West Bengal is an eastern Indian state stretching from the Himalayan foothills at Darjeeling to the mangrove delta of the Sundarbans. It combines the colonial heritage and literary culture of Kolkata with tea estates, terracotta temples, wildlife reserves and Bay of Bengal beaches.
Local currency: Indian Rupee (INR).
Daily budget by traveller style
Typical per-person daily spend in West Bengal.
- Mid-range
- $60/day (about ₹5,800)
- Luxury
- $190+/day (about ₹18,000+)
Cost breakdown
Typical price ranges across major spending categories.
Accommodation
- Hostel
- $5-10 (₹500-950 dorm bed)
- Budget
- $10-22 (₹950-2,100 private room)
- Midrange
- $30-70 (₹2,900-6,700 comfortable hotel)
- Luxury
- $100-300+ (₹9,600-29,000+ 5-star hotel or heritage property)
Food
- Street
- $0.50-2 (₹50-190 rolls, puchka, jhalmuri, kachori)
- Local
- $2-5 (₹190-480 Bengali thali or fish meal)
- Midrange
- $6-15 (₹580-1,440 restaurant with service)
- Fine
- $25-60+ (₹2,400-5,800 fine dining)
Transport
- Bus
- $0.10-0.50 (₹10-50 city bus and tram)
- Taxi
- $2-10 (₹190-960 yellow taxi or app cab for a city ride)
- Airport
- $6-15 (₹580-1,440 Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose airport to central Kolkata by cab)
- Daytrip
- $5-20 (₹480-1,900 shared car or train to nearby towns)
Activities
- Museum
- $0.50-6 (₹50-580 museums; foreigner rates are higher than Indian rates)
- Sites
- $0.50-6 (₹50-580 monuments such as Victoria Memorial)
- Tour
- $8-25 (₹770-2,400 guided city or heritage walk)
- Excursion
- $30-80 (₹2,900-7,700 Sundarbans or Darjeeling day or overnight package, varies widely)
Trip budgets by length
What a typical trip to West Bengal costs end-to-end.
Budget traveller
$140 for 7 days
Midrange traveller
$420 for 7 days
Luxury traveller
$1,330+ for 7 days
Money-saving tips
Practical ways to stretch your budget further.
Take the Kolkata Metro (₹5-50 per journey) instead of taxis for most city routes
Travel intercity by train in sleeper or 3AC class; book through IRCTC well ahead for popular routes
Eat at local bhojohori manna and Bengali thali joints instead of tourist restaurants
Share jeeps (shared taxis) in the hills rather than booking whole cars
Visit Victoria Memorial and museums on weekdays; combo tickets and Indian-resident rates apply only to residents
Avoid Durga Puja and the peak Darjeeling seasons (April-May, October-November) when hotels charge a premium
Use app-based cabs with upfront fares instead of negotiating with airport taxi touts
Buy local SIM cards from Jio or Airtel shops with passport and photo
Carry a refillable bottle and buy 20-litre water cans or filtered water at the hotel
Book Sundarbans trips through registered West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation packages for fixed prices
Free things to do
Memorable experiences that cost nothing.
Maidan and Victoria Memorial gardens
Walk the open green heart of Kolkata and the lawns surrounding Victoria Memorial; the monument interior has an entry fee but the gardens and Maidan are free to stroll.
Howrah Bridge and Mullick Ghat flower market
Walk across the Howrah Bridge and watch the wholesale flower market and bathing ghats at Mullick Ghat at sunrise.
Kumartuli pottery quarter
Watch idol-makers sculpting clay deities in North Kolkata lanes, busiest in the weeks before Durga Puja.
Hooghly ferry ride
Cross the river on a public ferry from Babughat or Armenian Ghat for a few rupees and views of both bridges.
College Street book market
Browse one of Asia's largest second-hand book districts and sit for an adda at Indian Coffee House.
Belur Math grounds
Visit the Ramakrishna Mission headquarters on the Hooghly; entry is free and the architecture blends Hindu, Islamic and Christian motifs.
Durga Puja pandal hopping
Pandals are free to enter across Kolkata during the five festival days in September or October.
Park Street Christmas lights
Stroll the illuminated strip from mid-December through New Year's Eve.
Darjeeling Mall and Observatory Hill
The Mall promenade and Observatory Hill temple are free hill-town walks with Kanchenjunga views on clear mornings.
Tiger Hill sunrise viewpoint
Shared jeep transport costs money, but the viewing experience and surrounding trails near Ghum are free.