India is cheap! Sometimes.

When I went to Bolivia I thought it was cheap, but then I got to india. 50 rupees is 1 dollar here. Most countries I've been to the prices are maybe a little cheaper while still being equivalent to what I would spend back home. It's different here. I can get a little sandwich on the street for less than 10 rupees. I can get a package of cookies for less than 10 rupees. I can get a taxi ride a kilometer for about 20 rupees. That's pocket change in America.

Since things are so ridiculously cheap compared to what I'm used to, the vendors, taxi drivers, and the like catch on to this and start charging prices that I'm used to. A taxi ride that could easily be 20 rupees will cost 100 rupees once he sees the color of my skin and hears my accent. Even if I know the going rate I sometimes can't reach it since they know I have more than that as a budget. The only time I consistently get a fair price is for street food in less touristy areas. Usually 15 rupees or less for something pretty tasty, it's hard to resist.

Of course when you're buying from people on the street, it's usually a lower class business. Everyone on the street nearly without fail takes my money and then gives me my food with the same hand. The first time it happened I was surprised, but I was also hungry! And now it just happens regularly and what can I do? Also, to save money they usually wrap it in newspaper or magazine paper. Kind of gross considering I know what happens to my fingers after I read a newspaper for a while...they turn black from all the ink rubbing off on them. But that's just the norm here! Mmm a little newspaper ink with lunch.

Now even though there are things that are cheap, there's also a higher class in India that can afford prices like I'm used to, and there are establishments that cater to these people. They usually have a much nicer atmosphere at these places, and the people there are more likely to speak english and there definitely won't be anyone begging. At these places you could have an entree that's almost 10 USD or more, but sometimes it's worth it to get some high quality food and sanitary measures.