Spending money in India — UPI revolution, cash culture, and best cards

India's payments landscape has undergone a dramatic transformation. UPI (Unified Payments Interface) has made real-time digital payments ubiquitous among Indians. But for foreign visitors, UPI remains largely inaccessible. And beyond cities, cash remains the dominant medium. Understanding which part of India you're in determines how much cash you need.

UPI: the payments revolution foreign visitors can't access

UPI processed over 10 billion transactions per month in 2025 — the world's most successful real-time retail payment system. QR codes are everywhere: street vendors, auto-rickshaws, kirana stores, restaurants, and temples all have UPI QR codes. For Indian residents, paying is as simple as scanning a QR with PhonePe, Google Pay, or Paytm. For foreign visitors, UPI requires an Indian mobile number and bank account — currently unavailable to most international tourists, though pilot programmes for visitors from a handful of countries are running.

Cash requirements in India

Urban India (Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad): modern restaurants, malls, Swiggy/Zomato, Ola/Uber, and hotel chains are fully card and UPI-enabled. Auto-rickshaws in cities are increasingly UPI-accepting but still mostly cash. Local dhabas, street food vendors, sabzi mandis (vegetable markets), and local transport remain cash. Rural India, pilgrimage towns (Varanasi, Vrindavan), and heritage sites: significantly more cash-dependent. Budget ₹2,000–5,000 per day in cash for moderate mixed spending.

ATMs in India

HDFC, ICICI, SBI, Axis, and Kotak ATMs accept foreign Visa and Mastercard. Fees are low — typically ₹20–50 per foreign withdrawal (under £1). Withdrawal limits are ₹10,000–20,000 per transaction. ATMs in major cities are reliable; in smaller towns they can run out of cash (especially around festivals and month-end salary cycles). Always withdraw when you have the opportunity rather than waiting until you're low. White-label ATMs (not affiliated with a major bank) in tourist areas of Goa and Rajasthan have higher fraud risk.

Best cards for Indian travellers going abroad

Niyo Global is the best zero-forex debit card for Indian residents travelling internationally. Zero forex markup, 3 free international ATM withdrawals per month. Scapia Federal Bank Credit Card offers zero forex markup with no annual fee — the best credit option. Together they cover all spending scenarios at zero extra cost versus the 3–3.5% charged by HDFC, ICICI, and SBI forex cards. TCS at 20% applies to international spending above ₹7 lakh/year — claimable in ITR.

Best cards for foreign visitors to India

Foreign visitors to India (not Indian residents) should use their standard zero-forex cards from home. Wise (international), Starling Bank, and Revolut all work well at Indian ATMs. You pay ₹20–50 per ATM withdrawal — far lower than almost anywhere else in the world — with no forex fee on top if you have a zero-forex card. Major Indian hotels, restaurants, and tour operators accept international Visa and Mastercard.

Rajasthan, Goa, and heritage tourism: cash specifics

Rajasthan (Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer): heritage hotels and major tourist restaurants take card, but local bazaars, village experiences, camel safaris, and fort entry fees are cash. Always carry ₹2,000–3,000 when exploring off the main tourist circuit. Goa: beach shacks and local fisherfolk are cash; tourist restaurants and resorts are card-friendly. Kerala backwaters: houseboat operators take a deposit by card but daily expenses are cash. Varanasi: almost entirely cash for the authentic experience.

Key takeaways