Instantly know how many kg to order, total cost in your currency, rice & meat quantities, and a complete ingredients list — for any event, anywhere in the world.
🇮🇳 India🇦🇪 UAE🇬🇧 UK🇺🇸 USA🇦🇺 Australia🇸🇬 Singapore+ 9 more
Each variety has different ingredient ratios and price benchmarks. Select one to get accurate calculations.
👥 Step 2 — Guests & Event Details
Your guest count drives every number in the output. Over-estimate by 5–10% if you're unsure.
Include all adults + children
Children eat ~half portion
Affects kg per person ratio
🌍 Step 3 — Choose Your Country
We use real 2026 catering benchmark prices for each country. The cost table will show all currencies simultaneously.
🧆 Step 4 — Accompaniments & Extras
Add side dishes that typically accompany biryani. The cost estimate will include these.
Raita (Boondi / Cucumber)
150ml per person · essential pairing
Mirchi ka Salan / Gravy
Hyderabadi staple · 100ml per person
Shorba / Soup
Starter broth · 150ml per person
Salad / Kachumber
Fresh salad · 80g per person
Papad / Poppadom
2–3 per person
Dessert – Gulab Jamun / Kheer
2 pieces or 150ml per person
Starter – Chicken 65 / Seekh Kebab
3–4 pieces per person
Pickle / Achar
20g per person
🍛 Your Complete Biryani Plan
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📦 Quantity Breakdown
🛒 Ingredient Shopping List
💡 Tip: Buy spices from a wholesale market for 30–40% savings. Always add 10% extra rice to cover absorption variance.
💰 Cost Estimates — 14 Countries & Currencies
How to read this table: The Per Person price is the local catering benchmark for your chosen biryani type in that country (2026 data). Total Cost includes your guest count and all selected accompaniments. All non-local currencies are converted using April 2026 exchange rates.
Country
Currency
Price/Person
Total (Base)
+ Buffer
▶ Budget This
Pricing Context
⚠ Disclaimer: Prices are based on catering benchmarks (April 2026) and typical restaurant pricing. Home-cooked biryani costs 40–60% less. Prices vary by city, caterer quality, and order size. Always get 2–3 quotes before committing.
🧆 Accompaniments Cost Estimate
Item
Qty
Estimated Cost (INR)
Notes
⏱ Preparation Timeline
How to Calculate Biryani for a Party — Complete 2026 Guide
Biryani is the centrepiece of any South Asian celebration — getting the quantity right is a matter of honour. Too little and guests whisper; too much and money is wasted. Here's everything a host needs to know.
📐 The Golden Ratios
Scenario
Biryani (kg) per Person
Rice (raw, kg)
Meat (raw, kg)
Notes
Biryani as main dish — normal appetite
0.35–0.40 kg
0.17 kg
0.15 kg
Standard wedding / dawat portion
Biryani as main dish — heavy (dawat)
0.45–0.50 kg
0.20 kg
0.18 kg
Hyderabadi-style generous servings
Alongside other main dishes
0.25–0.30 kg
0.12 kg
0.10 kg
Mixed menu; biryani not sole star
Light / cocktail buffet
0.18–0.22 kg
0.09 kg
0.08 kg
Mini-portions; many other dishes
Children (under 12)
0.18–0.20 kg
0.09 kg
0.07 kg
Half portion of adult
🌍 2026 Biryani Catering Prices by Country (Chicken Biryani, per person)
Country
City Range
Budget (per pax)
Standard (per pax)
Premium (per pax)
Currency
🇮🇳 India — Hyderabad
₹150–₹700
₹150–250
₹300–500
₹500–700+
INR
🇮🇳 India — Mumbai
₹200–₹900
₹200–300
₹350–600
₹600–900+
INR
🇮🇳 India — Delhi / NCR
₹200–₹800
₹200–280
₹320–550
₹550–800+
INR
🇦🇪 UAE — Dubai
AED 15–60
AED 15–25
AED 25–45
AED 45–60+
AED
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
£6–£18
£6–9
£10–15
£15–18+
GBP
🇺🇸 USA
$8–$25
$8–12
$14–20
$20–25+
USD
🇦🇺 Australia
A$12–A$28
A$12–16
A$18–24
A$24–28+
AUD
🇸🇬 Singapore
S$8–S$22
S$8–12
S$13–18
S$18–22+
SGD
🇶🇦 Qatar
QAR 15–50
QAR 15–22
QAR 22–40
QAR 40–50+
QAR
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
SAR 12–45
SAR 12–20
SAR 20–38
SAR 38–45+
SAR
🇨🇦 Canada
C$10–C$26
C$10–14
C$16–22
C$22–26+
CAD
🇲🇾 Malaysia
MYR 8–30
MYR 8–12
MYR 14–22
MYR 22–30+
MYR
🇵🇰 Pakistan
PKR 400–1200
PKR 400–600
PKR 600–900
PKR 900–1200+
PKR
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
BDT 150–500
BDT 150–250
BDT 250–400
BDT 400–500+
BDT
10 Expert Tips for Perfect Party Biryani
1
Always cook 10% more than calculated
No biryani pot has ever been returned to the kitchen full. Plan for seconds — the most popular guests always go back for more.
