Medical trips costliest in both rural & urban areas
Health and medical trips incurred the highest expenses in rural and urban areas during a one-year period. The average expenditure for these trips was notably higher in urban than rural areas. Pilgrimage travel accounted for the largest share of trips taken throughout the year. Accommodation and transport were significant expenditures for health and medical trips, underscoring their financial…
In a recent survey conducted from July 2025 to June 2026, medical and health-related trips emerged as the most expensive type of travel both in rural and urban areas. The average expenditure on such trips amounted to Rs 29,454 in rural regions and Rs 41,649 in urban regions. Over 70% of this expenditure was directed towards medical treatment.
Travel for religious purposes constituted the largest share of trips undertaken during the year, accounting for 48.7% of all journeys. This finding was gathered from the National Sample Survey's 80th round, known as the survey on Domestic Tourism Expenditure.
Regarding expenditures, accommodation accounted for 10% of the total cost, while food and drink consumed during the trip each represented 5%. Transport was the most significant component of expenditure for trips aimed at holidaying, leisure, and recreation, and pilgrimage, each with a 5% share.
For same-day travel related to shopping, the largest portion of expenditure was spent on purchasing goods, unsurprisingly. Rental or hired transport was the preferred mode for medical and health-related trips, making up almost 47% of trips in rural areas and around 40% in urban areas. Buses were the second most popular option, used by 26% of travelers in rural areas and 21% in urban areas.
In the case of same-day trips, the majority of households opted for their own vehicle, with less than a quarter of trips in urban areas and less than one in five in rural areas relying on personal vehicles. Health and medical travel ranked second in terms of average expenditure per same-day trip, following trips undertaken for social purposes and shopping.
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