Kochi Money Guide

Do You Need Cash in Kochi?

Yes, for the things that make Kochi worth the trip. The ferries across the harbour, the auto from the jetty, the prawns from the stall by the Chinese nets, the Kathakali show and the chai in Mattancherry are paid in rupee notes. Homestays, hotels, the cafes on Princess Street and the houseboat companies take cards. Carry ₹1,500 to ₹2,500 a day, and more if you are heading out to the backwaters. The India money guide covers the national ATM limits and UPI.

Fort Kochi vs Ernakulam: Where the Sights Are, and Where the Money Is

Two cities in one. Kochi sprawls over islands and peninsulas around a natural harbour. The part visitors come for, Fort Kochi and Mattancherry, with their Portuguese, Dutch and British buildings, synagogue and spice warehouses, is on a peninsula on the western side. Ernakulam, the modern city on the mainland, is where the railway stations, the shopping malls and most of the banks are.

Withdraw on the mainland. Fort Kochi has a few bank machines near Princess Street, the bus stand and the main road into Mattancherry, but they serve a big tourist population and can be empty at weekends or during the festival season. If you arrive through Ernakulam, withdraw there. Our tip: take enough for several days in one go, because Indian machines cap each withdrawal.

Kerala's own banks. Along with the national names, you will see Federal Bank and South Indian Bank, both headquartered in Kerala, with machines everywhere in the state. They work with foreign cards in the same way.

Ferries, the Water Metro and the Metro

The government ferry. The cheapest scenic ride in India. The State Water Transport boats between Ernakulam's main jetty and Fort Kochi cost a few rupees, paid in cash at the window, and take about 20 minutes past the container port and the naval base. Keep coins and ₹10 notes.

The Water Metro. Kochi's electric ferry network, opened in 2023, connects the High Court jetty with the islands and Fort Kochi in air-conditioned boats. Fares are roughly ₹20 to ₹40, and tickets can be bought at the terminal by card, through the app, or with the Kochi1 card, which also works on the Kochi Metro.

The Kochi Metro. A single line runs north from the city to Aluva, useful for the airport bus link and the mainland. Fares are low and payable by card, QR ticket or the Kochi1 card.

Autos. Kochi's autos have meters but drivers often prefer to quote. A ride within Fort Kochi costs roughly ₹50 to ₹100, and to Mattancherry a little more. Uber and Ola work on both sides of the harbour.

The Chinese Fishing Nets: Buy Here, Cook There

The nets. The huge cantilevered fishing nets on the Fort Kochi shore, thought to have arrived with traders from China centuries ago, are worked by teams of fishermen at high tide. Some will let you help haul a net for a tip, usually ₹50 to ₹100; agree before you start pulling.

The fish stalls. Behind the nets, stalls sell the day's catch by weight: tiger prawns, seer fish, red snapper, crab, squid. Prices are per kilo and quoted high for tourists, so ask the price per kilo before anything is weighed, and check the scale.

The cook shops. Take your fish to one of the small restaurants across the path, which cook it for a separate charge, fried with masala or in a curry, usually ₹150 to ₹300 depending on the amount. Both the fish and the cooking are cash. It is a good meal, but not always cheaper than ordering seafood in a restaurant.

Kathakali, Mattancherry and Jew Town

Kathakali. Kerala's classical dance drama, with its painted faces and enormous skirts, is staged every evening in short versions for visitors at theatres such as the Kerala Kathakali Centre and the Greenix Village. Tickets cost roughly ₹300 to ₹500, and arriving an hour early to watch the make-up being applied is part of the show. Smaller theatres want cash; the larger ones take cards.

Mattancherry Palace and the synagogue. The Dutch Palace, with its Hindu murals, and the Paradesi Synagogue, the oldest active synagogue in the Commonwealth, charge small entry fees, payable in cash. The synagogue is closed on Fridays and Saturdays and on Jewish holidays.

Jew Town shops. The lane leading to the synagogue is lined with antique dealers, spice merchants and craft shops. The bigger shops take cards and ship abroad. Spices are cheapest by weight from the wholesale warehouses on Bazaar Road, and pepper, cardamom and cloves make light, useful souvenirs.

The Backwaters: Houseboats and Shikaras

Houseboats. Most visitors to Kochi spend a night on the backwaters on a kettuvallam, a converted rice barge with bedrooms, a crew and a cook. They leave from Alleppey (Alappuzha), about 1.5 hours south, and Kumarakom. A night costs roughly ₹8,000 to ₹20,000 for the boat, including meals, depending on the season, the number of bedrooms and air conditioning, which often runs only at night.

Paying for a houseboat. Companies usually take a deposit when you book, by card or bank transfer, and the balance on boarding, sometimes in cash. Get the inclusions in writing: meals, drinking water, air-conditioning hours, the route and the check-out time. Beer and drinks are rarely included and are bought through the crew at a markup.

Shikaras. Smaller covered canoes, the shikara, take you through the narrow canals the big boats cannot enter. They charge by the hour, roughly ₹600 to ₹1,000, in cash. A tip for the boatman and crew of ₹200 to ₹500 at the end is normal.

ATMs in Kochi

Look for these logos. SBI and Kerala's Federal Bank have the widest networks.

SBI

HDFC Bank

ICICI Bank

Axis Bank

Getting to Kochi

From the airport. Cochin International Airport, the world's first fully solar-powered airport, is at Nedumbassery, about 40 kilometres from Fort Kochi. A prepaid taxi or app cab costs roughly ₹1,200 to ₹1,600 and takes 1.25 to 1.5 hours. AC buses run to Ernakulam and Fort Kochi for a fraction of that, and a shuttle links the airport with the Kochi Metro at Aluva.

By train. Ernakulam Junction and Ernakulam Town are the main stations, on the line between Thiruvananthapuram, Bengaluru and Mumbai. From either, take an auto to the jetty and the ferry to Fort Kochi.

Tipping in Kochi

Kerala is relaxed about tipping. Round up or leave 5 to 10 percent at sit-down restaurants without a service charge, ₹200 to ₹500 for the houseboat crew per night, ₹50 to ₹100 for help with a fishing net, and ₹200 to ₹500 for a full-day guide. Ayurveda centres rarely expect a tip.

Prices in Kochi

Kochi is good value, with Fort Kochi's cafes the dearest part of town.

USD estimates use approximately ₹88 = $1. Rates fluctuate.

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