At least in the US, you can make vegetarian Indian dal for seven days' dinner for about $20, probably less. Lentils are incredibly cheap at the Indian store, and onions, garlic and chiles are also very cheap. Vegetarian Indian food is not expensive to make, it's just somewhat difficult and time consuming. The most expensive thing you'll have to buy is the bread. If you try and get your spices at <Insert popular grocery store>, you will get scammed (small McCormick cumin ~ $5+). You can buy spices in bulk for an order of magnitude less money at the Indian store.