Blog Costs in India: A Practical Budget Guide

If you’re thinking about launching a blog in India, the first question is usually – how much will it cost? The short answer is: it can be as cheap as a few hundred rupees a year or as high as several thousand, depending on the choices you make. Below we break down the main expenses so you can plan a realistic budget and avoid surprise bills.

Core Essentials – Domain, Hosting, and Platform

Domain name. A good .in or .com address typically costs ₹500‑₹1,200 per year. Some registrars run promos that drop the price to under ₹300, but beware of renewal hikes. If you’re on a tight budget, you can start with a free sub‑domain (like blogname.theprtech.in) and switch later.

Web hosting. Shared hosting plans from Indian providers such as HostGator India, Bluehost India, or Hostinger start at ₹120‑₹300 per month. For a low‑traffic blog, a basic plan is enough. If you expect faster growth, consider a VPS at ₹800‑₹1,500 per month – still far cheaper than hiring a dedicated server.

Platform. WordPress.org is free, open‑source, and the most popular choice. You only pay for premium themes or plugins if you need extra features. For absolute beginners, website builders like Wix or Weebly offer free tiers, but they add branding and limit monetisation options.

Design, Content, and Ongoing Expenses

Theme and design. A premium WordPress theme can cost ₹1,500‑₹5,000, but many high‑quality free themes work well. Custom design work from a freelancer ranges from ₹2,000‑₹10,000 for a simple layout. Keep it simple at first – a clean design already helps SEO.

Content creation. If you write all posts yourself, the cost is your time. Outsourcing articles to Indian freelancers typically costs ₹200‑₹500 per 500‑word post. For a modest launch schedule (2‑3 posts per week), budget ₹5,000‑₹10,000 per month.

Plugins and tools. Essential plugins like Yoast SEO, Akismet, and WPForms have free versions. Paid plugins for email capture, backups, or speed optimisation run ₹500‑₹2,000 per year. Email marketing services (Mailchimp, Sendinblue) start free and become paid only when you cross a few thousand subscribers.

Marketing and SEO. A small ad budget of ₹2,000‑₹5,000 per month can boost initial traffic through Google Ads or Facebook promotions. Investing in a basic SEO audit (₹3,000‑₹7,000) saves money long‑term by preventing costly mistakes.

Maintenance. Updating WordPress core, themes, and plugins takes about an hour each month. If you hire a manager, expect ₹1,000‑₹2,500 per month. Otherwise, set a calendar reminder and do it yourself.

Putting it all together, a starter blog in India can launch for as low as ₹2,000‑₹5,000 in the first year if you use free tools and do most work yourself. A more professional setup with premium design, outsourced content, and a modest ad spend lands in the ₹15,000‑₹30,000 range. The key is to match expenses with revenue goals – start cheap, upgrade when the blog starts earning.

Now that you’ve seen the numbers, pick the items that matter most to your niche and build a budget that feels comfortable. Remember, blogging isn’t a one‑time cost; it’s a series of small, repeatable investments that grow with your audience.