India: the FD is happy (by Joe)

India is cheap.

The exchange rate is 100 rupees to the pound, but actual spending power is about 10 times that.

So, for example:

- Bottle of coke in a bar = 20 rupees = 20pence (= 2 pounds)
- Nice meal out = 300 rupees = 3 pounds (= 30 pounds)
- Cheap accommodation = 200 rupees = 2 pounds (20 pounds)
- Very nice accommodation = 1000 rupees = 10 pounds (= 100 pounds)
- Cheapish t-shirt = 100 rupees = 1 pound (= 10 pounds)

You can obviously spend a lot of money in India if you wanted to (and had it!) - there's no shortage of exclusive hotels, for example. However you can live very comfortably in reasonable accommodation, eating out well and travelling for around 250 pounds a month per person. We've been able to live below budget.

Top - a happy FD
Below - a happy FD makes for a happy MD

Joe