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: $560 in Bangalore versus $494 in Kathmandu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $952 in Bangalore versus $789 in Kathmandu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,344 in Bangalore versus $1,085 in Kathmandu.

Living in Bangalore is roughly 13% more expensive than in Kathmandu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bangalore 58% lower, Kathmandu 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 ₹344

$1.86 NPR 287

91.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.57 ₹1,694

$18.98 NPR 2,927

-7.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.05 ₹390

$6.56 NPR 1,012

-38.26%

Cappuccino

$2.40 ₹232

$1.84 NPR 283

30.43%

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

$0.46 ₹44.01

$0.54 NPR 83.6

-14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ₹15.26

$0.18 NPR 27.07

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 ₹230

$2.66 NPR 410

-10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 ₹382

$3.54 NPR 546

11.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.65 ₹62.5

$0.86 NPR 133

-24.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 ₹59.9

$0.54 NPR 84.0

14.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 ₹82.8

$1.01 NPR 156

-14.85%

Eggs

$1.04 ₹100

$1.79 NPR 275

-41.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.80 ₹752

$8.75 NPR 1,349

-10.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.85 ₹371

$3.10 NPR 479

24.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.10 NPR 940

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 ₹256

$2.26 NPR 349

17.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 ₹71.6

$1.04 NPR 160

-28.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 ₹109

$1.25 NPR 193

-9.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 ₹41.89

$0.70 NPR 108

-38.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 ₹45.42

$0.49 NPR 75.0

-4.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 ₹49.12

$0.73 NPR 113

-30.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 ₹42.37

$0.49 NPR 74.9

-10.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₹33.96

$0.27 NPR 42.08

29.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 ₹395

$2.84 NPR 438

44.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.25 ₹988

$8.66 NPR 1,335

18.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ₹204

$2.37 NPR 365

-10.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 ₹320

$3.23 NPR 498

2.48%

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

$7.46 ₹719

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 ₹54.8

$0.23 NPR 35.61

147.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.55 ₹1,404

$11.07 NPR 1,708

31.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₹113

$2.23 NPR 344

-47.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ₹33.86

$1.07 NPR 165

-67.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 ₹227

$3.68 NPR 568

-35.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₹117

$1.23 NPR 189

-0.81%

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

$13.8K ₹1.3M

$31.6K NPR 4.9M

-56.20%

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

$24.7K ₹2.4M

$40.6K NPR 6.3M

-39.22%

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

$34.61 ₹3,338

$32.99 NPR 5,088

4.91%

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

$4.99 ₹481

$4.73 NPR 730

5.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.67 ₹1,029

$9.72 NPR 1,500

9.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.61 ₹1,795

$22.35 NPR 3,447

-16.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.99 ₹577

$7.18 NPR 1,107

-16.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.60 ₹444

$3.24 NPR 500

41.98%

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

$117 ₹11.3K

$89.5 NPR 13.8K

30.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,283 ₹316.6K

$3,834 NPR 591.2K

-14.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.50 ₹2,652

$24.49 NPR 3,777

12.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.18 ₹2,814

$27.56 NPR 4,250

5.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.0 ₹5,299

$58.3 NPR 8,988

-5.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.64 ₹3,919

$38.85 NPR 5,991

4.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 ₹29.7K

$194 NPR 29.9K

59.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 ₹17.2K

$100 NPR 15.5K

77.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 ₹78.9K

$342 NPR 52.7K

139.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$485 ₹46.7K

$188 NPR 29.0K

158.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,824 ₹175.8K

$2,271 NPR 350.2K

-19.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$988 ₹95.2K

$1,322 NPR 203.8K

-25.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$787 ₹75.9K

$277 NPR 42.8K

183.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.19

12.08

-23.92%

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

Last update for Bangalore: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kathmandu: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $308 in Bangalore and $194 in Kathmandu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangalore pays 184% 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: $18.00 in Bangalore vs $19.00 in Kathmandu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $133 vs $155 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 13% 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 184% 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: $308 in Bangalore versus $194 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 31% less than in Bangalore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $117 in Bangalore versus $89.5 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 $494 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 13% less than in Bangalore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.