Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Kathmandu Cost of Living Comparison Between Bangalore and Kathmandu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $551 in Bangalore versus $499 in Kathmandu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $941 in Bangalore versus $787 in Kathmandu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,332 in Bangalore versus $1,075 in Kathmandu.

Living in Bangalore is roughly 10% more expensive than in Kathmandu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangalore 60% lower, Kathmandu 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.08 ₹294

$2.04 NPR 312

50.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.67 ₹1,783

$20.56 NPR 3,144

-9.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 ₹462

$6.54 NPR 1,000

-25.99%

Cappuccino

$2.33 ₹222

$1.60 NPR 245

45.63%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₹40.40

$0.61 NPR 93.2

-31.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ₹14.18

$0.15 NPR 23.66

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 ₹219

$3.26 NPR 499

-29.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 ₹383

$3.71 NPR 568

7.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.61 ₹58.3

$0.75 NPR 115

-18.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₹51.1

$0.59 NPR 90.9

-8.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ₹73.4

$0.94 NPR 144

-18.09%

Eggs

$1.06 ₹101

$1.67 NPR 255

-36.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.42 ₹614

$7.27 NPR 1,112

-11.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 ₹366

$3.41 NPR 522

12.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.49 NPR 839

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 ₹263

$2.04 NPR 311

34.80%

Banana (1kg)

$0.71 ₹67.4

$1.10 NPR 168

-35.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 ₹112

$1.43 NPR 219

-17.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.42 ₹40.59

$0.58 NPR 89.4

-27.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 ₹34.34

$0.39 NPR 59.9

-7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 ₹35.33

$0.55 NPR 84.1

-32.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 ₹41.00

$0.45 NPR 69.3

-4.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ₹31.93

$0.25 NPR 38.50

32.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 ₹454

$2.63 NPR 402

80.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.17 ₹876

$7.98 NPR 1,220

14.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₹187

$2.30 NPR 352

-14.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ₹285

$2.90 NPR 443

2.76%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$6.40 ₹611

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ₹48.55

$0.23 NPR 35.16

121.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.65 ₹1,496

$10.09 NPR 1,543

55.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 ₹103

$2.01 NPR 308

-46.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ₹29.52

$1.30 NPR 198

-76.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 ₹207

$3.40 NPR 519

-36.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₹104

$1.40 NPR 214

-22.14%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$12.2K ₹1.2M

$29.2K NPR 4.5M

-58.13%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$18.8K ₹1.8M

$37.4K NPR 5.7M

-49.85%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$30.07 ₹2,873

$31.42 NPR 4,804

-4.30%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.20 ₹401

$3.48 NPR 532

20.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.17 ₹971

$7.86 NPR 1,202

29.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.23 ₹1,742

$22.66 NPR 3,465

-19.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 ₹574

$6.96 NPR 1,064

-13.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₹449

$3.00 NPR 458

56.67%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$108 ₹10.3K

$67.3 NPR 10.3K

60.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,128 ₹298.8K

$4,888 NPR 747.3K

-36.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.74 ₹3,128

$27.03 NPR 4,133

21.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.62 ₹2,830

$28.40 NPR 4,342

4.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$51.9 ₹4,955

$67.4 NPR 10.3K

-23.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.59 ₹3,782

$30.33 NPR 4,638

30.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 ₹30.3K

$221 NPR 33.8K

43.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 ₹17.6K

$105 NPR 16.0K

76.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ₹78.9K

$434 NPR 66.3K

90.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 ₹47.7K

$204 NPR 31.2K

144.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,872 ₹178.8K

$2,365 NPR 361.6K

-20.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,076 ₹102.8K

$1,340 NPR 204.9K

-19.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$857 ₹81.9K

$276 NPR 42.2K

210.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.52

9.72

-12.35%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bangalore: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kathmandu: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $317 in Bangalore and $221 in Kathmandu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 210% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $19.00 in Bangalore vs $21.00 in Kathmandu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $124 vs $145 per month, with Bangalore cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bangalore vs Kathmandu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kathmandu wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Bangalore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kathmandu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 210% higher in Bangalore, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $317 in Bangalore versus $221 in Kathmandu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kathmandu runs roughly 55% less than in Bangalore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $108 in Bangalore versus $67.3 in Kathmandu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Kathmandu gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kathmandu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $499 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kathmandu hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Kathmandu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.