar sells export surplus products, that is why sometimes international brands tags can be seen on shirts sold for Rs 200.

Final Take: Free First, Ticketed Second, Cafes Last

The key to visiting places in Delhi with friends on a budget lies in the sequence of activities you plan. Begin the day by taking the free places, since Lodhi Garden, Mehrauli, Agrasen ki Baoli and Bangla Sahib are among the top places in the city and not some second-rate version. Follow it up with two or three charged monuments, costing around Rs 35 per head. After that comes the part about where to eat, but go for Old Delhi or Majnu ka Tila and not rooftops.

Get a metro tourist card as soon as you begin, keep your group to four or five people so auto rides can be split and the bill of food divided equally, avoid going there on a Monday and ensure carrying money in small denomination. And you will have yourself an absolutely fantastic day in Delhi with expenses ranging from Rs 400 to Rs 700 per person, which is even lesser than one meal in the recommended parts of the city.

Frequently Asked Questions

Note: All fees and fares listed here are approximate and revised periodically. Confirm current rates at the ticket counter, the ASI portal or the official DMRC app before your visit.

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