The Cost of Living in Goa in 2020
Dreaming of an escape from cold, grey winters and the daily grind? It sounds too good to be true, we all need to have a job to pay the exorbitant bills right? Not everywhere! Come to Asia! Perhaps you will be surprised by the low cost of living in Goa.Â
The tropical, exotic countries of South East Asia and the Indian subcontinent are among the cheapest places to travel in the world, with beautiful beaches, delicious food, golden temples, colourful culture, friendly people and year round warm climates.
I’ve rented a house in the Indian state of Goa, famous for it’s beaches, culture and laid back life and living in Goa costs a lot less than Western countries, although Goa is alot more expensive than other places in India.
When I first came here in 2014/15 I was living in this tropical paradise for around Rs 30,000 per month (about £300) as I was spending less than Rs 1000 a day (about £10 or $16).
Prices rise every year. It’s probably still possible to live for that less if you only eat out at simple local restaurants or food carts and cook mainly for yourself but in 2020 my comfortable expat lifestyle in Goa costs me more like Rs. 50,000 per month ( about £500) or £16 a day now.
Here is a quick run down of our monthly and daily costs of living in Goa in Indian Rupees updated for 2020.
Exchange rate to £ GBP as of 15/04/2020
| Cost of Living In Goa 2020 | Â | |||
| Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
|  | Total Monthly Cost for 2 people | Cost in £ | Cost per person, per day | Cost in £ |
Rent (1 bedroom non A/C house with basic kitchen and bathroom close to the beach with bills included) | Rs.20,000.00 | £209 | Rs.333 | £3.48 |
| Eating Out (at a beach shack or tourist restaurant once a day) | Rs.30,000.00 | £313 | Rs.500 | £5.22 |
| Scooter Rental (Honda Activa) | Rs.5,000.00 | £52 | Rs.83 | £0.86 |
| Petrol | Rs.1,000.00 | £10 | Rs.17 | £0.17 |
| Groceries (Try to avoid imported foods to save money) | Rs.10,000.00 | £104 | Rs.166 | £1.73 |
Drinking and Nightlife (Average entrance to parties Rs. 1000. I don’t drink much but some spend 15k ++ per month on nightlife) | Rs.8,000.00 | £83 | Rs.133 | £1.39 |
| Phone (2 local Sims with calls, texts & internet. Most houses don’t have WiFi) | Rs.500.00 | £5.22 | Rs.08 | £0.08 |
| Shopping | Rs.3,000.00 | £31 | Rs.50 | £0.52 |
| Yoga Classes and other activities (Average Rs. 500 per yoga class) | Rs.12,000.00 | £125 | Rs.200 | £2.10 |
| Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
| Total Costs for 2 people | Rs. 89,500.00 | £936 | Rs.1491 | £15.60 |
| Cost per month per person |  Rs. 44,750.00 |  £468 |  |  |
Note that the longer you stay the cheaper deals you can negotiate for house and bike rental and the less likely you are to over pay for other items when you know the real price not the tourist price.
Tempted? Find out more:
Find out How to Rent a House in Goa and more on living in Goa for only £10 a day.
Find out the best beaches in Goa, things to do and the best places to stay and eat in my Guide to Goa
See more about how much it costs to travel around India and the average daily budget for backpacking in India
The complete guide to Preparing for traveling in India and importantly, How to get an Indian Visa
How to make a living online anywhere in the world as a digital nomad.
Other options for tropical living on the cheap
If India is not your style then there’s plenty of other options for cheap tropical living. Thailand is a hugely popular option or how about Cambodia, Bali or the Philippines in South East Asia. Closer to America check out Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua or Bolivia for a taste of Latin America or try Morocco or Mozambique all for relatively very little money.
Get more ideas from the 22 Cheapest Places to Travel (most are possible for less than £20 or $30 per day) and of course if you stay a while and rent a house it gets even cheaper. Also look into Ways to Travel for Free or ways to Make Money While Traveling for more ideas – Travel does not have to be expensive!Â
15 comments
Nice breakdown of the costs for Goa.(my intended place of retirement)
Thanks, yes it would be a great place for retirement! 🙂
Hope to visit Goa soon! My cousin who is based in the UK showed me here trip videos way back in 2010. My interest in India started there.
You should visit Goa! There is something special about Goa for me that will keep me coming back again and again and it’s super cheap so I can stay for a long time 🙂
Hi Anna👋 …Sounds really interesting to retire in Goa
Love to know you better and more about your trips to goa
I am seriously thinking about taking a trip after reading your comment about Goa
Please let me know, is it safe for a single lady to go and stay for about 4 to 5 months in Goa?
Hi Shirin
Glad you liked my posts 🙂 I am a single lady living in Goa – tbh its not the easiest place for single women to travel due to the hassle from men on the beaches and in parties sometimes but I’m OK. These posts might help – http://www.global-gallivanting.com/safety-tips-for-women-traveling-in-india/ https://hippie-inheels.com/safety-tips-solo-female-travel-goa-india/ I should really write a more detailed post about this topic soon – thanks for your comment.
Hope to visit Goa soon …….I am leaving from Maharashtra There is something special about Goa for me I am coming to goaaaaa
Hi Anna
Its us again! We have another question. When you’re renting out a house over there, does the rent always include bills? I gather things like council tax and such don’t apply, but what about electric/gas/water etc? Does it depend on the property/landlord?
Hope to see you soon on Vagator beach!
Ted & Sarah
Hi again! 🙂 Most of the time it’s a simple understanding and 1 price to cover all the bills but it can change depending on landlord. Often there is an extra charge of 1000 – 2000 for the gas bottle. Most places don’t have wifi so you may have to pay to have that installed and then pay the monthly fee – I use Ethernet Express next to the Mango Tree bar in Vagator. There isn’t council tax and you can also negotiate the monthly rate if you are staying all year. Hope this helps 🙂
Hi Anna. Thanks for the info. Funnily enough The Mango Tree is a regular haunt of a friend of ours who is there season on season, older gent from Yorkshire called Rob. He apparently lives in there haha. We will hopefully be doing a bit of travelling too, as the more we research and look at the long time frame we have, the more we are thinking about doing! Certainly want to spend at least 3/6 months chilling in Anjuna/Vagator though. Never know, might see you there!
Hi Sarah and Ted. I don’t spend much time there anymore as I don’t drink but I might know who you are talking about! Haha! Hope you had a good season 🙂
Great insights Anna, i am looking forward to end up there in next few years.
Thanks Andy – hope you make it to Goa soon – just be aware that prices have gone up quite a lot since covid and go up every year so depending on when you visit you may need to budget more than this.
Hi Anna! I love your blog, it’s full of good info and insights. I’m thinking of doing a test run un Goa for a couple of months and trying to sort out which area to rent something in is proving challenging. I’d like to be close to yoga culture, vegetarian western and Indian restaurants, and of course nature. I’d appreciate your recommendations.
Hi Parul – great to hear you found my blog useful but bear in mind that these costs are quite out of date now prices are much higher now. Staying for a few months is a good idea, for yoga, vegetarian cafes and nature I think places like Agonda, Palolem and Patnem in South Goa would be best. You might also want to consider or Arambol and Mandrem in the north if you want to be closer to more amenities and the new airport.