How much does a road trip cost in India? A worked example

By the CostMyTrip team · Updated 2026-09-21

Most road trip budgets go wrong in the same three places: the distance is guessed, the toll is forgotten, and the small daily costs are never added up. This guide shows a simple method that you can do on paper, and then shows the same calculation done by CostMyTrip so you can see how the pieces fit.

Step 1: Fix the distance

Start with the one-way distance from your maps app, and double it for a return trip. If you plan side trips, add them now. Road distance is usually 20 to 45 percent longer than the straight line between two places, and more in hilly country, which is why a quick guess from a map often falls short.

Step 2: Work out fuel

Divide the distance by your vehicle's real mileage, then multiply by the price of fuel. A petrol car that gives 15 kilometres to the litre uses about 36 litres on 537 kilometres. At roughly ₹109 a litre, that is close to ₹3,900. Use the mileage you actually get on the highway with your usual load, not the figure printed in the brochure, and remember that air conditioning and a full boot lower it.

Step 3: Add tolls

Tolls on national highways depend on the plaza and the vehicle class, so exact amounts vary. As a rough planning figure, ₹2 per kilometre on tolled highways is a reasonable average for a private car. On the same 537-kilometre trip that comes to a little over ₹1,000 across about nine toll plazas.

Step 4: Add stay and food

Stay and food depend on how you travel. A useful habit is to pick a level, such as budget, mid-range or comfortable, and stay consistent across the whole trip, instead of mixing rates. Multiply the room rate by the number of nights and rooms, and the daily food cost by the number of people and days.

Step 5: Keep a buffer

Add 8 to 10 percent for parking, tea, entry tickets, small repairs and things you forgot. This is the line that turns a budget into a plan you can rely on.

A worked example

Two adults drive from Hyderabad to Tirupati for one day. CostMyTrip estimates fuel at about ₹3,900 and toll at about ₹1,070, for a driving cost of roughly ₹5,000 one way. Add food, a light sightseeing allowance and the buffer, and the trip totals a little over ₹7,000 before any hotel. The same journey by semi-sleeper bus costs a fraction of that in fares, which is why comparing modes first is worth the two minutes.

Check your estimate

Enter your own route in the CostMyTrip planner to see the full breakdown, change the vehicle, fuel type and number of travellers, and compare car, bus, train and flight side by side. Treat every number as an estimate and confirm prices before you leave.