💰 Budget
Vegan on ₹200 a Day
A genuine seven-day meal plan that costs less than dairy-and-eggs.
2 min read Updated 19 June 2026
A seven-day grocery list (₹1,400 for one adult)
| Item | Quantity | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Toor dal | 500g | ₹80 |
| Mixed dal | 500g | ₹70 |
| Brown chana | 500g | ₹50 |
| Rajma | 500g | ₹70 |
| Soya chunks | 200g pack | ₹60 |
| Basmati rice | 1kg | ₹100 |
| Atta | 5kg | ₹260 |
| Peanut butter | 340g | ₹180 |
| Rolled oats | 500g | ₹90 |
| Bananas | 1 dozen | ₹60 |
| Seasonal veg (palak, lauki, bhindi, onions, tomato, ginger) | 2.5kg | ₹250 |
| Cooking oil | 500ml | ₹100 |
| Spice replenishment | — | ₹50 |
| Salt, jaggery, basics | — | ₹30 |
| Total | ~₹1,450 |
Plant milk and tofu are optional add-ons that bump the bill — fine if you want them.
A sample day
- Breakfast (₹15): oats (50g, ₹9) + banana (₹5) + peanut butter (₹15 of jar) + water/black coffee → ~12g protein
- Lunch (₹40): dal (1 katori, ₹10) + rice (1 cup, ₹6) + sabzi (₹15) + chana (₹9)
- Snack (₹15): roasted peanuts (₹10) + a fruit (₹5)
- Dinner (₹40): soya chunks curry (₹15) + 2 rotis (₹10) + sabzi (₹15)
Total: ~₹110. That leaves ₹90 for tea, lemon, fruit, snacks, condiments.
The cheapest protein in the country
- Soya chunks (dry): ₹0.30 per gram of protein
- Chana (dry): ₹0.45 per gram of protein
- Lentils (dry): ₹0.50 per gram of protein
- Peanut butter: ₹0.90 per gram of protein
- Tofu: ₹1.20 per gram of protein
- Eggs: ₹1.50 per gram of protein
- Paneer: ₹2.20 per gram of protein
- Chicken: ₹2.50 per gram of protein
Soya chunks are the cheapest gram-of-protein in India by a clear margin.
Hacks
- Buy in bulk. 5kg atta is cheaper per kg than 1kg.
- Skip the vegan packaged aisle. Real food in unbranded packaging is 3–4x cheaper.
- Use frozen veg. Cheaper, lasts longer, same nutrition.
- Cook one pot of dal for 3 days. Halve the time, halve the gas.
- Make peanut chutney instead of buying hummus. Same protein, 1/4 the cost.
The student / hostel version
If you have access to a single induction burner:
- One pot, one pan.
- Dal-rice, soya chunk curry, oats with peanut butter, banana + peanuts.
- Microwave: poha, upma, oats.
- Mess hall: ask for dal + sabzi + roti. Skip the curd. Add roasted chana from your stash.
References
Written by Malavika Malaviya. Last updated 19 June 2026. Found something out of date? Tell us.
