The cost of a month in Rishikesh
3 min read · Updated October 16, 2026 · sources checked October 16, 2026
In short
The only Rishikesh costs we can source officially are the Indian e-Visa fees: for most EU, US, UK, Canadian and Australian passports, US$25 for 30 days from July to March, US$10 from April to June, and US$40 for one year, plus a 3% bank charge. The aarti is free. For rooms, food and courses, build your budget from at least two written quotes.
Search "cost of living in Rishikesh" and you will find confident tables of room rates and meal prices, rarely dated and never sourced. We refuse to add one more. Prices in Rishikesh vary by season, bank, type of stay and week, and a figure copied from another site is worse than no figure: it makes you plan on something false. Here is what we can source, what costs nothing, and a method to price the rest yourself.
What we can source (checked on 16 October 2026)
The e-Visa
The official e-Tourist Visa fee table of the Government of India sets fees by nationality, in US dollars, plus a bank charge of 3%.
| Passport | 30 days (April-June) | 30 days (July-March) | 1 year | 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Ireland, Luxembourg | $10 | $25 | $40 | $200 |
| Canada, Australia | $10 | $25 | $40 | $200 |
| United States | $10 | $25 | $40 | $160 |
| United Kingdom | $10 | $25 | $40 | $484 |
Find your own country in the official table before applying, and apply only on indianvisaonline.gov.in: look-alike sites charge extra. The rules (durations, 180 days a year on the long visas, apply at least four days ahead) are on our India e-Visa page.
What costs nothing
- The Ganga aarti, at Parmarth Niketan, Triveni Ghat or the Sivananda Ashram: a public rite; donations are voluntary.
- The ghats and the riverside paths, the temples (donations voluntary), the satsangs some ashrams open to all (the Divine Life Society's site says anyone interested in the spiritual life can come to its ashram).
What we could not source
- Rooms, meals, classes, courses, retreats: no official or stable reference exists; quotes vary by season and by place.
- Entry fees of sites such as the former ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (the "Beatles Ashram"): on 16 October 2026 we found no official notice from the managing authority confirming the current fee. Check at the gate and carry cash.
- Train and bus fares: check them on the official booking channels for your date.
The worksheet
Copy this table and fill it with written quotes. Two quotes per line is a good habit.
| Item | Quote 1 | Quote 2 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| International flights | Book early for October-November and March | ||
| Delhi to Rishikesh (train, bus, taxi or flight) | See how to reach Rishikesh | ||
| e-Visa + 3% bank charge | Official table above | ||
| Travel insurance | Must cover medical care and repatriation | ||
| Accommodation × nights | Season changes everything | ||
| Meals × days | Ashram meals are often included | ||
| Course, classes or retreat | What exactly is included? | ||
| Local transport | Shared vehicles, taxis | ||
| Excursions | Haridwar, temples in the hills | ||
| Donations (dakshina) | Voluntary | ||
| Health: travel clinic, vaccines, pharmacy | Plan 8 weeks ahead | ||
| Reserve for the unexpected |
How to get reliable quotes
- Write to the place directly, through the email or form on its official website, and ask for the price, what it includes, the deposit and the refund policy in writing.
- Name the dates. A price without dates means little in a town where October-November and February-April are high season and where the Haridwar Ardh Kumbh (14 January to 20 April 2027, according to dates announced by the Mela administration) will push demand up.
- Ask what is a donation and what is a fee. Many ashrams work partly on dakṣiṇā (दक्षिणा), the traditional offering. Ask what guests usually give.
- Pay through official channels only. Parmarth Niketan states on its site that it never asks for accommodation payments by phone or WhatsApp; treat such requests, in any ashram's name, as a warning sign.
- Keep receipts for anything paid in advance.
Insurance is not optional
France Diplomatie insists that travellers to India have an insurance or assistance contract covering all medical costs, including surgery, hospitalisation and medical repatriation, and warns that the French embassy cannot pay these costs. Check that your policy covers yoga, rafting and two-wheelers if you plan them. Put the premium in your worksheet before anything else.
Why we do this
Because the budget is where most first stays go wrong: a course that turns out to exclude meals, a deposit with no refund, a visa bought on a copy site. With written quotes and the official visa table, your figure is yours, and it is true.
Choose your season with when to visit Rishikesh, then compare stays on ashrams in Rishikesh. Back to the Rishikesh guide.
Questions people ask
How much does a month in Rishikesh cost?
It depends on your season, your type of stay and your course, and prices change fast. We do not print unsourced averages. Use the worksheet on this page with written quotes from your accommodation and your course, and add the official visa fee and your flights.
How much is the e-Visa for India?
It depends on nationality. On the official fee table checked on 16 October 2026, France, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, the UK and the US pay US$10 (April-June) or US$25 (July-March) for 30 days and US$40 for one year, plus a 3% bank charge. Five years: US$200 for most of them, US$160 for the US, US$484 for the UK.
Is the Ganga aarti free?
Yes. Attending the evening aarti at Parmarth Niketan, Triveni Ghat or the Sivananda Ashram costs nothing. Lamps sold on the steps and donations are voluntary.
Are ashrams cheaper than guesthouses?
Often, but not always, and some ask for a donation rather than a fixed rate. Compare what is included: meals, classes, satsang, linen, hot water. Ask for the conditions in writing before paying.
Sources
- Country/Territory-wise e-Tourist Visa Fee — Government of India (official PDF) checked October 16, 2026
- e-Visa — Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs (official site) checked October 16, 2026
- Parmarth Niketan, official website (Ganga aarti) checked October 16, 2026
- Introduction to the Sivananda Ashram — The Divine Life Society checked October 16, 2026
- Getting Here — Parmarth Niketan (payments never requested by phone or WhatsApp) checked October 16, 2026
- Inde, conseils aux voyageurs : santé (assurance, frais médicaux) — France Diplomatie checked October 16, 2026
- Dates announced for bathing festivals during Ardh Kumbh Mela in Haridwar — The Week (PTI), 15 April 2026 checked October 16, 2026
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