South Asia

Money, cards and tipping in India

Capital: New DelhiEnglish, Hindi, Bengali, TeluguUpdated October 2026

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Money in India

Mixed: cards and cash UPI QR codes are everywhere, even at street stalls, but need an Indian account; carry small notes. Cards work in hotels, malls and chains. US$1 ≈ ₹96.37 (03 Oct 2026).

Key facts

Tipping: Not obligatory. Leave about 10% in sit-down restaurants without a service charge, ₹50–100 for porters and hotel staff, and tip drivers and guides.
ATMs: Per-withdrawal limits are often ₹10,000–20,000 and some banks add a fee. Decline the ATM's own currency conversion.
Paying by phone: UPI One World wallets (e.g. CheqUPI) let visitors pay UPI QR codes with passport, visa and an Indian number.
Price level: about 23% of US prices (World Bank PPP).

Cash or card, by place

Place	Cards	Notes
Delhi	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI QR codes are everywhere but need an Indian account. Cards work in malls and hotels; carry small notes for autos, markets and temples.
Goa	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI QR and cards work in cafés and larger shops; cash is still needed for shacks, scooters, taxis and markets.
Mumbai	Cards almost everywhere	UPI is everywhere and cards work in most restaurants. Carry small notes for taxis, autos and street food.
Jaipur	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI and cards work in hotels, malls and many cafés; cash is needed for autos, bazaars, temples and monument ticket counters.
Agra	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards and UPI work in hotels and larger restaurants; carry cash for autos, small shops and ticket counters.
Varanasi	Mostly cash	UPI works in newer shops and cafés, but boats, rickshaws, ghats, temples and small eateries are cash-based. Carry small notes.
Rishikesh	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI QR is accepted in many cafés and shops; autos, small stalls, ashram donations and rafting offices often prefer cash.
Bangalore	Cards almost everywhere	UPI QR is accepted almost everywhere including small stalls. Cards work in malls and restaurants; carry some cash for autos and markets.
Udaipur	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards and UPI work in hotels and many rooftops; cash is needed for autos, ghats, markets and small shops.
Kochi	Cards almost everywhere	UPI QR is used almost everywhere, even by small stalls. Cards work in hotels and restaurants; carry some cash for autos and ferries.
Kolkata	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI QR and cards work in modern shops and restaurants; trams, taxis, markets and street food are cash-based. Carry small notes.
Hyderabad	Cards almost everywhere	UPI QR is accepted almost everywhere. Cards work in malls and restaurants; carry small notes for autos and Old City markets.
Manali	Mostly cash	UPI QR works in cafés and many shops; taxis, small stalls, rafting and homestays often need cash. ATMs run dry in peak season.
Dharamshala	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI QR works in many cafés and shops; taxis, small stalls, treks and homestays often need cash. ATMs can be empty in peak season.
Leh	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI and cards work in the bazaar and hotels, but ATMs run dry in peak season and rural homestays only take cash. Carry a few thousand rupees.
Chennai	Cards almost everywhere	UPI and cards work almost everywhere, including street stalls. Keep small notes for autos, temples and market vendors.
Pondicherry	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI and cards work in cafés, hotels and shops in White Town; cash for autos, markets and small eateries.
Varkala	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI and cards work in many cliff cafés and hotels; cash for autos, small shops, beach stalls and some guesthouses.
Hampi	Mostly cash	UPI and cards work at a few hotels, but most guesthouses, rickshaws and monument gates take cash. Withdraw in Hospet; ATMs in Hampi are scarce.
Amritsar	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI and cards work in hotels, malls and many cafés; carry cash for autos, street food, markets and temple donations.
Jodhpur	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards and UPI at hotels, restaurants and shops; cash for autos, bazaars, street food and small guesthouses.
Jaisalmer	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI and cards at hotels and some restaurants; cash for autos, camel safaris, camps and market shops.
Pushkar	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI and cards at hotels and some cafés; cash for ghats, shops, autos and small guesthouses.
Palolem	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI and cards at many cafés and hotels; cash for huts, taxis, scooter rentals and beach shacks. ATMs can run out in peak season.
Anjuna	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI and cards work in cafés, clubs and hotels; cash for taxis, flea market stalls, beach shacks and scooter rentals.
Darjeeling	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI and cards work in hotels and many cafés; cash for jeeps, markets, tea shops and homestays.
Munnar	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI and cards work in hotels and many restaurants; cash for autos, tea shops, parks and homestays.
Alleppey	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI and cards at hotels and many restaurants; cash for autos, ferries, houseboat extras, tea shops and homestays.
Andaman Islands	Mostly cash	Few ATMs on Havelock and Neil, often empty. Bring cash from Port Blair; cards work in some resorts and dive shops.
Shimla	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI and cards work in cafés and shops on the Mall; cash for taxis, buses and small eateries.
Srinagar	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards and UPI in hotels and bigger shops; cash for shikaras, markets, taxis and rural eateries.
Mysore	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI and cards in cafés, malls and hotels; cash for autos, markets and small eateries.
Gokarna	Mostly cash	Beach shacks and huts often take cash only; the few ATMs in town sometimes run dry. UPI works in many cafés.
Arambol	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI and cards in cafés and shops; cash for shacks, scooter rentals, taxis and the Wednesday market.
Kasol	Mostly cash	UPI works in many cafés, but ATMs are few and sometimes empty. Carry cash from Bhuntar or Kullu.
Pune	Cards almost everywhere	UPI QR codes work almost everywhere; cards in malls and chains. Keep small cash for autos, markets and street food.
Spiti Valley	Mostly cash	UPI is spotty. Kaza has an ATM that sometimes runs out, so bring plenty of cash before you arrive.
Ooty	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI and cards in hotels and shops; cash for autos, buses, markets and small eateries.
Gangtok	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI and cards in hotels and shops; cash for taxis, jeeps and small eateries. ATMs are plentiful in the center.
Bir Billing	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI works in most cafés and shops; carry cash for taxis, small eateries and the ATM, which sometimes runs out.
Khajuraho	Mostly cash	UPI works in many shops; many small places are cash-only. Carry cash for autos, tickets and local eateries.
Gurgaon	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and UPI work almost everywhere in malls and cafés. Carry small notes for autos, street food and tips.
Ahmedabad	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI and cards work in malls and cafés; Old City stalls, rickshaws and small shops prefer cash. Carry small notes.
Bodh Gaya	Mostly cash	UPI is spreading, but small shops, autos and guesthouses mostly want cash. ATMs are near the temple; carry small notes.
Kovalam	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards and UPI work in hotels and bigger cafés; autos, beach shacks and shops prefer cash. ATMs are near Lighthouse Beach.
Madurai	Mixed: cards and cash	UPI and cards work in hotels and chains; bazaars, autos, small restaurants and temples prefer cash. Carry small notes.
Ranthambore	Mixed: cards and cash	Lodges accept cards and UPI; autos, tea stalls and market shops want cash. ATMs are in Sawai Madhopur town only.

Quick answers

Do you tip in India?

Not obligatory. Leave about 10% in sit-down restaurants without a service charge, ₹50–100 for porters and hotel staff, and tip drivers and guides.

Is India cashless?

Mixed: cards and cash. UPI QR codes are everywhere, even at street stalls, but need an Indian account; carry small notes. Cards work in hotels, malls and chains.

What currency does India use?

The Rupee (INR). US$1 ≈ ₹96.37 (03 Oct 2026).

Sources

Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.