Places to Visit in Delhi: with Friends on a Low Budget

Delhi is one of the best cities in India for a budget day out with friends, because so much of it is free or costs next to nothing. The gardens and many of the great monuments, India Gate, Lodhi Garden, the Lotus Temple, cost nothing to enter; the street food of Chandni Chowk and the bargain racks of Sarojini Nagar are cheap and brilliant fun in a group; and student areas like Hauz Khas Village and Majnu ka Tila are full of affordable cafes. Add the metro to move around for a few rupees and a full day out needs barely dent your wallet.

I was born and raised in Delhi and in 11 years with Experience My India I have seen how the best days in this city are often the cheapest, wandering the old lanes, eating street food, sitting in a garden with friends as the sun goes down. Here are twelve places to visit in Delhi with friends on a low budget, grouped by type, with a rough idea of the cost, plus how to do the whole day without spending much.

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The best budget places in Delhi for friends

A quick map of the cheap and free spots, then the detail on each. For the city's full set of sights, see our guide to places to visit in Delhi.

Free monuments and gardens

India Gate and Kartavya Path

The classic free Delhi hangout. Gather on the lawns along Kartavya Path in the evening, share an ice cream and watch India Gate light up after dark, with fountains and space to sit and talk for hours. It costs nothing and is a perfect, easy meet-up spot for a group.

Lodhi Garden

Ninety acres of free parkland dotted with old tombs, Lodhi Garden is made for a low-budget day: bring snacks, find a spot on the grass and spend the afternoon walking, chatting and taking photos. It is green, central and completely free.

The Lotus Temple and Akshardham

Two of Delhi's most striking modern temples cost nothing to enter. The lotus-shaped Lotus Temple timings guide covers the free, serene Bahai house of worship and Akshardham temple Delhi timings explains the vast temple where the grounds are free, though the exhibitions and water show are ticketed. Both are memorable group outings for little or no money.

Budget markets and street food

Chandni Chowk and Old Delhi

For a cheap, unforgettable group outing, dive into the lanes of Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi for legendary street food, parathas, chaat, jalebi, kachori, all for a handful of rupees. Wander past the Red Fort history and timings and the Jama Masjid, take a cycle-rickshaw through the bazaars and eat your way around. It is Delhi at its most fun and affordable.

Sarojini Nagar

Sarojini Nagar is the budget shopper's paradise, racks of cheap, trendy clothes and export surplus that friends love to dig through together, plus street food to keep you going. Our guide to shopping in Delhi has more, but for a low-budget group day, Sarojini is unbeatable.

Dilli Haat

For a small entry fee, Dilli Haat at INA gathers crafts and, crucially, food stalls from every Indian state in one relaxed open-air space. It is a cheap way to eat across the country in an afternoon and a lovely, laid-back spot to hang out with friends.

Student hangouts and cheap cafes

Hauz Khas Village

Free to wander, Hauz Khas Village pairs a medieval lake and ruins with a warren of affordable cafes and rooftop bars, many with happy hours, so a group can watch the sunset over the water and grab cheap drinks and food after. It is one of the best-value evenings in the city and doubles as a spot for places in Delhi NCR for couples if the group pairs off.

Majnu ka Tila

The Tibetan colony of Majnu ka Tila, in north Delhi, is a maze of tiny lanes packed with cheap, delicious Tibetan and Korean food, momos, thukpa, cafes and quirky shops. It is a favourite student and backpacker hangout and one of the best cheap-eats areas in the city.

Champa Gali and the campus areas

The fairy-lit cafe lane of Champa Gali near Saket is cosy and affordable for a coffee and a long chat and the student districts, Hudson Lane by North Campus, Satya Niketan and SDA, are full of budget cafes, momos and hangout spots built for young people on a shoestring.

Cheap experiences worth doing

Boating at Purana Qila

For a small ticket, you can hire a paddle boat on the moat lake at the Purana Qila, the Old Fort, a cheap and cheerful group activity, followed by a wander round the ancient ramparts. There is an evening sound-and-light show too, if the budget stretches.

Qutub Minar and Mehrauli park

The soaring Qutub Minar has only a small entry ticket for Indian visitors and the surrounding Mehrauli Archaeological Park, free to roam, is a wonderful place to explore ruins, tombs and a stepwell with friends without spending anything.

The Rail Museum and city museums

For a small entry fee, the National Rail Museum in Chanakyapuri is a surprisingly fun group outing, with vintage trains and a toy-train ride. The National Museum and the crafts and science museums are similarly cheap, good options for a hot or rainy day.

How to do Delhi cheaply with friends

A few habits keep costs right down. Use the Delhi Metro to get around, it is fast, cheap and covers most of these places and a tourist day card is great value for a full day out. Eat street food and share dishes rather than sitting down to big meals. Travel in a group so you can split the cost of the occasional auto or cab. Do the free monuments and gardens by day and save the cheap-cafe and happy-hour spots for the evening. Carry your own water, go on a weekday if you can to skip the crowds and check current ticket prices, they are only a few tens of rupees for Indian visitors at most monuments, but they do change.

Want a budget-friendly guided day in Delhi, the street food, the bazaars and the monuments, planned for your group? Message us on WhatsApp and Experience My India will sort it.

Plan your trip

If your group would rather have a day guided, we keep it easy and good value. Our Old Delhi tour threads the bazaars and street food with the history explained and our Delhi city tour covers the big monuments. If you are travelling on to Agra and Jaipur, follow the Golden Triangle tour itinerary.

We tailor days to any budget, so just browse our Delhi Agra Tours and tell us what your group has in mind.

Experience My India. He has personally hosted 50,000+ travelers and the service he leads is rated 4.9 from 2,600+ reviews, operating since 2015. Delhi Agra Tour Packages is a unit of Experience My India.