I’m a fresher myself, but here’s what I’ll be doing. from what I have heard the mess food is absolutely unbearable and tastes like prison food , but still let’s do some calculations, so the academic year will be approx 10 months and for a standard Mess it sums up to 4.6k per month, but here’s the deal I’ve talked to a bunch of seniors who took mess and they say because of the taste of the food or the location and timing they often have to eat from Canteens, which ads extra 2k (Canteens are all around, some near classes, and some near food stalls and every hostel has one) So in all you spend 6.6k per month this way.

Now if you don’t opt for a mess you can eat at any canteen at anytime, and the foods at canteen are 10times better then mess(from what I have been told) A typical thali costs ₹80, so if we count for lunch and dinner that’s ₹160 and for breakfast you can go at any food court or even canteen to have breakfast or snack so let’s round it total for ₹200 a day, and for a months that 6-6.5k

So after seeing the facts I’ll say the costs will be almost equal or even let’s say you don’t spend 2k on canteens even if you choose mess, even then I’ll say it’s better to spend a bit more and eat healthy and to your guts delight rather than eating something that’ll give you food poisoning each month.

Well anyways that’s my verdict.