Cheapest Countries to Visit from India
By Ganesh ·
Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and more: flight prices, daily budgets and visa rules for Indians, side by side.
The cheapest countries to visit from India are mostly our neighbours and South-East Asia: Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia and Indonesia. In all of them a week costs roughly ₹35,000–70,000 per person including flights, because fares are short and daily costs are similar to or lower than travelling within India. Nepal and Bhutan need no flight at all if you go overland, and several of these countries now let Indians in without a paid visa.
Cost at a glance (per person, approximate)
| Country | Return flight from a metro | Daily budget on the ground | Visa for Indians |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nepal | ₹8,000–15,000, or go by road | ₹2,000–3,500 | Not needed (carry passport or voter ID) |
| Bhutan | ₹15,000–25,000, or by road via Jaigaon | ₹4,000–7,000 plus the daily fee for Indians | Entry permit on arrival |
| Sri Lanka | ₹12,000–20,000 | ₹2,500–4,500 | ETA, free under a recent scheme |
| Thailand | ₹14,000–22,000 | ₹2,500–5,000 | Visa-free for short stays |
| Malaysia | ₹14,000–22,000 | ₹2,500–4,500 | Visa-free for short stays |
| Vietnam | ₹18,000–28,000 | ₹2,000–4,000 | e-visa, about US$25 |
| Cambodia | ₹20,000–30,000 | ₹2,000–4,000 | e-visa or visa on arrival |
| Indonesia (Bali) | ₹25,000–32,000 | ₹2,500–5,000 | Visa on arrival plus Bali levy |
Daily budgets cover a simple hotel or guesthouse shared between two, local food and local transport. Visa rules for Indians have been changing quickly in Asia; check each country's official immigration or embassy page before you book.
Closest and cheapest: Nepal
You can take a bus or drive to Kathmandu or Pokhara from the border at Sunauli or Raxaul, and Indian rupees are widely accepted (₹100 and smaller notes are safest). A week of Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan by tourist bus fits in ₹20,000–30,000 for many travellers.
Best value by flight: Vietnam and Sri Lanka
Vietnam has the lowest daily costs of the flight destinations, with excellent street food, cheap sleeper buses and good homestays. Sri Lanka is a short hop from Chennai, Bengaluru, Kochi and Hyderabad, trains are scenic and cheap, and it's easy for vegetarians.
Easy first trips: Thailand and Malaysia
Both have frequent flights from many Indian cities, visa-free entry for short stays at the time of writing, plenty of Indian food, and simple public transport. Kuala Lumpur is a good add-on to Singapore or Thailand.
What makes a cheap trip expensive
Travelling in Indian school holidays and over Diwali or Christmas doubles flight prices. Booking last minute does the same. Packaged sightseeing tours often cost more than doing the same day with a local driver or bus. And small bank charges on every card payment add up, so carry a forex card or a card with low foreign-exchange markup.
FAQ
Which is the cheapest foreign country for Indians?
Nepal, because you can go by road, there's no visa and rupees are accepted. Among flight destinations, Vietnam and Sri Lanka usually come out cheapest overall.
Can I travel abroad for ₹30,000?
Yes, to Nepal easily, and to Sri Lanka, Thailand or Malaysia if you find a cheap flight and travel simply for 5 or 6 days.
Which month has the cheapest flights?
Outside school holidays and festivals. Mid-January to March and July to September are often cheaper from India, though the weather in each country differs in those months.
Photo: Pirogue running from the Nam Khan river to the Mekong a sunny day in Luang Prabang Laos by Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
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