VanBasket India

Food Prices in India — October 2026

Name: India — VanBasket Food Price Index
Creator: OpenVan.camp
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Updated: 1 October 2026

Current Index

58.2

vs World Average

-41.8%

Official (IMF + World Bank)

Real grocery prices

Price per unit in your currency

Prices known for 4 of 10 items — help fill the rest

Milk 1 L

1 source open data · updated 1 Jan 2026

$0.81

-54% World (base = 100)
Eggs 12 pcs

1 source open data · updated 1 Jan 2026

$1.94

-44% World (base = 100)
Chicken 1 kg

1 source open data · updated 1 Jan 2026

$3.72

-37% World (base = 100)
Rice 1 kg

1 source open data · updated 1 Jan 2026

$1.61

-29% World (base = 100)
Bread 500 g loaf
Water 1.5 L bottle
Cheese 1 kg
Tomatoes 1 kg
Potatoes 1 kg
Beer 0.5 L bottle

Monthly basket, 1 person

Directional: 4 milk + 2 eggs + 4 chicken + 4 rice

$28.44

Know the prices in India?

Check your last receipt and send a couple of numbers — the next traveller gets a better page.

Every traveller price is reviewed by hand; the row shows how many reports from the last 90 days back the figure.

Data: WhereNext (CC BY 4.0, January 2026)

Report a price

Enter the price you actually saw in the shop.

Product

Price (€ EUR)

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Reports are reviewed by hand — only what an editor confirms reaches the site.

Recent real receipts

Real purchases logged in this country (crowdsourced, local names)

Cow Ghee

Milky Mist

DMart 1 Oct

159 ₹
Fortune premium kachi ghani pure mustard oil

adani Wilmar

DMart 1 Oct

209 ₹
Snappin Street Jaljeera

Snappin · 5g

DMart, Mahesana 29 Sep

2 ₹
Tomato Soup

Curryit · 55

Blinkit, Dispur 29 Sep

69 ₹
Vita ghee

Vita · 905g

Vita Milk, Kurukshetra 26 Sep deal

705 ₹
Chilli Chatka

Kurkure · 78.9

IISc Post Office, Bengaluru 22 Sep

20 ₹
Badam Shakers

Amul · 200 mL

IISc Post Office, Bengaluru 22 Sep

40 ₹
Bombay Bunta Masala Soda

Bombay Bunta · 250 ml

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhopal, Bhopal 13 Sep

20 ₹
Nylon Sev

Chheda's · 170g

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhopal, Bhopal 13 Sep

55 ₹
Banana Walnut Cake

Let's Try · 150g

Zepto Cafe, Bengaluru 8 Aug

176 ₹
Kab's Jackpot Korean Style Instant Noodles

Kwality Noodles · 105g

IISc Post Office, Bengaluru 6 Sep

50 ₹
Kab's Jackpot Korean Ramyun

Kwality Noodles · 105g

IISc Post Office, Bengaluru 5 Sep

50 ₹
Maggie Double Masala Instant Noodles

Maggie, Nestle India · 95g

IISc Post Office, Bengaluru 28 Aug

20 ₹
Bingo! Mad Angles Achaari Masti

Bingo, ITC Limited · 58 gm

IISc Post Office, Bengaluru 28 Aug

20 ₹
Campa Jeera Up

Campa · 150ml

DMart, Mahesana 26 Aug

10 ₹
Crispy roll strawberry

Americano · 20g

All Mart, Bengaluru 25 Aug

20 ₹
Campa Power Up

Campa · 550 g

D-Mart, Surat 9 Aug

20 ₹
Kissan No onion no garlic Tomato Ketchup

Kissan · 850 g

D-Mart, Surat 9 Aug

130 ₹
Whole Wheat Noodles

Ching's · 280g

Zepto Cafe, Bengaluru 5 Aug

100 ₹
Onion Bhujia

Let's Try · 30g

Zepto Cafe, Bengaluru 4 Aug

15 ₹

Data: Open Food Facts — Open Prices (ODbL)

What this means for vanlife

Food in India is very cheap — 41.8% below the world average. An excellent destination for budget van travel: the same grocery basket costs around $175 per month (vs $300 world average).

How food prices are changing

Food overall: +3.9% over the year, as of March 2026

Mar 2023 Food price index, last 3 years Mar 2026

Official statistics: FAOSTAT, United Nations (food price index, CC BY 4.0), March 2026. Change versus the same month a year earlier. The index shows how prices moved, not what an item costs.

Index History

Index:

Based on World Bank ICP 2021, adjusted with IMF CPI

Compare with India

India

58.2

World (base = 100)

100

If you spend 100 at home:

100

Select home and destination countries to compare food costs

Similar Countries

Nepal 61 -39%

Tajikistan 62 -38%

Myanmar 63 -37%

Egypt 65 -35%

Bangladesh 65 -35%

More countries in Asia

Nepal 61 -39%

Tajikistan 62 -38%

Myanmar 63 -37%

Bangladesh 65 -35%

Kyrgyzstan 65 -35%

Sri Lanka 68 -32%

FAQ

Is food expensive in India?

No, food in India is cheap. The VanBasket Index is 58.2 (world average = 100), meaning food is 41.8% below the global average — great for budget travel.

How much should I budget for food in India per month?

If the world average monthly food spend is $300, in India you can expect to spend around $175. This is based on the VanBasket Index of 58.2 (world = 100).

How does India compare to similar countries?

India has a VanBasket Index of 58.2. Similar or nearby countries: Nepal, Tajikistan, Myanmar.

How often is the food price data for India updated?

The index is updated monthly using IMF Consumer Price Index data. The baseline is from World Bank ICP 2021.

About the data: The VanBasket Index is based on World Bank ICP 2021 food price level data, adjusted monthly using IMF CPI. World average = 100. Index > 100 means food is more expensive than the global average. API for developers →

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