2
Meat-to-rice ratio: 1:1.5 (raw weight)
For every 1 kg raw meat, use 1.5 kg raw rice. The cooked biryani will weigh approximately 2.2× the raw rice weight due to absorption.
3
Order from specialist catering, not restaurants
Party catering specialists use larger deg (handi) vessels, which produce better dum steam, more consistent flavour, and significantly lower per-kg cost at scale.
4
Saffron & kewra water are non-negotiable
The aroma of biryani — especially at a wedding — comes from kewra and saffron. Never substitute or skip these; they are the identity of the dish.
5
Dum cooking takes 45 min — plan your timing
The final dum (sealing and slow-cooking) takes 30–45 minutes and cannot be rushed. If you are cooking on-site, the handi must be sealed at least 1 hour before serving.
6
Serve raita cold, biryani piping hot
The contrast is essential. Keep raita refrigerated until 15 min before service. Serve biryani from sealed handis that retain heat; never leave it exposed in chafing dishes too long.
7
Vegetarian biryani needs its own handi
Never mix veg and non-veg utensils. Strict vegetarian guests will notice — and they should not have to wonder. Have a dedicated serving spoon and station.
8
Mutton vs Chicken: mix 60/40 for weddings
At large weddings, 60% mutton + 40% chicken is the traditional ratio. Mutton is the prestige dish; chicken fills volume and pleases those who prefer it lighter.
9
Freeze leftover biryani within 2 hours
Biryani spoils quickly at room temperature. Any biryani not consumed within 2 hours must be refrigerated or frozen. Never leave it out overnight.
10
Always do a taste test 48 hours before
If you are hiring a caterer for the first time, always arrange a small tasting beforehand. The spice level, salt, and meat tenderness must be confirmed in advance — not on the day.
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For 100 guests where biryani is the main dish, you need approximately 35–40 kg of cooked biryani (or 18–20 kg raw rice + 15–18 kg raw meat). Always add a 15% buffer — that brings you to 41–46 kg cooked. Use our calculator above for a precise, event-specific number.
How many kg of biryani per person?
The standard serving is 350–400 grams of cooked biryani per adult. For heavy eaters at a wedding or dawat, plan 450–500g. For a buffet with many other dishes, 250–300g per person is sufficient. Children under 12 eat roughly half an adult portion (175–200g).
What is the cost of biryani catering in India?
In India, chicken biryani catering typically costs ₹150–₹300 per person for a basic meal, ₹300–₹550 for a standard catered event, and ₹550–₹900+ for premium catering with service and sides included. Mutton biryani adds ₹150–₹250 per person on top. Prices vary significantly by city — Hyderabad tends to be most competitive; Mumbai and Delhi run 20–30% higher.
How much does biryani catering cost in the UAE?
In the UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi), party biryani catering for chicken biryani ranges from AED 15–25 per person for basic orders to AED 40–60 per person for full-service catering with raita, salad, and dessert. Mutton biryani typically runs AED 25–50 per person depending on quality and caterer.
How much biryani for 50 people?
For 50 guests with biryani as the main dish: approximately 18–20 kg cooked biryani. In raw ingredients: 9–10 kg rice and 8–9 kg meat. Add 15% buffer to reach a final order of 21–23 kg cooked. Always round up to the nearest whole kg or handi size.
Is it cheaper to cook biryani at home or order catering?
Home cooking is 40–60% cheaper for the raw ingredients, but you must factor in cooking time, gas/fuel, cooking vessels, service labour, and the risk of quality inconsistency at scale. For events of 50+ guests, professional catering is usually more cost-effective on a total-effort basis, especially when you factor in the cook's expertise and the proper deg (handi) vessels needed for dum biryani.
What is the meat-to-rice ratio for biryani?
The traditional ratio is 1:1 by raw weight (equal parts meat and rice). The Nawab Mehboob Alam Khan's Hyderabadi formula specifies 200g raw chicken per 500g cooked rice per person. For a richer, meat-heavy biryani, go 1.2:1 (more meat). For budget events, 0.8:1 is still acceptable. The cooked yield roughly doubles the raw rice weight due to water absorption.